Pilot's Survival

Off topic question rev_jch,
I was wondering about the painkillers included in a pilots survival kit. I've heard that they include up to two morphine autoinjectors and some aspirin, but there was supposed to be another type of narcotic based pill. The question is, whether or not there was such a narcotic based pill and if so, what type and how many.
 
Too my knowledge, and experience, there has never been a narcotic issued in a survival kit, pilot's, or other wise. The AF is as strict, if not more, when it comes to narcotics, then the civilian sector. The only pills we ever issued in a survival kit, whether it be a pilot's, aircraft, liferaft, combat control team, or pJ, it has always been aspirin, iodine, bandages, etc. nothing more (as far as medical supplies).
 
I carried one all thru my tour of duty in Viet Nam.I still have it today in my safe and I will past it on to my Family. I used that knife for everything from digging mines out of the ground to opening C ration cans.I ate, slept and washed in the south china sea with it.It is razor sharp on the top and bottom of the blade.If anyone from customs would of tried to take it from me when I left Viet Nam I would of stuck it in thier chest. Yes that Knife and I have lots of memories.Very well made for what it was intended for.
Gugy
 
I carried one all thru my tour of duty in Viet Nam.I still have it today in my safe and I will past it on to my Family. I used that knife for everything from digging mines out of the ground to opening C ration cans.I ate, slept and washed in the south china sea with it.It is razor sharp on the top and bottom of the blade.If anyone from customs would of tried to take it from me when I left Viet Nam I would of stuck it in thier chest. Yes that Knife and I have lots of memories.Very well made for what it was intended for.
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I own some nice knives, some functional knives, and one or two good looking knives, but no knives with a history that approaches what you plan on leaving to one of your family members. I hope that person appreciates the incredible significance of that blade, and passes it on for many generations to come.

Thanks for your service, and welcome home.
 
Yep, same one. When I checked Cabela's the day this thread was posted it was already out of stock, so they may have pulled it from the online catalog.
 
I want to thank you for the flowers! In the last 30 years I could count on one hand how many people said what you did.
The knife I have is dated as follows: CAMILLUS N.Y. 1967
For the fellows who want to know what to use on the leather sheath and handle to keep it preserved,I use "pure" neatsfoot oil.It will darken the leather but will keep it plyable.I use this oil on every holster, gun belt and leather jacket I own.Thank you again.
Gugy
 
Alot of interest in this old model knife. I thought I'd show off one of the commemoratives to come out of the Camillus factory, based on this knife.
There were several series of these made, some for other firms to market. This is a beauty, high polished brass pommel and guard, nice gun-blued blade, with gold printing. "Us Army Air Force", an illustration of a bomber, and "Battle over Europe" It did not seem to matter to whoever came up with this scheme that the knife was introduced over ten years after WW2 had ended. And yep, with the dry winter time heat in my home the guard is loose. Will tighten up when it gets more warm and humid. A connundrum when collecting military-leather handled knives... to much humidity and the knife rusts.. too little and the handles loosen.
Phil

ASEK008battleovereurope.jpg
 
That's a beautiful knife! Wow.

That inspired me. This weekend I'm going to pick up one of the 3 preservatives mentioned and get at the handle of one. The other one I got is in pretty sad shape, lots of rust, so I'm going to try a complete disassembly and restoration. Should be fun!

Thanks for the picture!
 
That is one nice knife Phil.

When I was much younger I often saw cheapo copies of the Pilot Survival knife around here in Mexico, I think this model was seen as the true American soldier knife. The "Combat" TV series was popular then and toy stores had plenty of US military inspired stuff, I remember having a helmet, canteen, etc.

I like the idea of a short tough, sharpened pry bar with hammer pommel for survival and soldier use, not a fighter but a knife that will hold strong for tough chores, I´ve always thought that this one is too pointy for prying, but I guess that even if you break the tip in a survival situation the knife will keep working.

I see these knives every once in a while around here, I guess I´ll have to get me one one of these days.

I use neats foot oil for my leather handled knives, it does darken them quite a bit and has a particular aroma, I´ve heard that conditioners soften the handle which should be hard but it has worked for me.

Luis
 
I ordered my Camillus Pilot Survival Knife out of the back of "Boys Life" in 1966 when I was 15, for $5. I've since carried it through 23 years of Army service. I think the old ones were a little "beefier" than the current ones. I've given several of the current models to my sons to take on the Boy Scout outings that eventually led to their Eagle ranks. They've lost a couple but they were cheap to replace. Once they grew up and got out of the "losing" phase, I gave them each a Randall Knife.

Mine is from before they had the metal tip guard on the sheath. It sharpens well, and even though it is high carbon non-stainless steel, it hasn't rusted a bit. The only thing other than normal wear is the rabbit blood on the sheath from the time my younger brother borrowed it to skin a rabbit he trapped.

Any shoe repair or "tent and awning" shop can replace that snap.

Bruce
 
Don,
unfortunately the pilot's knife is definitely not made for prying. Ive seen many broken when I was in the AF, either becasue they were being thrown, or used as prybars, but they were easily replaced. They would either break of at the tip, or the tang, where its connected to the guard.

I remember the "combat" series on TV, loved that show growing up :) Ive seen you can get it on DVD now, but its a little pricy though.
 
Guys.. glad you liked the pic. I liked hearing the stories behind your old Jet Pilots. My reason for having so much affection for this knife is like two of the other guys have mentioned... I carried it while in the Army. Traded a chopper pilot an extra .45 auto for his .38 and knife. You could do such things back then.

Here's another. This is fun. This is from the Camillus 'John Wayne at War' series of knives. There were three, this one commemorating the movie 'Flying Tigers', a Marine Utility celebrating the 'Sands of Iwo Jimo' and a USNavy mark 1 to go with the movie: 'The fighting Seabees'. I have a photo of the colorfully illustrated boxes if you'd like to see it. There are no fullers or blood grooves on this, and manufacturers leave them off a knife that is a commemorative, that will have photo etching on the blade. I forget the name for that. It will come to me.

I give you the Duke in all his military glory...
ASEK013wayneatwar.jpg
 
Luis' story of cheap ones made me think of an experience in a gun shop last year. While in there, I saw a old, beater Jet Pilot, under the counter with some other knives. I asked to look at it, saw if was made in Japan. Well, as you can see, I collect these, but at $40, no way. So I came back a week later with either a brand new Camillus or Ontario version and offered to trade them straight up. The owner refused! He was suddenly under the impression that old knife-trader Phil was going to put one over on him and trade a new knife for a very valuable old war relic. Like, yah, US pilots were fer sure issued made in Japan knives..

Phil
 
Phil, Phil, Phil.....
You know you shouldn't oughta been wearin' that Margarita shirt...it makes you look WAY too slick to deal with.... :D

Nice story, though.

Bill
 
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