Original Item: Only One Pair Available. These are vintage, original, never-issued WWII Army Air Force silk Airman's 2-sided color "escape" cloth maps which are dated 1943. The war in the Pacific was raging ultimatley drawing closer to a nuclear response and Japans unconditional surrender.
All three maps are double sided and measure 25.5 inches high by 20 inches wide.
The first reads AAF CLOTH MAP - ASIATIC SERIES - at the top center and titled: NO. 30, SOUTH BURMA the reverse reads B>NO. 31, NORTH BURMA
The second reads AAF CLOTH MAP - ASIATIC SERIES - at the top center and titled: NO. 32, FRENCH INDO CHINA the reverse reads B>NO. 33, CENTRAL CHINA
The third reads AAF CLOTH MAP - ASIATIC SERIES - at the top center and titled: NO. 34, SOUTHEAST CHINA the reverse reads B>NO. 35, NORTHEAST CHINA
All maps were:
Compiled for the U.S. Army Air Forces by the Army Map Service and dated 1942 (30-31) or 1943 (32-35).
At the time this chart was produced our understanding of the jet stream was rudimentary. High altitude wind currents are shown though not in as much detail as a modern chart/map. Our B-17 and B-25 pilots and crews learned that there were some very strong air currents aloft when their aircraft's times to targets took much longer than anticipated and the return trips went faster. This chart/map reflects the limited knowledge of the time but was a tremendous help to the pilots and crews nonetheless.
This map is in exceptional condition; rich in color and detail and became very important by the summer of 1945 as Fat Man and Little Boy became a ever increasing option to end the war in the Pacific.
