I'm a flight jacket geek, too. Growing up in the late '60s-'70s I was nuts about planes (still am) and pilots, especially WWII. In the late '70s-early '80 I wanted a leather flight jacket real bad, but could only find a Schott version (snap-fastened epaulettes and bottom of wind flap) with a two-piece back (seam across the shoulder) brown pile collar and white pile lining at Canfield's original store in Omaha. Then they got in a batch with leather collar and no pile lining. I wore these forever until I grew too much in girth, but I still got'em. For my wedding present 15+ years ago at the Vintage T-bird Club Int'l. Convention in Minneapolis my wife bought me a knock-off B-3. That same weekend we went to a warbird museum and I posed next to a B-17 wearing it and a shearling hat I got at an Army surplus store in Portland, OR 20 years before - the black-and-white pics looked like I'm fresh out of gunnery school. It's gotten grungy around the collar and cuffs, and got a wonderfully worn patina until I put a rip in one of the sleeves last winter, but it's my go-to jacket when it's brutally cold outside, or when the heater goes out in my elCamino - pulling up the collar really helps. Fast forward to 5 years ago and my wife got me an authentic A-2 with the single-piece back and sewed-on epaulettes from flightjackets.com - I wear that sucker EVERY DAY and it puts a smile on my face every time I do. I LOVE my repop A-2! I still have to take her up on my last anniversary present offer to get a repop B-3 - maybe as a result of this thread I'll act on it now.
I would put the jacket in the hands of expert restorers like those at Eastman or Lost Worlds Inc. Some one mentioned flightsuits ltd. also known as Gibson and Barnes..they are great to work with and are more than qualified at repairs. A simple application of Pecards leather treatment will revive the leather and unless the knits are totally gone I would just leave it alone and treat it well, store it flat. Having and original piece of history like that ...it can only be original once. Hope this helps. Jerome
Hellmet, Your jacket looks like a US Navy issue flight jacket. The age is hard to tell, they are still available today in surplus stores brand new. It should be lighter than a leather jacket because it is goat skin as opposed to calf skin. The goat skin is lighter and thinner because the Navy fighter pilots had less room to move in their cockpits. I have one and I always wear it in my roadster. They are made by a company called Cooper. Great coat, I would wear it, no leave it laying on the seat like Slamcouver suggested.
thanks guys i realy dig this jacket my dad has had it a long time. we were moving out his hanger he had a mooney but had to sell it do to his age 81 and getting around. i saw the jacket and asked him where he wanted to be put so it would not get messed up and he said take it. he was a chief mehcanic in wwII and and has been a pilot for 60 years worked on P51's and worked on the enorla gay . he said when he got out of the war he could have bought a p51 for 500 bucks. thanks guys. billy
so since this thread is still going figure I'd just chime in and share my view on uniforms and the wearing of.. Its sorta like wearing another Car Clubs jacket that you dont belong to. If you havn't earned it don't wear it................ Bollocks I say!!! What about all those "surplus" jackets sold after the war, bought up by Hot Rodders because they were a cheap warm coat, that allowed the wearer to spend their hard earnt on a car rather than a new jacket. What about Bill Burke, what if he hadn't bought a P38 belly tank........ Before you say it - I am a veteran, and I collect & wear Wartime flying jackets - I'm not disrespecting anyone. On Anzac day I wear my medals, not anyone elses. It's not a Uniform, It's part of a uniform.
"What about all those "surplus" jackets sold after the war, bought up by Hot Rodders because they were a cheap warm coat, that allowed the wearer to spend their hard earnt on a car rather than a new jacket. " surplus jackets after the war were a cheap warm coat just like you say but fast forward 60 years and its just playing dress up.
And for Rat, "kinda like saying if you're not a hot rod pioneer back in the day, don't build or drive a lakes styled roadster. WTF ??" No building your car gives you the sense of entitlement the blood on your knuckles, sweat and tears that you shed over getting your project on the road. "What you are saying essentially is that by wearing such an item of clothing, that it demeans their sacrifice." Actualy no thats not at all what i was essentially saying. I was stating that if you havn't signed up for the military gone threw basic training the times of missing your family and knowing that you willfully signed your life away maybe you should just hang that jacket on the wall and appreciate it instead of putting it on and playing the dress up game.
Oh well, I guess Rabid Atoms Uncle Ernie is just playing dress up then how do you figure, it clearly states that he didnt play the part but was actualy the real deal hero.
Guess I best burn my USN Pea Coat, my USAAF Flying Jacket, my MA1 & my A2 then? Wouldn't wanna be accused of playing dress up huh?
