WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Discussions about US MREs and other US rations
texrdnec
Posts: 248
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:00 pm

WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by texrdnec » Sat Nov 27, 2021 9:38 pm

i've found two examples of these. does anybody know of or has anybody seen any others anywhere?

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums ... nt-1161707

"AAF Combat Lunch

The original combat lunch to subsist air crews on long-range flight missions consisted of unprepared and dehydrated items which were to be cooked or reconstituted by crew members during flight. Despite the general absence of heating or cooking equipment aboard military aircraft, these types of foods were listed in the initial specification and persisted throughout the war. The specification described the ration as a unit package consisting of food for three men for one meal with extra beverages. Components were dry milk, chili powder or tomato paste, bouillon cubes, hard candy, gum, precooked rice, salt, tea tablets, and can opener, all packaged in a waxed fiberboard box. Subsequently, the variety of components was increased by specifying two menus or combinations of components. The ration was to be placed aboard the plane in quantities sufficient to provide meals for all crew members. It was assumed that water would be provided for reconstituting the dehydrated components and making the beverages. Crew members were to carry out preparation procedures in the plane.

A limited procurement of the combat lunch was made in 1943 and 1944. In December 1944, the Air quartermaster, recognizing that preparation of foods in flight was too much to expect of aircrews, discontinued the ration and sought various means of using up the quantity on hand. By July 1945, the ration was recognized as obsolete and eventually the specification was cancelled.

The following concise criticism of the AAF Combat Lunch was expressed by the Laboratory after the war:

The consensus of the crew members is that the food is not sufficiently desirable to compensate for the effort required in preparation. Such a large variety of items is not deemed necessary. The majority of crew members think that a few cans of prepared soup, a thermos jug of coffee, a few meat or cheese sandwiches, some fresh fruit (preferably oranges) and a few candy bars would be much more suitable than these flight lunches. The chewing gum, chocolate and Charms (hard candy) included in these flight lunches are the only items considered desirable......"

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums ... ent-594921
As per "CQD No. 156, 4 October 1943... LUNCH, FLIGHT, ARMY AIR FORCES"



Beef 8 oz

Butter 3 1/2 oz

Coffee 1 oz

Milk powder 4 1/2

Chili powder 7 grams

Tomato paste 6 oz

C Square Biscuits 14oz

Bouillon Cubes x5 0.3 oz

Hard Candy x6 1.1/8 oz

Evaporated Fruit 11oz

Fruit bar x3 2oz

Gum x10

Lemon powder x3 7grams

Pre-cooked rice 3oz

Salt 6oz

Tea tablets x3

Can opener

texrdnec
Posts: 248
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:00 pm

Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by texrdnec » Sat Nov 27, 2021 9:45 pm

one is pictured in that second link, the second is this pic i got from a friend. it's a 3rd party picture, supposedly from a museum overseas but no idea which one.
image0.png

texrdnec
Posts: 248
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:00 pm

Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by texrdnec » Sat Nov 27, 2021 9:57 pm

post-107-1217020271.jpg
post-107-1217020271.jpg (14.15 KiB) Viewed 3436 times

Salty Croc
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Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by Salty Croc » Sun Nov 28, 2021 4:33 pm

Holy crap that's cool! I didn't know that something like that even existed.

-Salty

texrdnec
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Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by texrdnec » Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:54 am

9DB31C65-4BAA-47C7-827C-C578CC504A6F.jpeg
Here’s the contents of one

ChowLine
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Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by ChowLine » Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:16 am

Any idea what the dimensions of the fiberboard box that all is packed in might be?

texrdnec
Posts: 248
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:00 pm

Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by texrdnec » Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:52 am

ChowLine wrote:
Sat Feb 25, 2023 9:16 am
Any idea what the dimensions of the fiberboard box that all is packed in might be?
not offhand but i can get you a measurement this weekend

texrdnec
Posts: 248
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Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by texrdnec » Sun Feb 26, 2023 12:22 pm

8.5" wide
6.25" high
6.5" deep

ChowLine
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Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by ChowLine » Sun Feb 26, 2023 12:54 pm

texrdnec wrote:
Sun Feb 26, 2023 12:22 pm
8.5" wide
6.25" high
6.5" deep
Although expected, it always surprises me how small this ration stuff is, like a carton holding all that is no bigger than 9" in any dimension. Now, the box material, it looks like pressed fiberboard and not corrugated cardboard. Is it entirely waxed? Is it waxed fiberboard that has been assembled and then taped shut (like a modern produce box made to hold ice packed vegetables like broccoli) or was it sealed and then wax dipped?

texrdnec
Posts: 248
Joined: Thu Oct 24, 2019 7:00 pm

Re: WWII Army Air Corps Flight Combat Lunch

Post by texrdnec » Sun Feb 26, 2023 1:01 pm

pressed board, sealed and then entirely waxed

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