Can anyboby help me find a picture of the squadron insignia that is on the leather flight jackets of Yossarian and other members of the unit? It looks like a "Hell's Angels" logo, but the angel is riding a bomb with a lightning bolt or something. I would really like to have a clear representation of this patch.
shareIt's been quite a while since I watched the movie, but could the 83rd Bomb squadron (earthquakers) patch be the one in question?
http://www.porthalcyon.com/features/200502/images/a2_lw_83bombsq.jpg
The squadron patch on the jackets of Yossarian, Nately, Dobbs, Danby and others in the movie is a close approximation of the World War II 488th Bomb Squadron (Medium) insignia - Joseph Heller's actual B-25 bomber squadron during the war. The 488th was one of four squadrons in the 340th Bomb Group (Medium).
The different, shield-like patches on Colonel Cathcart and Colonel Korn's jackets are, as far as I know, ficticious and unrelated to any real Group insignia. The design is definitely not the actual patch of the 340th Bomb Group in WWII.
Google around the net, and you'll eventually find a picture or two of the 488th's WWII squadron insignia.
Actually, it's pretty close...check this out:
http://www.patches-military.com/340th-349th.html
I was in the movie and had (it was eventually stolen) the proper bomber jacket with the proper patch. Joseph Heller was in the 488th Bomber Squadron. The appropriate patches are available here.
http://www.patches-military.com/apps/search?q=catch+22
My jacket had the green bomb patch. This is obviously one of the coolest patches designed for WWII squadron designation.
I now own a top-of-the line exact replica bomber jacket with patch. People certainly notice although I wear it in memory of the making of the film.