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What was the standard issue sidearm for WW2 Navy Pilots?

17K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  CO Steve 
#1 ·
My father was a Corsair pilot in the Royal Navy and was trained by the US Navy in Pensacola and other places. He was issued a sidearm by the US Navy and when he tried to turn it in at the end of the war to the Royal Navy, they wouldnt take it. So he buried it in my Grandmother's backyard (much to my dismay). I've always assumed it was a 1911 but dont know that for sure. He also sold his 3 flight jackets and took all the insignias off his uniform to use it as his Sunday suit.
 
#3 ·
I don't thin ther was really a "standard" sidearm for pilots during WWII, most one Mustang Pilot that I had the honor of talking to didn't bother carrying one, he said what would he do with 6 or 7 rounds, shoot his way back to England. I could see maybe a pilot in the Pacific carrying a sidearm, from what I've heard from most pilots it would be better to die than be capture by the Japs especially becaue they were pilots.
 
#4 ·
The "usual" Navy and Marine issue pilot's pistol was a S&W "Victory" model .38 revolver.
This was just a war-time S&W Model 10 with a 4" barrel, a parkerized finish, and a lanyard loop on the butt.

Some pilots carried them in a flapped US marked "Victory" model hip holster which had a standard pistol belt wire hanger, but most carried them in the Pilot's Victory Model shoulder holster.
This holster was a revolver version of the WWII "Tanker" shoulder holster used with the 1911.

This shoulder (actually more of a chest holster) had bullet loops on the strap that goes around the shoulder and neck, has a "Lift-the-Dot" type snap strap over the hammer, and also has a US stamp.

For some reason, the 1911 automatic was the issue pistol to Army Air Corp crews, the Victory revolver being the Navy and Marine issue.
 
#5 ·
Headless Thompson Gunner said:
My father was a Corsair pilot in the Royal Navy and was trained by the US Navy in Pensacola and other places. He was issued a sidearm by the US Navy and when he tried to turn it in at the end of the war to the Royal Navy, they wouldnt take it. So he buried it in my Grandmother's backyard (much to my dismay). I've always assumed it was a 1911 but dont know that for sure. He also sold his 3 flight jackets and took all the insignias off his uniform to use it as his Sunday suit.
- i'd be out in that back yard with a metal detector
 
#8 ·
Headless Thompson Gunner said:
You think after 60 years in the ground in the English countryside would yield anything? And whatever was found would probably be confiscated by the English. Then again it was US property and they didnt want it the first time.
- they still recover the odd bayonet and stuff from the trenches in france- but you're probably right about the english- still, would be worth a try- a few years back, a buddy of mine came across a snyder that had been in the local river for over a hundred years- cleaned it up, and it's hanging on his mantle- it's a 577 swingbreech type
 
#10 ·
In pristine shape a victory might bring $400 in the right market.
I'd be prepared to hear less, though. Only to a real WWII enthusiast/collector will this revolver generate interest.

After all, it is what amounts to a pre-'58 (no +P ammo ever) M&P
.38 and these have been made by the millions over the last 105 years.
In the general marketplace police trade ins of model 64 (stainless heavy bbl +P "ok") and model 65 (.357 version of the same thing) are retailing
for $250 or less.

If I had one, I'd keep it and shoot standard velocity loads through it.
They're very nicely made, have smooth actions and surprisingly accurate
for long distance plinking - even out to about 100 yards.
 
#14 ·
My USMC issue flight shoulder holster doesn't have cartridge loops, although some of them did have that feature. I guess it was the luck of the draw, or the era. Mine was from the '50s.

I'm told that some flight crews carried tracer rounds for their .38s when they were flying over water, to be used as a distress signal at night if they "splashed".

Harvey
 
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