My dad gave me this bomber jacket he's had it a long time. The one he had in ww2 was lost and he dont remember where this one came from. This is where you guys come in. It has a tag on the collar but is very hard to read. It does have -usn- on the flap part i persume it means us navy? Its olive drab green inside with a pocket with a button and pockets on the outside. The zipper says talon on it. I figuer it would look cool sitting on my seat in my roadster. Billy
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=164948 Ya might be interested in this old thread.
the lable is unreadable the only thing i can make out is size 40 on the bottom line . How bout the part on the flap that says usn?
I would keep that thing close to your chest. perhaps wrapped around it. cool vintage leather is always a hot commodity. I am no expert, but I do work with leather almost daily. I don't know anything about its origin or its value, but it seems valuable to you. Don't leave it lying around. Even though I agree. It would make a cool scene to have it on the front seat of your roadster. I hope you get to give it to your kid someday... Greg G.
When I was a kid, 18yrs old in 1986, I moved to Dallas. Took a job in a deli, cause when your broke its always a good idea to get a job that serves food. Anyway, there used to be an older fella that would come in for coffee from time to time. He would wear his WWII bomber jacket when it was cold. We would conversate every now and then about nothing. Being I was the only guy that would talk to him, He said, " Young man, You like this jacket dont ya......There are alot of places this jacket has been......Lots of stories suround this jacket......I could tell ya stories for days about what this jacket has seen, Hell Ill just give it to ya If you want it." Man I bout shit my pants when he told me that. He did share some stories. But I never got the jacket... He passed away soon after the offer. I found out a couple weeks after his passing. Everytime I see a WWII bomber jacket I think of that dude. Pointless to the thread I know, just thought I would share the story.
Its an M422A Jacket. From the Eastman Leather Website [SIZE=-1] Originally standardized by the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics on 28th March 1940, as the M-422, the addition of a pencil slot in the left pocket warranted the change of spec to M-422A on the 1st October 1941. [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]It saw action in every battle that USN/USMC aviators took part: From U-Boat hunting in the North Atlantic, to the decisive Pacific engagements at Midway, Guadalcanal and the 'Marianas Turkey Shoot'. [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]It had even attained fame before the United States were officially involved in WWII. In 1941 the Nationalist Chinese government purchased a quantity of USN flying gear. This was to equip a group of American volunteer airmen, who they had enlisted to help in their fight against the Japanese. The majority of these pilots who flew those renowned shark-mouthed P-40s, were clad in M-422As. They were to become one of the most famous fighter groups to emerge from WWII: The AVG Flying Tigers! [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]A testament to the good looking and extremely functional design of this jacket is that with only the most subtle of changes to its basic design, it continued to be issued to U.S. Navy pilots right up to present day; known now as the G-1. [/SIZE]
My department store bomber jacket that dad gave me for my 50th birthday is only 12 years old but I cherish it enough that I never leave it laying around and wouldn't use it for seat decoration in my truck or car. The one your dad gave you is a real prize and needs to be treated as such. Worn with pride or safely stashed away.
I'm not big on props. Wear it. I have a pair of WWI aviator goggles I wear when riding my bike. I dunno, maybe they should be put on a shelf, but I wear them.
you can get them from here, along with the classis Irvin WW2 jackets etc. http://www.flying-jacket.com/
I wanted to do the seats in the Zipper with leather that looked like it might have been done with cut up bomber jackets. Found this material through an interior decorator and I think that it fills the bill. Alas and alack, my bomber jacket is from China via So-Cal Speed Shop. Maybe one of my grandsons will cherish it as many of you have fond thoughts of jackets handed down from dads, brothers, uncles and so on.
Note the pockets on the Eastman G1. They are scalloped. I've never seen that on a G1. Is that a very early design, or is Eastman's pocket flap wrong? My G1 is late Vietnam era (eary Seventies). Found it in a thrift store! Looks like it had never been worn.
Hellmet, Your jacket is a G-1, not a M-422A. WWII issue M-422A jackets do not have USN pierced into the flap under the zipper like G-1 jackets do. M-422A's were marked with USN on the back of the neck, under the collar. If you are able to read the contract numbers on the lable, I could probably tell you what year it was manufactured. It is definitely a post WWII jacket though.
When I went to flight school in P-cola in '84 they were still issuing those. Still had the USN on the inside flap. They might still be issuing them. As to age, that one was obviously used, but other than that it's hard to say.
I have a USAF G1 clone done in brown cowhide. It is now 21 years old, and like a pair of old shoes is just getting comfortable, even though it could use new cuffs and the collar flipped over. A good leather jacket can be a legacy item that gets multi geerational use.
I'm no authority...but FWIW, there is an awesome disply of WWII jackets at the Wright Paterson AFB in the Museum of Warplanes. Lot's a jackets with the art displayed behind a case you can get inches from....very nice if you get the chance to stop by!!
I bought mine while I was in the Navy in 1970 for $25 and wore it every day through the mid 1980's. The leather wears pretty well, but the cuffs and cloth waistband will wear eventually. The zipper may need replacing too, as the cloth backing comes apart with use. I believe they are goatskin and the USN punched in the flap does indeed indicate a Navy issue. Great jacket and I still wear mine occasionally, but like the others said, don't leave it around in a crowd.
Funny story about a bomber jacket. My cousin gave my uncle(his father) an old worn out one to deer hunt in. So my uncle painted the white fur collar od green, so it would be camo, plus its a bad idea to have white on you when you (and other folks) are hunting white tail deer. So anyway he got up into his stand and it was just starting to be daylight. He heard a LOUD "WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH" right over his shoulder. He turned to see a big ol' owl trying like hell to put the brakes on. I guess it thought the collar was a squirel or something and then right before it grabbed it, it figured out it was attached to a human. My uncle nearly shit himself when he say those big wings and bright glowing eyes. Sorry i know this isnt a pic but i thought it might be a good story to add to bomber jacket lore.
My dad was a navy airman (P-3 radar) in the early 60's. He really treasured his jacket, and was crushed when he handed it over at discharge to see them take a razor across the back, patches and all. and then see it throw into a pile with all the other slashed jackets. He's been looking for a correct replacement for many years... He was really broken up and had been offering to buy it before all that went down. This doesnt really have much to do with this thread, but since others are sharing Bomber Jacket stories...
Leave it to the foreigners to know what kind of jacket it is, and to know more about American vintage clothing than most of us. I think you're right about the model of this. Its similar to my A2 but stitching is a little different. Billy,most rodders around here (especially guys in to 40's style rods) don't wear these ultra cool jackets, but they're the cats ass man . I wouldn't leave it in the car while you shop at your local automotive swap meet but i'd certainly wear it while driving that Calori Roadster in the winter time !
The Jalopy Journal
