WWII Kit Contacts Library

VINTAGE FLYING GEAR


(especially flight jackets) MAJOR GLENN MILLER (Moonlight Serenade and MORE)



EASTMAN (Alan & Gary in Devon)

GOODWEAR LEATHER CLOTHING. John Chapman's new company for extraordinary flight jackets.

FLIGHT SUITS

HPA (History Preservation Assoc. Eastman's rep in US, ask for Charles)

Real McCoy (RMNZ) our Kiwi pals from down under, ask for Miss Paddy

Real McCoys Japan (RMJ - high quality for the Japanese market)

AERO LEATHER (the boys from Bonnie Scotland, ask for Will or Amanda)

TOMAHAWK CHOP (Original A2's on Jap market)

Branded Leather (mid market priced NYC based leather jackets)

BUZZ RICKSON (A2 Page & more)

BUZZ RICKSON (Japanese translated).
Aero Jacket Pic Gallery (courteousy of Mark Moye, your friendly US Aero Rep)



http://www.toyo-enterprise.co.jp/

Original Flight Jackets (German Company)

LOST WORLDS (Stuart & his NYC guys will help you out)

http://www.uswings.com/

BUZZ RICKSON online catelogue (loads of pics of flight jackets & misc kit)

http://www.garciaaviation.com/

MASH (Great Japanese suppliers of WW2 vintage jackets, trousers and hats, Yoshi is your man)

THE FEW (Real McCoy NZ for Japan Market)

Ghost Vintage Motor/Flight clothes
Flight Jackets.com

Buzz Rickson Direct (Japanese Manufacturer)

Sefton Clothing Co. (Steve's great one-man-operation in England)

INFORMATION on the A-2 flight jacket



ACME DEPOT (Marc's informative overview of original & repro A2 market, well done mate!)

JOHN CHAPMAN's Brilliant REFERENCE GALLERY of orignal & vintage flight jackets (be sure to order his great CD library on flight jackets!)

VINTAGE LEATHER JACKETS III (Excellent online Military Jacket Group for jacket nuts)

THE CLASSIC 20th (informative online Vintage aviation/jacket Group)

JACKET REPAIRS (Tried and tested for original & repro flight jackets)

Advanced European Tailoring
Mr Zoltan Hajnal
2115 Allston Way
Berkeley
CA 94704
USA
tel: 510-843-3881
email: Hajnip@sbcglobal.net

Voight Leather
Mr Steve Voight
4350 McGhee Road
Sandpoint
Idaho 83864
USA
tel: 208-255-1669

Aero Leather
Mr Will Lauder
Greenbank Woollen Mill
Huddersfield Street
Galashiels
TD1 3AY
Scotland
UK
Tel: +44 (0)1896 755353
Fax: +44 (0)1896 755366
Email: enquiries@aeroleatherclothing.com

Mr Gary Eastman
Eastman Leather Clothing,
PO Box 7,
Ivybridge,
Devon,
PL21 OYY
UK
Tel: 01752 896874
Fax: 01752 690579
Email: enquiries@eastmanleather.com


UNIFORMS (from crushers to pinks)



SURPLUS DOURSOUX (French site. Good affordable choice for officer's boots, navigators cases, AAF flight bags)

WW2 Impressions

Soldier of Fortune

AT THE FRONT

SM WHOLESALE

AAF OFFICER shoes


VINTAGE PRODUCTIONS (MASH Co. gloves, aircrew baseball hat, replacement knits)

CLEVER FORGERY (Great for RAF dog tags, and military ID papers)

DOG TAGS (this company uses original 1938 and '43 stamping machines)

PEGASUS (these guys produce authentic RAF life vests and Brit Airborne kit!)

Exact repro dog tag chains

Quartermaster Inspector

AIR DIGGER (RAF repro gear)

WAR HORSE TRADING

WAR TIMERS (vintage military time pieces)

WHAT PRICE GLORY

US MILITARIA (repro US WWI & WWII kit)

Old Nauti bits (original bits, eg: whistles; bells; wrist compass..)

FNG Supplies
(American/Brit/German)

BELLS AVIATION (from original WWII flight helmets to flying trousers)

FURTHER KIT LISTINGS HERE

Wartime Re-enacting Weblinks & Gen Info



Intelligence Dept.

