Anonymous
1959

Mid century scarf Eglin Air Force Base Florida

Very cool test pilot mid-20th-century scarf Eglin Air Force Base Florida

DESCRIPTION: This scarce and colorful mid-20th-century souvenir textile celebrates Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, presenting the installation as a principal proving ground of American air power during the early Cold War. A pictorial map of Florida labeled “Air Proving Ground Command” anchors the design, surrounded by illustrations of jet aircraft, test pilots, target vehicles, and specialized facilities. The textile combines cartographic imagery with promotional aviation art, adapting a souvenir-scarf format widely used for U.S. Air Force bases in the 1950s.

The aircraft depicted represent the forefront of U.S. Air Force technology in the supersonic transition era. Shown at mid-left is a B-52 Stratofortress, identifiable by its long straight wings and eight-engine configuration, symbolizing strategic bomber testing. At upper left appears a Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, recognizable by its needle-like fuselage and extremely short wings, while at upper right is a Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, distinguished by its pure delta wing and nose intake. Also depicted is a Republic F-84F Thunderstreak, a swept-wing fighter-bomber widely used in weapons and systems evaluation during the mid-1950s. Additional imagery of test pilots and supersonic tow targets reinforces Eglin’s testing mission.

The dating of the textile is supported by both the aircraft selection and the prominent reference to the Climatic Hangar, a facility completed at Eglin in 1954 and widely promoted in subsequent years for extreme-environment testing. The inclusion of the F-102, operational from 1956, and the F-104, which entered U.S. Air Force service in 1958, establishes a firm late-1950s timeframe, while the F-84F reinforces a mid-to-late 1950s context. The absence of later aircraft types or space-age imagery associated with the 1960s further supports an early Cold War date. These elements place the textile most convincingly in the late 1950s, circa 1958 to 1960.

Eglin Air Force Base is located in the Florida Panhandle along the Gulf of Mexico, primarily in Okaloosa County, with ranges extending into Santa Rosa and Walton counties. Established in 1935 as Valparaiso Bombing and Gunnery Base and renamed in 1937 for Lt. Col. Frederick I. Eglin, the installation was selected for its vast, sparsely populated land area, favorable year-round flying weather, and access to coastal and overwater test ranges. During World War II, Eglin became one of the largest training and testing centers in the United States, supporting gunnery training, weapons development, and tactical experimentation on an unprecedented scale.

In the postwar era, Eglin emerged as a cornerstone of the United States Air Force, serving as the headquarters of the Air Proving Ground Command and later Air Force Systems Command test activities. The base played a central role in the development and evaluation of jet aircraft, precision-guided munitions, nuclear delivery systems, and advanced electronics during the Cold War. Facilities such as the Climatic Hangar allowed weapons and aircraft to be tested under extreme environmental conditions, reinforcing Eglin’s reputation as the Air Force’s primary center for operational testing and validation. Its combination of scale, technical infrastructure, and mission scope made Eglin essential to maintaining U.S. air superiority and weapons readiness throughout the twentieth century and beyond.

CREATOR: Anonymous

PUBLICATION DATE: 1959

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States

BODY OF WATER: Gulf of Mexico

CONDITION: Excellent. No damage. Bright and shiny finish. Near bottom right corner of the scarf is sewn on top of the edging for about one inch.

COLORING: Bright and bold.

ENGRAVER:

SIZE: 29 " x 28 "

ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION:

PRICE: $365

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