-40%
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57
Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57

Rare Zippo lighter.....1254th A.T. Group....2517191 Patent Pending Circa 1950-57

$ 39.6

Availability: 100 in stock

Description

This is a very well used Zippo lighter with the 1254th A.T. (Air Transport) Group logo. The lighter has the patent number 2517191 and "Pat. Pend." on the bottom and on the insert which from my research suggests its dates somewhere between 1950 to 1957. The 1254th A.T. Group per Wikipedia was a USAF unit in existence from 1948 to 1966  last stationed at Andrews AFB. The following is from Wikipedia.
1254th Group
The
squadron
was expanded to
group
status on 1 August 1952.
[8]
The following month, the
1111th Special Air Missions Squadron
at
Bolling Air Force Base
, District of Columbia was transferred to MATS from
Headquarters Command
, redesignated the
1299th Air Transport Squadron
(Special Missions) and assigned to the group, In January 1953
1298th Air Transport Squadrons
(Special Missions) was organized under the group at Washington National.
On 1 March 1957 the group was assigned two
Bell H-13J
helicopters, the first rotary wing aircraft assigned.
[9]
The H-13s initial mission was to provide short range air transportation for the President to an alternate location in the event of an emergency evacuation. These helicopters remained on alert to perform this mission.
[10]
In 1959 the group became the first USAF unit to operate jet aircraft for the transportation of personnel when it accepted three VC-137As.
[11]
One of the more unusual passengers carried by the wing was
Soviet
prime minister
Nikita Khrushchev
who was transported on one of these aircraft during his 1959 tour of the United States.
[
Please use the pictures to judge condition and ask any questions prior to bidding. You will see that the lighter appears heavily used with scratches, dents, and plating loss but is complete. The wheel moves freely. It appears that several of the barrels on the hinge are broken but the lid is still attached.  There is a name "Maust" engraved on the back of the lighter along with what appears to be the owners military serial number which adds to the provenance.
Lighter will be packed very well and shipped via USPS first class mail. Shipping will be .00