Sunglasses - WW2 type

Question and opinion regarding Living History / Reenacting.
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David V
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Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by David V » Tue Aug 28, 2018 7:08 am

I'd like to wear some sunglasses that are more "period correct" in my jeep when I'm taking part in a commemoration. At the moment I only have some modern sports prescription ones. Last weekend was really sunny in Paris and we were out with 6 jeeps all in dress for the 74th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris. My modern Oakley's looked a little out of place. Keep the wind out driving with the screen down though.

Some of the guys were wearing Ray-Ban aviators which looked better. I was told the "Marshall" model is more correct.
Any suggestions ?

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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by Cal.Bar » Tue Aug 28, 2018 1:30 pm

Yep - I always wear my Ray-Ban aviators when driving my jeep. Now beyond THAT..... I can't tell you SPECIFICALLY which Ray-Ban model was/is more period specific. However, just wearing the Ray Ban aviator (classic style - not modern small lens etc.) will get you past 99.9% of people in the world. In fact I'll bet the number of people IN THE WORLD who could tell you WHICH model(s) of Ray Ban sunglasses were available in 1940-45 numbers in the low double digits. Granted, many of those may be here on the board, but you will never meet them outside a big MVCC show or meet.

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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by David V » Tue Aug 28, 2018 11:14 pm

Well I found a really interesting article on ww2 glasses and sunglasses on this site :

http://www.90thidpg.us/Research/Origina ... index.html

I downloaded the pdf file and there is info on sunglasses from page 43 on. All good research backed with photographs.
So it seems Ray-Ban aviators will do although there are more rounder lenses too from brands Amercian Opticals and Willsonite.
I think I'll go the Ray-Ban route.
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by 42swing » Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:47 am

I have my Dad's Aviators from 1945 that I wear, look a lot like a more recent pair of his I also have from probably the 70s.
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by David V » Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:07 am

42swing wrote:
Wed Aug 29, 2018 6:47 am
I have my Dad's Aviators from 1945 that I wear, look a lot like a more recent pair of his I also have from probably the 70s.
What colour were the lenses on the 45 ones ? Green or grey ?
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by Chuck Lutz » Wed Aug 29, 2018 9:50 am

I had some Aviators from the '70s I had bought yellow lenses for to use for shooting. I saved the green glass though. later when I needed prescription glasses I had them put into the frames in dark green. I switched to wrap-around Ray-Ban "Daddy-O" 'script sunglasses after that. Once I had cataract surgery done I only had a slight correction to 20-20 in my regular glasses and the Daddy-Os.

My ophthalmologist said I could get by without glasses altogether for driving and only needed them if I was looking for freeway signs a LOONG ways away.

So...I resurrected the Aviators and found the original unscratched green glass they came with and voila! I have a really good set of "WWII" aviators (close enough) to use.

In fact, the Ray-Bay Aviators are kind of a "retro" set of sunglasses today....they were available in 58mm and either 61 or 62mm frames. I have the larger of the two. I think the WWII ones had wrap-around ear pieces. These are more like conventional ear pieces but who cares...They are as cool now as they were in the 70s and in the 40s.
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by Mark Jesic » Wed Aug 29, 2018 10:15 am

Could anyone post photos of these glasses guys, thanks in anticipation. :D

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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by David V » Wed Aug 29, 2018 10:46 am

Chuck Lutz wrote:
Wed Aug 29, 2018 9:50 am
I think the WWII ones had wrap-around ear pieces. These are more like conventional ear pieces but who cares...They are as cool now as they were in the 70s and in the 40s.
Ray-Ban still make the aviator with wrap-around ear pieces. I think they call it the Outdoorsman. Just a tad different from the original. Comes with the "enhanced brow bar" which I never liked the look of. They do a black version though which looks really cool.
Also an aviator "Distressed" with worn, beat-up rims and brown lens which they claim were made for the Army. Not bad either. Not sure about the brown lenses.
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by 42swing » Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:27 am

Both the 45 and later pair are green glass.
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by Mark Jesic » Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:06 am

Where could these be purchased ?

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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by David V » Thu Aug 30, 2018 11:59 am

Ray-Ban still make the aviator sunglasses. You can visit their website and order direct if you just need non-prescription glasses. There is a .co.uk site.
So you can check them out.
I need prescription sunglasses so I'll have to go through my local optician. There is more choice of size and extra stuff like engraving and matt gold frames with prescription. I have a small head so I could go for the smaller size. Normal is 58mm lens. Small is 50mm which is about the size of my glasses.
Seems to me that the best choice is the classic green G-15 lens with the gold frame. It's seems the WW2 aviators had the round ear pieces and these don't. You would have to get the Outdoorsman for that and I don't like the big brow bar.
Anyway seems this is the model to go for to be "period" correct if you're dressed.

David
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by Mark Jesic » Thu Aug 30, 2018 1:25 pm

Thanks for that David. :D

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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by David V » Fri Aug 31, 2018 7:02 am

Interesting to see that there was also another brand of sunglasses made at the same time pretty similar to the Ray-Ban aviator type.
This brand - Willsonite - no longer exists. The first photo is probably Ray-Ban and the second Willsonite. Pretty close.
Attachments
Aviator type.png
Aviator type.png (109.23 KiB) Viewed 3278 times
wwii-willsonite-willson-vintage-pilot_1_297f80fb17077b539d839f4c3a3fc5d7.png
wwii-willsonite-willson-vintage-pilot_1_297f80fb17077b539d839f4c3a3fc5d7.png (111.83 KiB) Viewed 3278 times
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by David V » Mon Sep 03, 2018 4:29 am

BTW - the Ray-Ban logo was added to the lenses in late 1982 so if you are thinking of having a prescription pair made - like I am - don't have the logo put on it if you want to stay more period correct.
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Re: Sunglasses - WW2 type

Post by daveww2 » Sat Mar 09, 2019 6:20 am

I found some aviators on "Amazon" that have Bi-focals in them. This is nice, that way I do't need to carry my "cheaters" with me too ... I also picked up some "clip on" sun glasses to use with regular frames. So far, I only need "cheaters: for reading. I went to eye doc. and after she examined my eyes, eye doc said my use of off the shelf bi-focals and cheaters was sufficient for my vision - no prescription needed. She gave me one anyway incase I wanted to get prescription glasses.

Sun Glasses are way over-done in the Reenacting world, but i think are a fact of life now. :wink: :twisted:

David :twisted:


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