10106
W. Britain
The United States Army Air Forces (U.S.A.A.F. or A.A.F.) was the major land-based aerial warfare service of the United States Army. When established it was composed of 15 permanent combat groups, each organized into three or four flying squadrons. By World War II it held 67 combat groups: 26 were classified as Bombardment; 26 Pursuit groups (renamed fighter group in May 1942); 9 Reconnaissance groups; and 6 Troop Carrier/Combat Cargo groups. This figure represents a U.S.A.A.F. fighter pilot wearing the classic A2 leather flying jacket under his life preserver , and carrying parachute. He appears as he would have pre-flight ready to mount his P-38, P-47, or P-51.