SC, not trying to offend or be a smartass..... As I said in my original post I agree with you in principle, but not all people have the desire, opportunity or ability to "earn" what is essentially a piece of clothing. And yes, you would be correct in saying that times HAVE changed. The point is, its not about "a dress up game" as you have put it, although to some individuals I concede that may be the case. What you are alluding to is the romantic notion that the only people who should wear these jackets are the ones who served, put their lives on the line and EARNED them. Whislt i agree in principle, that notion is great in theory but highly impossible, impractical and kinda selfish no? Did it perhaps ever cross your mind that the overwhelming majority of individuals who actually WEAR these jackets wear them for a REASON and know full well what they ACTUALLY represent including their historical importance/significance ? Should they be made to feel like outcasts because they don't fit your mould or hardcore attitudes? Additionally, if we preclude younger generations from these experiences how can they even begin to FEEL what it could have been like? The young are already pretty much in the dark these days about our history ( political correctness rears it ugly head again) they will have ZERO exposure to declining WWII vets / generation numbers. I understand what you are trying to say and times have changed, but please don't rag on people who acutally APPRECIATE and more importantly UNDERSTAND what is pretty much a historical icon of WWII, that was made that way by the original individuals who wore them. Remember we are talking about an item of clothing here - most vets would have been more concerned with staying alive and surviving the war than worrying about whether or not future generations wore replica B3s or A2s. To my mind, the more people we have in the world who actually GET IT, the better off we'll be for it, even in these "enlightened" and politically correct times we live in..... (read bullshit times) PS: you sound ex military - are you a vet ? Just my 2 dineros. Rat
My dad was a Army Air Corp pilot in a B 17 during WW2. He said he wore his old A2 jacket out before I was born, but I do remember his other leather jacket with the lambs wool cuffs and collar hanging in the closet for many years when I was a kid. I got him a replica A2 jacket about ten years ago and he loved it. When he died 3 years ago my mother gave the jacket to me. It's not the same as owning his original one, but to me it's still a special jacket. I have his pilot wings mounted on the dash of my 40.
Shame on you dressing up like that.....!! Guess what? Dry Lakes racers who had'nt served in the Big One wore Army surplus gear (pea coats, boots, pith helmets, A2s etc) immediately post WWII. Perhaps they were fakers and playing dress up too !! Bloody dress up artists !! Rat
How do you earn a piece of Military Clothing, is it earnt by signing on the dotted line?, I was issued mine. When I left I had to hand most of it back to the stores. If I bought & wore another piece of issue clothing which I wore in the services from a surplus shop is it playing dress up? My Grandfather rode a WLA Harley Davidson whilst in the RAF during WW2, I bought one when I first arrived in Australia, partly in memory of him & partly because I love the design & look. Is that dress up?? I've been the caretaker for a few old cars which have been sold on to enable me to either buy other cars or help with a deposit on a house. Does driving an old car Class as dress up?? I'm sure most of us would agree that this thread should go back on topic. One of my jackets has the name & serial number of the former owner - does anyone know how I can find more about the owner from WW2. I'd like to contact the former owner or family & let them know part of their family history still exists. Anyone??
Wow, how this thread degenerated! Being issued something isn't earning it, its just....well, being issued it. There are only two items of uniform I can truly say I ever earned the first is my Airborne beret by doing the Para course. The second and to this day my most prised possession is my sandy brown beret. Now I would be upset if I saw someone wearing the Maroon Beret but if I caught someone wearing the Regiment beret without, A. Having earned that right, or B. Being given it by a family member or friend to be used to remember a past member. I would be downright enraged. Everything else was just a piece of clothing, wear what you want. Doc.
I've had my USAF A2 jacket since the late '80s when it was issued to me. I wear it daily during the cooler months. In fact, hanging on the back of my chair as I type this. It is pretty "broken in," to the point that if I was still on active duty, I would need a new one, but I cherish it.
Wearing an A-2 or a B-3 or a G1 in your hot rod is playing dress up? Give me a break. Since you don't think anyone should "play dress up" then I guess you don't like the reenactors or the living history folks eh? Anyone can spout off, never forget, the greatest generations, blah blah blah. These are the folks that are trying actively to help the kids learn about what their grand parents and great grandparents (and now even great great grandparents) went through.
Nonsense, It aint pretending to be something you're not. Its respecting an era properly,being passionate about something, and respecting a certain time in history more than the average Joe Shmo. I guess someone could say that you are being phony for trying to recreate an old time Hot Rod when it 2009!
I only have a replica jacket and I am going to get it painted sooner or later with some authentic style nose art. Is that playing? No, it is remembering and honoring the few and brave who did it for real and this is just a small thing to do to remember them and their sacrifices. God Bless our Vets and Current Active Military
No disrespect intended for Rabid Atoms Uncle Ernie, good on him for wearing the jacket & his hat. Speak with him & listen to him as much as you can - I bet he's got some great stories
Exactly MY point Axle.....the avergae Joe Sschmo DON"T GET IT !!! Doc, its rare we disagree on anything, pls go back and re read my second post about this. Rat
Those jackets are still issued to all Navy and Marine fliers (both enlisted and officer) as part of tradition. When I got mine issued in Pensacola Fl. and we were all told to keep them on a short leash because they were very desirable and the only way non fliers get them was to steal them or pay the $400 plus dollars. I love mine and still wear it. Never wore it to fly though. I was a crewchief on 53's and the general consensus around the hangar was that if you were wearing a leather jacket around at work you thought you were some kind of special flyboy and were above your co workers. The more broke in they get the cooler they are. I don't see it as being someone your not to wear it. I earned mine and if your rockin your dad's then you're respecting what he did. Plus they're warm and block wind really well in a roadster. I have cought hell about mine not being broke in "enough" though. Now worrying about how broke in someones jacket is would be classified as being a poser though. and as for painting them. They did some of that in the air force in WWII but the marine corps stance has pretty much always been that you don't get to just go painting your uniform items and think you can wear them to work. They get all weird with the whole destruction of govt property. The navy is still a little more leanient but now days its mostly just a bunch of patches and such. Even still current time wise those guys showing off all their patches are considered posers. We were told to keep the door art on our crew doors. johnny
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