The USAF SAC Elite Guard Model 15

[DixieRanger]

[FONT=&quot]I've been doing a bit of research into the USAF's procurement and use of the Model 15. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]An interesting subset of these would be those issued to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) Elite Guard, which were nickel plated and fitted with (presumably faux) stag grips (some of these would date from the 1950's while others may have been later purchases, so which forum category under which to post this is a little problematic). The unusually flashy specifications are said to have devolved from General Curtis LeMay himself, despite their intended use being as everyday duty as opposed to merely dress or ceremonial sidearms.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I'm wondering if any remain extant. Certainly some USAF Model 15's have appeared in the civilian marketplace over the years, but I can't find any of the Elite Guard version among them. The USAF has at this point mostly withdrawn Model 15's from service, but whether they will continue to be carried in inventory, declared surplus, or (perhaps already) destroyed doesn't seem to be public knowledge. If somebody's seen one out there, or better yet, acquired one, sound off.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As an aside, there's a Star Trek episode in which Captain Kirk is detained by USAF security personnel, and you can see stag gripped revolvers poking out of their holsters. In other scenes, the revolver is revealed to be in fact a blued Model 10 (or M&P), but the stag grips are a realistic detail that you wouldn't necessarily have expected to have been gotten right in a weekly television program of the period.[/FONT]

In '63 Mother,brother & i went to Seymore Johnson AFB Goldsboro, NC to buy groceries at commissary once a month. Remember Mama driving as close allowed to see the B52's on tarmac surrounded by armed guards as was a SAC installation. What a sight for a 15yr old.

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[Tijeras_Slim]

I can't imagine furnishing large quantities of actual jigged bone grips, the picture with the missile in the background the grips are clearly the "miracle material" Franzite. The dark markings even match a set I have in my orphan grip and holster box.

 

[LostintheOzone]

Black text on a black screen. At least that's what I see here. Did you change the text color?

 

[ordnanceguy]

Kwill is correct. The photos of the silvery looking revolvers in use by the Elite Guard were, in fact, refurbished Victory Model guns, not nickel Model 15s.

And those Victory Model revolvers were not nickel plated. They were chromed. That information comes from the April 11, 1961 Authorization For Special Uniform Items provided to the Commander of the 3902nd Combat Defense Squadron at Offutt AFB. The same document stated that "Grips, Stag, Plastic" were to be used on the .38 revolvers. A later document, which I recall but cannot locate at the moment, specifically called for Franzite brand grips. The aforementioned Authorization also called for cross draw holsters for 4 inch barrel revolvers.

Regards,
Charlie

 

[bronco45]

Love this story. I was in the AF from 11/64 to 10/68 saw a lot of Model 15s and I loved those gabardine wool blue shirts that the SPs and Non Coms wore. They were phasing those out when I was going in.


If you look a little further in that March 60 Guns magazine you'll see a Skeeter Skelton article on shooting a Model 27 5" on the Texas plains but he goes by the name Allen Skelton. Photos of him shooting and carrying. A bit of gun fun for Skeeter fans.

 

[bgrafsr]

This is my 15-1 Air Force revolver. It is stamped U.S. on the left side of the frame. Shipped to Robins AFB, Georgia on May 15, 1962.
I paid around $3,300 for it several years ago.
I have the original Magna stocks, but put the target stocks on the gun because of the looks.

 

[Engine49guy]

The Star Trek pic is a long action M&P.
There was a great thread years ago on Air Force Model 15-2s and 15-3's.
Lost all my notes but Iirc someone said besides having the wide TT/TH they were not built as an AF order rather pulled from existing stock and stamped.
In other words they are the exact same as civilian guns except for the frame stamp and shipping destination.
As an interesting aside there were other models of SW and Colt revolvers built specifically for the AF that have unique features, some even have air force medallions in the stocks instead of SW ones.
Also seem to recall that most of the surplus Model 15s were dumped in the ocean and a picture of a female dog handler carrying one.

 

[jpage]

Were the SAC Elite Victorys uniquely stamped ? Guess I'll pay closer attention to chromed Victorys on the internet sites......

 

[Mbrgr1]

I've been wondering about this one since I got a letter...

It was one of 24 4" TH TT model 15s shipped to F&B Supplies Inc in Metairie LA in July of 1964.


The letter says it was blue when it left the factory, but it is chrome? now and looks like new, no sign of a hard refinish.


I'm not suggesting it had anything to do with the military, but there was an Air Force recruiting station right down the road!


Anyway, I thought you'd get a kick out of it, I wish it could talk!

 

[kwill1911]

Usually, the ones stamped "U.S." shipped to the Army and Air Force guns are stamped "U.S.A.F." but, some of the early Air Force shipments just got "U.S." so a letter is necessary to know the destination.

 

[majick47]

SAC Elite Guard Holster

The SAC Elite Guard cross draw holsters look like a Bucheimer Clark Combat model B6-14.

 

[DGNY]

Quite the fascinating thread. Thanks to Goony for beginning it, and for others who have chimed in. As many of us will attest, the 4 inch K frames in 38 Special whether model 10 family or model 15 family are great favorites. These posts, down the highways and byways of military usage, with many a turn, are all fascinating.

 

[18robert]

in 1964 at bien hoa vnaf air base i rememmber seeing in the hootch used for out armory racks of smith model 15's by the back door,alas i was only given a victory model .38 spec. such is life.

 

[handejector]

There can be no doubt that the USAF was letting contracts for new Combat Masterpieces, so I find it improbable that SAC's Elite Guard would be furnished with gussied-up, obsolescent, hand-me-down WWII-era Victory models.

Well,look close at the hammer spur--

That is a long action hammer spur, so it predates the Combat Masterpiece.

 

[press-1-for-english]

I actually have a pair of those Franzite stag grips sitting around. Never knew they had a possible military connection.

 

[bgrafsr]

in 1964 at bien hoa vnaf air base i rememmber seeing in the hootch used for out armory racks of smith model 15's by the back door,alas i was only given a victory model .38 spec. such is life.

I was TDY from Clark Air Base, PI to Bien Hoa. Arrived there on 31Oct64, just in time for the VC attack on the Air Base. Stayed there for approx. 2 1/2 months and was ordered back to Clark.

 

[shell627]

Around 1977-1978 I was visiting a friend at air base in Dayton Ohio.He was a new young areospace engineer.He took me to the WP museum .Their was a lot of Air Force SP around because of protests at gates.I noticed quite a few officers were carrying stag handeled revolvers I thought they looked cool.