TANAKA WORKS - Colt Aircrewman HW “R-model” (Model Gun)

In the early stages of the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC) could be directed to carry nuclear weapons over the Soviet Union or direct bomber attacks. At the time, there were no stand-off missiles like there are today, and strategic bombers had to penetrate into enemy airspace, risking being shot down mid-flight. The Air Force therefore rushed to deploy emergency lightweight sidearms for aircrews.
At the time, the Air Force was expected to carry heavy bombs on huge bombers, and the Air Force wanted everything to be completely lightweight, so the Air Force's request was for something to be "ultra-light".

The U.S. Air Force commissioned development from two companies, Colt and S&W, and ordered approximately 1,200 of each model developed by both companies, for a total of 2,400 guns, and began operation for trial purposes. The 1,189 guns produced by Colt at this time became the "Colt Air Crewman" that left its mark on history.
Colt developed an ultra-lightweight model based on the Cobra, the latest revolver at the time, with all major parts except the barrel made of aluminum alloy.
The Cobra on which it was based was an advanced model that used aluminum alloy, which was already the latest material, for the frame, but replacing the main parts, including the cylinder, from steel to aluminum was a bold step for the gun industry at the time.
Although the weight of the Air Crewman was significantly reduced to 312g compared to the all-steel Detective Special's weight of approximately 600g, there remained concerns about the strength of the aluminum alloy cylinder and frame combination, so the Air Force Considering safety, we adopted a special low-pressure cartridge with reduced charge called "M41" that is dimensionally compatible with the .38spl cartridge and used it as a dedicated ammunition.
The Colt Air Crewman was manufactured and delivered to the Air Force from 1950 to 1952. As a result of the trial, S&W won, and from 1953, deliveries of the S&W version of the mass-produced Air Crewman began on the condition that the cylinder be returned to steel, but the Colt version, which was a prototype, continued to be used as is.
However, due to the continued risk of being loaded with regular .38spl cartridges, the Air Force ultimately decided that the Colt Air Crewman equipped with an aluminum alloy cylinder was too risky, and in 1959 Most will be collected and destroyed.
Although it is an epoch-making gun that overturns conventional common sense and values, and has extremely high popularity and historical value, there are extremely few examples that have survived destruction and are now owned only by museums and some collectors. It has become one of the most valuable Colt revolvers

This time, we have created this Colt Air Crewman as an "R-model" model gun with improved durability and operability.
The cylinder lock-up problem (a symptom in which the timing between trigger movement and cylinder rotation changes) that occurred due to the faithful reproduction of the Colt mechanism has been resolved by the rebound lever, which has been changed to a two-piece structure of strong press and die-casting. Prevents deviations in operating timing over a long period of time.
The Air Crewman's most distinctive feature is the walnut checkered grip (weighted) with the U.S. Air Force emblem on it as standard equipment. This special grip is a special product that has been produced through many prototypes to perfectly reproduce the real thing.
The back of the frame has the words "Property of US Air Force," the bottom of the grip has an Air Force control number, and the side of the barrel is engraved with "Aircrewman," indicating that this gun belongs to the U.S. Air Force.
In addition, the attached cartridge is a dedicated Air Crewman cartridge that reproduces the special low-pressure bullet "M41" that was also used in the real thing. (Regular .38 special firing cartridges can also be used)

As the Cold War between East and West intensified, the Colt Air Crewman was a great failure, born out of the determination and pioneering spirit of the superpower America, which could not lose to its rivals in every field, including nuclear technology and space development. I hope you will be able to get a feel for the charm of this gun, including its historical background. (Limited quantity production)