Recent content by Chris Tubman

Blimey, I see what you mean. The view forward appears to be quite restricted and there doesn’t look like there’s a lot of room in there. Luckily I weigh around 140lbs and I’m exactly the same height as Tom Cruise. Bigger is not necessarily always better..

At almost sixty years old I can barely handle the stress of putting on my boots these days never mind anything else, I still ride my Ducati motorcycle but generally with both wheels on the ground. I am looking into a flight in a Tiger Moth though, there are two based at Eshott Airfield, a former...

Thanks for the advice, not sure if I like the sound of “unrecoverable spins”. I might put off buying this F-4 for now (and it needs another 1.25 million dollars to get it finished). I was once used as a target by an F-4 pilot, I was happily driving along without a care in the world on a big...

I think I’ll take your advice about the F-4. My only flying experience was with the Slingsby T.21 glider and it had a “never exceed speed” of 110mph and would stall at 32mph. Fun in a loop though watching the world out of an open cockpit. A Tiger Moth should be exciting enough for me now and...

Aye, I’ll go with that then. I’m hoping to go flying later this year in a 1930’s De Havilland Tiger Moth that is based on a WW2 airfield near my home, good chance to put that old jacket to it’s intended use.

Yes, it’s a tough decision whether to wear it or not but it would be a pity to just hang it in a closet for another fifty eight years. I used to own a more modern G1 made by Orchard M/C and that one was cowhide with a synthetic collar, it was fine for wearing on my motorcycle but it started to...

Cheers! The RAF were foolish enough to let me fly one of their 1950’s gliders when I was twelve years old (a Slingsby T21) but the instructor and myself lived to tell the tale, despite a minor forced landing. I then discovered that I didn’t like getting shouted at by men with stripes on their...

Sometimes amazing what is still out there. I’ve just bought this 1968 Martin Lane G-1 flight jacket and it appears to be absolutely new and unworn. The only things that I can find to fault are a couple of small moth nips in the knits, no doubt easily repaired by my local seamstress. The pocket...

I have decided to return this jacket to the seller as I bought it believing it had either a genuine or reproduction Talon main zipper fitted not the cheap unbranded zipper that it came with. The mismatched sleeve zippers are not a problem as they appear to be historically accurate but the cheap...

My jacket has been delivered and it’s a bit of a Frankenstein, the main zip was a Talon but it is now a modern replacement. The sleeve zippers are a Talon and a Conmar, so I’m guessing that one of those is also a replacement unless they used both types of zippers when it was being made? The...

Hello I’ve just bought this jacket off the ‘Bay and I’m waiting for it to be delivered. It’s a Sportclad made by Star Sportwear in Massachusetts and appears to be identical to one on here that is dated to 1947. It is made from horsehide and the lining is wool. I ride both classic and modern...

Now sold.

I should probably have said snug under the arms and across the shoulders but these jackets are cut with high and slim arms. However I wouldn’t want to have gone to a smaller size with this as I like a jacket to feel comfortable and any smaller and I would probably have felt a bit restricted in...

This Aero Leather Premier 30’s Half Belt made by Julie Leitch was delivered to me a couple of days ago and I like it very much. It’s in CXL Horse Hide and despite being four years old and well broken in it still feels stiff as a board, but that is fine by me as I will mostly be wearing it on my...

And a couple of “fit pics” I’m 5’7” with a 36” relaxed chest.