Global re-enactor group listings

DOOLITTLE RAIDERS (Army Air Corps group)



RAF forums & groups list

Ops1940 (UK based RAF re-enactor group)

ESSENTIAL AAF reference books



Combat Flying Clothing: Army Air Forces Clothing Through World War II
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Smithsonian Books; Reissue edition (October, 1994)
Language: English
ISBN: 1560985038

More Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens: An Expanded Study of USAS, USAAC, & USAAF Uniforms, Wings & Insignia ¥ 1913-1945 Including Civilian Auxiliaries
Author: Jon A MaGuire
Hardcover: 350 pages
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing (January 1, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN: 0764300911

Jon Maguire's book Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens was a tremendous success and set a new standard for American uniform and insignia references. Following its publication there still remained among collectors and historians a desire for more information. There was also an outpouring from many serious collectors who made available a wealth of items-the result, More Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens. This book of all new material greatly expands on the wing qualification bagdes, uniforms, and patches presented in the first book. Additionally, this work covers totally new areas including Civil Air Patrol, W.A.S.P.s, Air Transport Command, Factory Techincal Representatives, and "Yanks" in the RAF an RCAF. Other new areas presented are uniforms and insignia of the First World War era, and the "Golden Age" of the 1920s-1930s. There is also a large section on Aviation Cadets and civilian contract flying schools and instructors. The book is presented in the detailed and thorough style typical of Jon Maguire's work. Original items are shown in over 1000 color photographs, as well as numerous unpublished period photographs showing the items as they were worn. Jon Maguire is also the author of Gear Up! Flight Clothing & Equipment of USAAF Airmen in World War II, American Flight Jackets, Airmen & Aircraft, and Art of the Flight Jacket(all available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).

Silver Wings, Pinks and Greens: Uniforms, Wings & Insignia of Usaaf Airmen in World War II (Schiffer Military History) (Hardcover)
Author: Jon A MaGuire
Hardcover: 191 pages
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing (August, 1994)
Language: English
ISBN: 0887405789

This new look at the uniforms and insignia of the USAAF during the World War II years covers a broad range of clothing, collar insignia, rank insignia, shoulder/sleeve insignia and squadron patches. Additionally, there is an in-depth examination of wing qualification badges. Actual items are presented in nearly 600 illustrations in full color, and also as they appeared in actual war-era photos. Actual uniform regulations and illustrations from the 1943 and 1944 Officers Guides are also provided. Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens will be a useful addition to the libraries of collectors, historians, modelers and veterns alike. Jon Maguire is also the author of American Flight Jackets, Airmen & Aircraft: A History of U.S. Flyers' Jackets from World War I to Desert Storm(with John Conway). Jon lives in Oklahoma City, Ok.

Art of the Flight Jacket: Classic Leather Jackets of World War II (Schiffer Military/Aviation History) (Hardcover)
Jon A MaGuire
Hardcover: 175 pages
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing (September, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN: 0887407943

Following the success of their first volume American Flight Jackets, Airmen & Aircraft: A History of U.S. Flyers' Jackets from World War I to Desert Storm, Jon Maguire and John Conway focus solely on the painted leather jackets of the World War II years in this all new volume., over 600 color and b/w photographs, 8 1/2" x 11"


American Flight Jackets, Airmen and Aircraft: A History of U.S. Flyers' Jackets from World War I to Desert Storm (Hardcover)
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Schiffer Publishing; 2nd Rev&Ex edition (October 1, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN: 0764310658

This new comprehensive look at the evolution of the American flight jacket from World War I to Desert Storm addresses not only the types worn, but focuses primarily on the art and adornment applied to the jackets. The most colorful and creative period for flight jacket art was World War II, and it is this era that comprises a major portion of this book. Additionally, many of the pieces are attributed to the original owner with biographical information, contemporary photographs of the individual, and the aircraft on which he served. Personal combat accounts are also included. Also covered are other military jackets used by flyers. American Flight Jackets** was compiled over a number of years by Jon Maguire and John Conway. The authors became friends through a mutual passion for aviation history and collecting. This book provides a valuable reference for historians and collectors alike, and includes over 1,000 photographs.

