AV8 Ace – Boxing Bomb WWII Aviation Tee

The 445th Bombardment Group was activated on April 1, 1943, at Gowen Field, Idaho, and trained with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator before deploying to England later that year. Comprised of the 700th, 701st, 702nd, and 703rd Bombardment Squadrons, the group trained at Wendover Army Air Field and Sioux City Army Air Base, where future Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart served as operations officer and later commander of the 703rd Squadron. Assigned to RAF Tibenham in East Anglia, the 445th entered combat in December 1943 as part of the Eighth Air Force strategic bombing campaign against Nazi Germany. 

Flying deep into heavily defended enemy territory, the 445th targeted aircraft factories, oil facilities, rail yards, submarine installations, and military industries critical to the German war machine. During “Big Week” in February 1944, the group earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for a devastating attack on a German aircraft assembly plant at Gotha despite suffering severe losses. The unit also supported major Allied operations including the Normandy invasion, the breakout at Saint-Lô, the Battle of the Bulge, and airborne operations across the Rhine, demonstrating both strategic bombing capability and tactical battlefield support. 

One of the most tragic missions in the group’s history occurred during the Kassel raid on September 27, 1944, when the formation became isolated and was attacked by massive numbers of Luftwaffe fighters in one of the fiercest aerial battles of the war. Despite devastating losses, the crews of the 445th continued flying combat missions until the end of the war, ultimately completing 280 missions while sacrificing 138 B-24 aircraft. Awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for its contributions to the liberation of Europe, the 445th Bombardment Group and the 703rd Bomb Squadron remain remembered for their courage, endurance, and sacrifice in the skies over Europe.

The tri-blend fabric creates a vintage, fitted look. And extreme durability makes this t-shirt withstand repeated washings and still remain super comfortable.

• 50% polyester, 25% combed ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon
• Fabric weight: 3.4 oz/yd² (115.3 g/m²)
• Pre-shrunk for extra durability
• 40 singles
• Regular fit
• Side-seamed construction
• Blank product sourced from Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, or the US

Disclaimer: The fabric is slightly sheer and may appear see-through, especially in lighter colors or under certain lighting conditions.