ALL REPRO R.A.F. Irvin type jackets

[aswatland]

Review of ELC Devon Fleece RAF Jacket size 44

This a recent version of the 1944 ELC Devon Fleece Irvin and is a significant improvement on the earlier version which had very thick skins and a somewhat wiry fleece. The sheepskin is very flexible and comfortable to wear and not at all itchy! The other details have not changed. Eastman still use their Lightning style zips, which are fine, but it is a shame they don't use a Dot style puller on for the main zip, which would be more accurate with the Dot style slider bucket.

The jacket has been given the Timeworn treatment and it has not been over done. The chestnut finish to the skins is accurate. The fleece itself is identical to many wartime originals.

I have replaced the belt buckle with an original one as I find the prongs on Eastman buckles to be too thick and blunt at the end! The left hand belt loop is still placed too far away from the main zip to secure the male end of the belt which meant that I had to add an extra leather loop to the belt to stop the end of the belt from flopping around! An easy solution would be for ELC to make their jackets with longer belts.

The configuration of the panels is accurate as there were many later War jackets made in this way, but from recycled flying trousers. The label is an accurate copy of a mid to later War AM contract label.

I have been wearing this jacket quite a bit recently when not wearing my ELC Perry B-3 and really like it. These jackets are not available to buy new from Eastman until they are re-supplied with Devon fleece.

 

[John Lever]

Looks too small....

 

[rocketeer]

Review of ELC Devon Fleece RAF Jacket size 44

This a recent version of the 1944 ELC Devon Fleece Irvin and is a significant improvement on the earlier version which had very thick skins and a somewhat wiry fleece. The sheepskin is very flexible and comfortable to wear and not at all itchy! The other details have not changed. Eastman still use their Lightning style zips, which are fine, but it is a shame they don't use a Dot style puller on for the main zip, which would be more accurate with the Dot style slider bucket.

The jacket has been given the Timeworn treatment and it has not been over done. The chestnut finish to the skins is accurate. The fleece itself is identical to many wartime originals.

I have replaced the belt buckle with an original one as I find the prongs on Eastman buckles to be too thick and blunt at the end! The left hand belt loop is still placed too far away from the main zip to secure the male end of the belt which meant that I had to add an extra leather loop to the belt to stop the end of the belt from flopping around! An easy solution would be for ELC to make their jackets with longer belts.

The configuration of the panels is accurate as there were many later War jackets made in this way, but from recycled flying trousers. The label is an accurate copy of a mid to later War AM contract label.

I have been wearing this jacket quite a bit recently when not wearing my ELC Perry B-3 and really like it. These jackets are not available to buy new from Eastman until they are re-supplied with Devon fleece.

Looks like a nice everyday wearer you have there

 

[Baron Enski]

Thanks Andrew
exactly what I was looking for ,wish Eastman would update their web site photos yours looks nothing like their original , looks adamn sight better much more like an original jacket - Thanks

 

[aswatland]

Looks too small....

A cunning ploy John to persuade me to sell it to you!

 

[CBI]

Looking great Andrew!!!!!

 

[Johnf]

I would personally give a substantial sum for an Original Two Piece Irvin from WW2 but even the legendary Base Commanders Size 8 would be lets say comfy and as with all originals very short so for me having done the rounds of Eastman Aero Cirrus and even two Irvins from Thruxton (Fantastic Jacket but bears no resemblance to the original) I, like Soren am plumping for what I believe to be the closest possible other than an original, The Aces High Early war. Jon is making it for me as I speak and all I have to do now is find a bank to rob to pay for it.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

Nice Jacket!!!

 

[kowalski]

I paid for my ELC Irvin long ago 475GBp (if I knew that the price will rise 100% I would have bought more of them for trade ) ..... willingly would buy aces for comparison unfortunately, pay 800 + GBp is very much (for my) ,
unless manage to buy a used sometime.
ps
Andrew nice jacket, very nice tag

 

[kowalski]

Ps
buying my Iirvin jacket ELC was guided by the opinion inter alia of;

IMO Eastman Leather Clothing make the most accurate repro Irvins on the market at the moment.

 

[John Lever]

A cunning ploy John to persuade me to sell it to you!

It's only a matter of time..anyway you said you werever ' done' with Eastman Irvins.

 

[kowalski]

ELC pat 1940 size 44. I have 5,11" high , chest it 43-44 , 180 lbs





best regards

 

[aswatland]

It's only a matter of time..anyway you said you werever ' done' with Eastman Irvins.

Quite so and then along comes a vastly improve 1944 jacket!

 

[John Lever]

Yours is from a batch from a couple of years ago

 

[aswatland]

Yours is from a batch from a couple of years ago

That's what I thought John.

 

[John Lever]

It's a lovely jacket but I think late war jackets should lack the elastic strap and had straight rather than curly or shaggy wool collars. The current ELC jackets have straight wool on the collars as on originals.

 

[Sloan1874]

I've noticed that on the late jackets I've handled that the collars are very soft, almost velour on some, compared to rest of the body, something I assumed came from decades of wear:

 

[Smithy]

Andrew, are Søren and I going to have a chance to see that beauty at the BoB celebrations next year

 

[aswatland]

Andrew, are Søren and I going to have a chance to see that beauty at the BoB celebrations next year

Possibly, but it depends on the weather. September can be quite warm and an A2 would be more appropriate at the B0B air show.

 

[aswatland]

It's a lovely jacket but I think late war jackets should lack the elastic strap and had straight rather than curly or shaggy wool collars. The current ELC jackets have straight wool on the collars as on originals.

Yes, the elastic strap is not accurate for later War jackets. I have seen original late War jackets with straight, close pile collars, cuffs and hems and those with longer pile shaggy fleece collars etc.., although the former are more commonly seen.

BTW. John, your tactics here and on VLJ are not working. The jacket is not for sale!