ALL ORIGINAL Irvin RAF type Jackets - Loving that Wolf in sheeps' clothing!

[Spitfire]

Like it, Paddy!

 

[aswatland]

You look very fetching Paddy in the DGL Irvin suit and '36 pattern boots. BTW did you find the rest of your bomber crew?lol

 

[PADDY]

Sadly, ALL LOST...

They're still wandering about lost in the hills of Northumberland Andrew!! I must say, I got a few 'choice' looks from people!! What's with folk, "Have you seriously never seen an Irishman get out of his car in a full 1940's sheepskin flying suit? Where have you BEEN?!"[huh]

 

[aswatland]

Battle of Britain era Irvin

I am posting these pictures for reference of a c. 1940 Irvin Air Chute jacket. The jacket has the common single trunnion Dot made in England main zip, but has Lightning sleeve zips without AM stamped on the pullers. The jacket is original down to the leather pulls. It is made from close-pile fleece rather than the shaggy variety used later in the War.

 

[Smithy]

Beautiful as always Andrew.

But your 1940 DGL is still top of the heap for me

 

[aswatland]

Tim, My 1940 DGL is certainly one of the best I own. The 1940 IAC jacket will soon be up for sale as it is slightly too short for me in the body.

 

[Gee]

Watching Andrew's jacket on ebay, easily the best and most bid upon jacket up for auction at the moment. No good to me though as I'm too big, and can't afford it anyway! Got me thinking though - does anyone know the record price paid for an original Irvin?

 

[aswatland]

Gee, this an interesting question. Occasionally they go for over £1K. The most I got for an Irvin was around £1200 for a large size mid 30s one. The one I currently have for sale has certainly generated alot of interest with well over 100 people watching it.

 

[Smithy]

Best of luck with the sale Andrew.

I must admit I toyed with the idea of having a crack at this one but like you she'd be a tad shortish for me.

Anyway I'm waiting for a certain 1940 DGL don't you know

 

[Gee]

Thank you Andrew, I hope you break your personal best soon! I am actually a bit surprised that the figure is so reasonable - I am also interested in classic cars, and know that a classic '60s Mini Cooper in concours condition can fetch up to £20,000, but if it is an actual Monte Carlo works rally car you are looking at well in excess of £100,000. I'm guessing that the Holy Grail of Irvins would a jacket with Dambusters provenence.

 

[aswatland]

Yes the holy grail Irvin would be a decent sized one in good condition that was issued to someone who flew in the Dambuster's raid or was a well known ace. Such a jacket would have to have rock solid provenance.

 

[Windsock]

I'm guessing that the Holy Grail of Irvins would a jacket with Dambusters provenence.

A jacket worn on that night would be a rare jacket indeed. Low level in mid May.

 

[Windsock]

Gee, this an interesting question. Occasionally they go for over £1K. The most I got for an Irvin was around £1200 for a large size mid 30s one. The one I currently have for sale has certainly generated alot of interest with well over 100 people watching it.

I seem to recall you coughed up £1K for one of yours a few years ago? Which one was it? Those were the days.

The actual "cost" here in Oz has dropped immensely over the past few years with the rise of the dollar and drop of the Pound. A couple of mine cost me several limbs.

 

[Gee]

I have to say, after due consideration, that you are almost certainly correct in that Irvins were not actually worn during the Dambusters Raids. Personally though, on a flight with no baggage allowance, over enemy territory, with the distinct possibiliy of being shot down I think I might have packed some warm clothing just in case. Even if documentary evidence were available that proved that no Irvin ever made it onto the aircraft, what price for a jacket left behind in a locker by one of the crew? It is nice to dream. If there really is no chance of finding a Dambusters Irvin, does anyone know what happened to the one David Niven dumped on the beach?

 

[aswatland]

I'm not sure one can be definitive about whether Irvins were or were not worn on the Dambuster raids, but they were certainly issued to members of 617 Squadron.

One of the problems with surviving Irvins is that so many of today's surviving jackets can't be linked to their wartime owners. They occasionally have an owner's name written on the label or elsewhere on the jacket, but this alone does not necessarily give a jacket wartime provenance as many were worn post war, especially as bike jackets and names were sometimes added then.

It is not implausible that Irvins worn by members of 617 Squadron, but not necessarily on the famous raids, have survived to this day, but there is no way of identifying them as relics form 617 Squadron. Indeed an Irvin worn by a member of this squadron albeit after the raids was sold some time ago on Ebay.

 

[Smithy]

617's boys most certainly did have Irvins (like every other Bomber Command squadron) but it's almost 100% certain that none were carried on Operation Chastise. The reason being obviously the time of year but also the operational altitude, from take off and form up it was a very low level raid. The Irvins would've been safely tucked away in the aircrew lockers on that night.

 

[murena]

1942-3 Black Sheep Irvin in a size 5, possibly made by Robinson and Ensum

1943-5 D.G.Ltd? Size 5

congratulation to the nice jackets! i have never seen such a 1942-3 Black Sheep Irvin. this one is the nicest sheep irvin i have ever seen!!!! i love it.
is there any company who made some "repros"?

regards,

murena

 

[Spitfire]

Murena - take a look here:
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=37166

 

[aswatland]

Here is a nice example of an early War Irvin, which dates from 1939-40. It is in very good condition and is a robust, wearable jacket in larger size. It is typical of the Irvins worn by fighter pilots in the Battle of France and the Battle of Britain. The jacket is completely original apart from the label, which was most likely came detached years ago.

It was most likely made by Links and has all the typical features associated with this maker-slightly rounded collar ends, small collar rings and medium sized belt loops.

The entire jacket is made from a golden close pile fleece.

The skin side of the fleece is a chestnut brown. The original polyacrilic surface is in tact and there is no rot, holes or repairs to the skin side of the fleece. The leather seam tapes are secure with their original stitching. The fleece is supple and robust.

The main zip is an original single trunnion brass Dot with "Dot made in England" stamped on the puller, but the stopper box is the rarer Dot British variety, which was used from 1938-40.

Here are some pictures:-

 

[Spitfire]

A true beauty, Andrew!!!
I think the pre-war Irvins were the most beautifull ones ever made.