A-2 and G-1 Flight Jackets: Hell-Bent for Leather (Paperback)
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Motorbooks International (July, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN: 0760312222
This book, one of the first if not the first one to cover vintage flight jackets, has been out of print for several years now, so it's good to see it available again. On the other hand, this new printing offers no revisions or corrections (including photos printed in left-right reverse and repro jacket makers who no longer exist), and so it still falls way short of being a worthy reference for flight jacket enthusiasts. Some jacket information in the book can be misleading and indicates a lack of fundamental research, even by basic observation. Relating an expression of surprise over hearing of an original A-2 made of goatskin, for instance, does a real injustice to the actual sizable fraction of goatskin A-2's, including entire contract runs. The revision history of the G-1, which has had a much longer life than the A-2, is virtually ignored, including the fact that the designation of "G-1" did not appear in the jacket itself until the late 1940's. While there are some good photos throughout the book, and there is undoubtedly some good and interesting information, more coverage of jacket details would have been appropriate and the credibility does suffer from errors and superficial treatments. With respect to the ever expanding interest in vintage flight jackets and those who wore them, this book makes a good starter for someone wanting to know about the A-2 and G-1, but it's not a definitive reference. And considering the incredibly long and impressive list of people in the Acknowledgments section, it is tempting to wonder how good this book could have been.


Suit Up! The Flight Jacket, World Photo Press, Tokyo. 1994 . ISBN 4-8465-2012-9. Imai, Kesaharu (ed.),
Hard to get hold of outside of Japan, but well worth it if you can get a copy and these will be collectibles in years to come! Great for referencing details on jackets [Excellent photos of surviving jackets of all types with emphasis on the A-2. Many photos of details. Written in Japanese, but the photos tell all anyway. The publisher has stated that there is no English version and there are no plans for one.]



FLIGHT JACKET & NOSE ART (more importantly...where to find it!)


(Image courteousy of my good friend in Yorkshire, artist David Sankey. Get your website up and running David!)


Jerome Urbaniak - Vintage jacket and patch art (a old master of the WWII art is Jerome)

Jacket Art (by a rather talented Japanese parinter of A2's)

Detailed WW2 to Vietnam War styled jacket art by US artist John Canfijn

DAVID MILLER (painted leather patches)

Legendary USA (Nose Art and Flight jacket Art)

Peter's Group (Flight Jacket Art)

FLIGHT SUITS (Historical Patches for flight jackets)

ITALIAN PATCH MAKER (Roberto recreates the quality tooled Italian incised leather patches and art of WWII) Give Roberto a call at his sunny Italian home!

ROSEMARY DERY (Rosemary does inspired vintage painting to jackets and patches)

Brian's AAF patches (these are Holywood movie made patches from the early 50s, next best thing to a real one!)

Nose Art of WWII (info site)

AERO leather (Fine collection of Painted & Embroidered Sqn patches, Bomb Group patches..etc)

Robert Peters (VERY detailed painting work - if that's what you like)

EASTMAN leather (Good selection of AAF and USN patches and insignia)

A-2-Art (by Robin in the UK)

Flight Jacet.com (Jacket and Nose Art - huge selection of paintings)

I'LL BE SEEING YOU FLY BOYS HERE LATER !!...


PADDY AIR SERVICE (Email me please with any additions to our Group Library - TALLY-HO CHAPS and GOOD HUNTING!)

All links current & upto date as of 01/08/07 (GMT-UK)

KIT CONTACTS LIBRARY PART II

VINTAGE MILITARY WATCHES

LACO (German Luftwaffe watch)

VINTAGE MILITARY WATCHES

THE HACK WATCH

CLASSIC WATCHES (Military)

TUTIMA (German Luftwaffe)

WARTIMERS

MILITARY WATCH RESOURCE

WINDY CITY WATCHS

STRICKLAND VINTAGE WATCHES

HANHART (luftwaffe & Kriegsmarine watches)

BELLS, WHISTLES & BOMB TAG ACCESSORIES

Aero Leather Co. (The crew in Scotland offer a good RAF brass whistle, a lovely Capri Bell and a jaw dropping aerial bomb tag!)

The links will be checked / updated shortly...

Please bear with us!