WWII Bomber Jacket Exhibit to Open at Military Aviation Museum
October 25, 2023, Virginia Beach, VA- The Military Aviation Museum announces the opening of the new exhibit entitled “BOMBER JACKETS: The Painted Jacket Art of World War II” on Saturday, November 18, 2023.
An icon of World War II, the hand-painted Bomber Jackets, known more formally as the Type A-2 Flying Jacket, are some of the most celebrated artifacts of the period. Designed at first as protective clothing for aircrews, the jackets became a status symbol, an opportunity to exercise creativity in a sea of green clothing, and a way to chronicle wartime feats of courage and bravery.
Photographer John Slemp has sought to catalog those that have survived, traveling the nation, visiting museums and attics alike. Bomber Jackets: The Painted Jacket Art of World War II represents the first time the pieces have been shown as an exhibition in a museum. While there are more to be seen in his book, the exhibition format allows visitors to enjoy the jackets in a larger-than-life immersive space.
The opening of this special exhibition exploring wartime masterpieces will begin with a member preview, followed by general access (included with Museum Admission) to a ribbon cutting, along with remarks from the exhibition development team. The opening festivities will also include a live artist painting on a reproduction A-2 Jacket.
Click here for Tickets to the Exhibit
Information Provided by Military Aviation Museum.
