Recent content by Alan Eardley

And anyway, they were not as described. They are British Army boots, not RAF. Alan

From a firm called Stabo in the UK. Alan

I've seen these 'in the flesh'...please don't assume that they are anything like a vintage cut. They are low waisted and cut more like modern 'skate pants'. They also contain odd seams and marks/repairs from the original tents. Alan

Andrew, Yes, they are almost certainly Irvin Harnessuits - note the 'shorts'. The other issue 'combination' suit had long trousers. This type of suit was standard issue to crews before long-distance high level bombing became the norm, the insulation being perfectly adequate for low...

As I understand it, LVC used to use Cone Mills as its weaver for the repro denim (as with the originals) and Cone Mills claims to have used some of the original narrow looms (most of them had gone to Japan). I think the cotton was not grown in the same place the original and the dye was not...

It occurs to me that... ...although this thread refers to 'Irvin' specifically, the only items mentioned so far have been the sheepskin stuff. I'd like to put in a word for the Irvin Harnessuit. OK, maybe not so many people 'love 'em' (title of thread) but you have to admit they were...

Every one of these native tweeds has a history and tells a story to those who can read it. Magic. Alan

I second this. If it ain't Fair Isle it ain't...er...FairIsle. I know which I go for - and I'm not talking about the ladies... Alan

Baron, This is not one I know! You are,a s you say, probably describing a jacket between '70 and '72. Not all later jackets use the zig-zag denim. 'Rope' buttons and snaps have the 'Wrangler' script looking like a rope as in the neck tag. Some have what is intended to look like a...

Baron, As you point out it's much harder to distinguish original Wrangler from repro than is the case with Levi's. As a general rule 'Wrandom' denim came in with the 1972 range, the ® was introduced around 1956. The most common 3-pocket jackets are the 8MJZ, 11MJZ, 22MJZ and 33MJZ...

I agree - this is a sound jacket that would fix up well without too much difficulty. I recently restored an A-2 that was in about the same condition as yours when I started and afterwards everyone who saw it said what amazing condition it was in! I think you could do some of the...

Exactly... But some people have cited the lack of references to other historical material - where the author cites other work s/he has used to expand on or check his or her own memories - as a factor that indicates authenticity. Alan

I prefer your version, though... 'Aries. Small dictators should not consider invading Britain this year. It would be a good time to declare war on a huge Eastern ally. Don't worry, no-one can crack your secret communication codes...' Alan

Ive just finished reading a couple of good books about 'Vera Atkins' - an amazing story - see "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vera_Atkins" Sarah Helm (2005). A Life in Secrets: The Story of Vera Atkins and the Lost Agents of SOE. Little, Brown, London. William Stevenson (2006)...

Sven Hassel That is a more extreme view than was taken of the author of TFS in postwar France, but he makes much of the fact that he was ostracised in his home land. People who were there at the time have used this relatively mild reaction to attack the truth of the work, as they say that the...