Hello, I was wondering if anyone out there would know anything about this flight jacket. I received it from a friend who got if from a friend and he gave it to me because it did’nt fit him (it’s a smaller size). It’s definitely of a WW2 era vintage, but I can’t quite pinpoint where it might have originated. I have seen similar American jackets on the internet but without the waistbelt. I guess various types were made during the war from one factory to the next and differed in years etc. It’s maybe a bit unusual in that it’s black. There is no label to identify the maker etc. The inside back panel is genuine sheep fleece as is the collar. The cuffs are snaps rather than elastic. The zipper is original “Lightning” brand. The eyelets on the belt are brass, and the belt buckle is brass plated and has a small anchor on the back probably a brand stamp. It definitely shows the wear of over sixty years. Not likely worth much but nice wearable item. Thanks for any help you can give and I’m glad to be a new member here. Cheers!
By: skypilot62 - 21st March 2005 at 09:42
Well, I would’nt be able to dispute that it’s a commercial post war copy, it could very well be. If it was in better shape I would think that myself. I guess it’s hard to see in the photo but the patina of the leather and it’s condition makes it impossible to have been any less than fifty years old because I’ve seen the same type of thing on A2 Jackets on e-bay etc, where the back of the shoulders are really dried and cracked, I had to treat it with mink oil to stop the whole thing from disintigrating. It does’nt really matter how you treat a jacket but you can’t get it to look that aged without it actually being that age. I have another jacket that’s over twenty years old and it still looks new. So I guess unless one has seen this particular make of jacket before it would be hard to say for sure. If it had a label that would help alot… anyhow it is what it is… Cheers.
If only that were the case. It is relatively easy to artificially age leather to give a “Distressed” look – the unscrupulous do it all the time on Ebay, then use the ” I found this in my grandad’s shed – I have no idea what it is” type of line. The features of the jacket are most definitely not WW2 – small zipped pockets, presstuds at the wrists, short fur pile (although some WW2 did have similar pile) etc. If you left a new jacket on the parcel shelf of your car, in a sunny window etc. I think you’d be surprised how aged it would look in a short period of time. In 15+ years of collecting flying gear, I have all too often raised my hopes on just such a jacket.
I appreciate you may still have doubts so I can recommend dropping an e-mail and picture to the chaps at Aero Leathers, based in Galashiels. I’m sure they’ll tell you everything you want to know. You never know it just might of been a rare prototype, but unfortunately I doubt it.
Good luck.
By: navyradioman - 17th March 2005 at 23:06
Thanks for the replies
Well, I would’nt be able to dispute that it’s a commercial post war copy, it could very well be. If it was in better shape I would think that myself. I guess it’s hard to see in the photo but the patina of the leather and it’s condition makes it impossible to have been any less than fifty years old because I’ve seen the same type of thing on A2 Jackets on e-bay etc, where the back of the shoulders are really dried and cracked, I had to treat it with mink oil to stop the whole thing from disintigrating. It does’nt really matter how you treat a jacket but you can’t get it to look that aged without it actually being that age. I have another jacket that’s over twenty years old and it still looks new. So I guess unless one has seen this particular make of jacket before it would be hard to say for sure. If it had a label that would help alot… anyhow it is what it is… Cheers.
By: srpatterson - 17th March 2005 at 20:23
That was my impression as well. The style of the cuffs and handwarmer pockets are definate post war. I would guess ’60s-70s vintage.
By: skypilot62 - 17th March 2005 at 19:59
It’s a modern (post WW2) commercial jacket loosely based on the WW2 type jackets.
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March 16, 2005 at 4:07 am