help needed to identify U.S. ARMY AIRFORCE transport box

Who can help me to identify this big guy? I brought it back from a local fair yesterday. It was used at Bricy between 1944 and 1966 but I can't figure out which model this heavy box is.

It was made in New York by a Company which was founded in the 1920s. It was shipped to various airfields in France, including Toulouse and Bricy , there were many staples on it which tend to prove this box commuted a lot , but only two labels survived. One from Toulouse to Paris and one from Paris to Bricy (Boulay is a little garisson village , just next to the base) . The labels are French airforce , so it was probably recycled by the French as well .

Condition is almost perfect, good enough to be displayed and store sheets and blankets (that's how Mrs Skipper recycled it)

My main question is to find out whether this is WW2 period or 1950s.

 

Definitely post war beings the serial number contains "AF" and judging by the stenciling, and the font of the label, 1960 something would be my guess and it might even be 1994 due to "94" being the first two numbers in the "Specification number"

 

Here is something else I found: USAAF mechanic tools box with APO 52 502

 

Thanks Jug, the WW2 8th Airforce lead would be a decent guess. 1960 would be possible , 94 impossible (the Fench airforce symbol you see on it hasn't been used for over 50 years and logic would incline to a prior use by U.S. forces. Besides the last U.S. troops lef tFrance in 1967, so it's got to be 1944-1967 at most.

 

The "94" was more of a "...eh, maybe I wouldn't be suprised", That aside, I don't think the the Air Force used that style of lable until the late 50's - early 60's

 

Other crafted boxes in kaki plywood are typical officer boxes used by the U.S military items, but they are usually square and much smaller. The design and materials are the same though , including the metal edges. The only difference I notice is the sealing holes used to put screws instead of the usual padlock. Hence i'm thinking of a cargo , rather than personnal items for this specific box.

 

Doing some research on the Robert Hoe Corporation shows it OOB in the late 50's. The last mention I find is 1957, which coincides with the death of the founder in 1958.
So that might be a closer end date.

 

Great Input Marseille, so now we are narrowing the research between 1944 and 1957. I do hope it's a 1944 one , it would be great to think it was brought to Bricy with the rebuilding of the Bricy base.

 

OK Skipper, I have a little more information:
The Army Air Force Specification No. 40340, "CASE, SHIPPING (AIR FORCE ORGANIZATION EQUIPMENT) was issued in 1944 and was renumbered to 94-40340 on July 15 1945.
I can't find a revision date for the "A" revision (94-40340-A) as called out on your tag, but it must have taken place some time after mid-45.
Also note that your case was number 4 of a four-piece matched set.

Man, I need a life.
John

 

Great , we are moving fast now. So if I understand correctly, this case was manufactured in 1944, renamed just after July 1945 and left to the French airforce some time later. I will focus on the French airforce label. The main lead I have is their 1945 model symbol. (two paralel wings )

 

Skipper,
The case was manufactured after the A-revision of the spec was issued, which places it after July 15, 1945, more likely sometime after 1946, and before 1958.
Sorry I couldn't find anything more. Finding the issue date of the A-revision would be my next recommended step.
John

 

Well, it's good enough to store my extra pillows whether 1945 or 1946 made. Thanks for everything Marseille

 

Hey, I was scanning the Internet trying to find information on a crate I had found and see that my crate is very identical to the one pictured. Was wondering if I post some pics if I could have some assistance I'm identifyin exactly what the crate is, where it was made, when it was made, value, etc. Thanks!

 

Post away. You never know what you'll find out.

 

The exterior looks exactly the same as the other posted. Mine has this info on the side. I tried looking it up to find more out but was unable to as I'm not very good when it comes to researching these topics

 

Thanks for adding this to the thread. This case is still one of my favorites and I use it in my office to store documents. It's under my desk and my printer is on top of it, so I enjoy this on a daily basis.

 

It is very unique to me as you cant find anything on it. I have bad it for years and was going to sell it as I thought it was just a typical crate but I could find nothing in researching it so I figured id hang on to it and see if someone could assist me is figuring out that little guys story!

 

if I were you I would keep it. Considering mine was found near a former USAAF base in France, I tend to Believe these were used for logisitics and have mostly been sent overseas. I have never found another ever since . I don't think they are rare, but many may have been destroyed years ago .

 

Won't be long before everything from that era will be rare. Keep it, who knows, it just might come in handy at a swap meet or something like that.