From the Vault: Rare USAF Aircrewman Revolvers
This video from Brownells Gun Techs explores rare United States Air Force Aircrewman revolvers, built by Colt and Smith & Wesson in the 1950s. These .38 Special snub-nosed revolvers featured lightweight aluminum frames and cylinders, designed for aircrew survival kits. A specially developed low-pressure load was intended, but standard .38 Special ammunition often damaged the cylinders, leading to their eventual destruction by the USAF. The video highlights the extreme rarity of surviving examples, contrasting the early aluminum alloy limitations with modern lightweight revolver designs. The Colt Aircrewman is compared in size to the Detective Special's D-frame, and the Smith & Wesson Aircrewman is noted as a J-frame.










