This distinctive Langley Field, Virginia T-shirt is based on an original American sports shirt dating from the period of the US Army Air Forces during WWII. The original artwork has been carefully recreated while preserving the characteristic curved lettering and grey-and-yellow winged propeller design.
Its simple and powerful appearance reflects the sports and physical training shirts worn by military personnel at American airfields. This is not a newly invented modern emblem, but a design with a genuine historical origin.
The artwork is printed on a comfortable modern T-shirt with a classic crew neck and short sleeves. It is suitable for everyday wear, re-enactment, living history, historical events or as a collectible garment for enthusiasts of American military aviation.
A genuine Story Telling Product, inspired by an original shirt from one of the most important airfields in the history of American air power.
Historical context
Langley Field was established near Hampton, Virginia, in 1916. It was named after American aviation pioneer Samuel Pierpont Langley and became one of the first United States military installations specifically designed for aviation operations, flight testing and aeronautical research. The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the predecessor of NASA, established its first major aeronautical laboratory at Langley.
In 1920, the Air Service Tactical School was established at Langley Field. The school educated officers in the tactical use of military aviation. In March 1935, Langley also became the headquarters of the newly formed General Headquarters Air Force, bringing many operational American air units together under a central air command.
During WWII, Langley Field concentrated on anti-submarine operations, radar-bombing development and training, aircraft maintenance and technical support. Aircrews also trained on nearby ranges for attacks against enemy submarines. Langley therefore played an important role in the development of American military aviation both before and during the war.
The design on this T-shirt has been recreated from an original Army Air Forces Langley Field, VA. sports shirt from the wartime period. Its grey lettering and yellow winged propeller preserve the unmistakable appearance of the historic example.
