Army Air Corps Library and Museum

Mae West Survival Vests

The USAAF Pneumatic Life Vest - affectionately dubbed the "MaeWest" vest (after the ample film star) - was a pneumatic life vest that saved the lives of thousands of pilots during WWII. The yellow rubber vest inflated using CO2 cartridges, with a back-up manual inflation tube.

Army Air Corps Library and Museum

Copyright © Army Air Corps Library & Museum, All Rights Resrved.