Recent content by galvestonokie

i have for sale an experienced WEP flight jacket in size 48. The jacket does show very slight "ghosting" from patches previously applied. Knits, zipper all work great. Originally issued as the top half of a cold weather survival suit, the jacket became very popular with VN era flight crews...

Deacon et al: i can't provide a definitive answer to the stencil/stamp question. my answer is that there is probably variation to any hard and fast practice. for example, some of the ANJ-3 supposed hybrid AAC/USN jackets had "US" stenciled on the rear of the collar rather than the standard...

agree that the problem with trying to fit into milspec flight jackets is that we often don't have milspec dimensions any more. here's a pic of me wearing a Ralph Edwards G-1 7823B, size 46. very comfortable jacket. age was late 60s and maybe a bit sloppy with the t-shirt out. since i was in the...

great jacket, great back story, great work. way to go!

yes. they have completely disassembled jackets for me during repair.

in Houston, i have used the asian tailor shop just east of Kirby and Richmond. it is in the same stip mall as Office Depot (to the east). AG Tailor, 5201 Richmond.

bit of both for me. don't get a chance to wear a G-1 much here on the Gulf Coast, but keep one in my car, just in case.

IMHO, don't do it. the jacket is intended to look that way. you risk ruining the jacket and there is little upside to a treatment. i owned the same jacket and appreciated it for what it is.

last night, i saw one of the characters (the Captain--Adam Dalton, played by Mike Vogel) was wearing a G-1 style leather jacket. my guess is that it is a Cockpit repro. anyone else notice?

i have hand-washed several G-1s in lukewarm water with no ill effects. also, these were air dried. i'm not sure about the washing machine and dryer. end result was that the jackets were cleaner and smelled better.

regarding the use of nylon in the popular WEP jackets, i assume there were two reasons for the nylon. these jackets were being phased out in the 1960s, so i assume they'd been around a while, maybe before the introduction of nomex. during the 1950s, seems like the USAF was also using lots of...

another thought: at the time we wore the WEPs, no one (that i know of) ever mentioned the fact that they were not nomex and therefore a risk in flight. not sure when the WEPs were no longer issued but i expect in the mid-late 1960s although i understand they are still worn around the squadron...

Deac et al: if memory serves the Aero page is at least partially correct. i have seen a few of these issued ANJ jackets for sale and they vary (shocker) even within the ANJ designation--some had epaulettes, some didn't. but all i've seen had a leather collar and a bi-swing back. what i remember...

i've done the conversion from mouton to goatskin collar since i live in a tropical climate. results have been mixed. in some cases, the new goat collar looks too small. but YMMV

if memory serves, Excelled is another brand name for Orchard Mfg. had a couple of their jackets and they were worthy jackets.