Vintage cloth flying jackets (photos)

[PADDY]

OFTEN, when I say 'Vintage flying jacket,' folk will immediately think of 'leather.'
But there is more that just 'a few of us' who really appreciate, the allure, cut, styling, class and functionality of those jackets of the 40's cut from cloth and worn by men and women cut from steel!!

The first is the B-10 RoughWear, reproduced by the Japanese company, Buzz Rickson (you got it, took the name from McQueen in The War Lover).

Great attention to detail and quality cotton sateen fabric used (like only the Japanese can do it!), and this one is often mistaken as an original, especially now that it has developed a lovely 'bleached' look to the olive green.

(This ones up for sale in classifieds).

 

[PADDY]

B-15 flight jacket

As the B-10 superceded the famous leather A-2, so the B-15 took over as an adaption of the B-10 towards the end of WWII. It would then morph into the nylon/jet jockey age at the end of the 40's.
Note on this original, the larger mouton collar (eclipses the B-10 collar which is much neater), the offset diagnolised zip, the slash pockets with the poppets.

Some folk just LOVE this style, and it's as at home as a civvie in jeans as it is as an airman in chinos.

 

[Edward]

:thu:

Nice jackets. I agree they look great with civilian wear... IMO kind of a missing link between the A2 and so many cloth civilian jackets nowadays.... I'd never really noticed, but since I discovered this place and have been thinking about it, I've been amazed how many anoraks and the likes I see out there that owe a design debt to these even now.... Always wondered what the relationship was between these and the Harrington style that developed around and about the same time as the.... A2?

 

[Estevan]

You're right Paddy...I would have sworn the B-10 was original from the photos.

Just to let you know, the Bronco is on its was back from ELC. New cuffs, Crown and some tightening up. I have got to get some pictures of this and post them over here for all to see, it really was a find. It´s a real nice Bronco from a P-38 Pilot, complete with the name of the aircraft pointed on the chest and a researchable internet history on his missions, kills, etc. really cool. It was in a private collection for years and the seller was selling to make room. Anyway, I'll post pictures.

 

[Alan Eardley]

As the B-10 superceded the famous leather A-2, so the B-15 took over as an adaption of the B-10 towards the end of WWII. It would then morph into the nylon/jet jockey age at the end of the 40's.

Paddy,

Just to point out that USAAF nylon jackets (e.g. B-15B) were introduced in 1945. As were jets (e.g P-59 and P-80). Jockeys have been around even longer, I believe...

Alan

 

[Speedster]

I never thought i would be interested in getting a cloth flying jacket. But then a friend of mine got a Buzz Rickson tanker jacket, and then i got myself a BR tanker jacket and so the path was open for a cloth flying jacket, and it had to be the B-10, the evolution of the A-2.

So for a while now i have been the owner of Paddy's old Buzz Rickson B-10.

Apparently Paddy's link to the pictures he originally posted has been broken, but luckily i saved them.

So here are some of them again:

and one of me wearing it:

 

[PADDY]

What a fine looking jacket!!

Glad it got a good home!! Looks well on you with the cap!:eusa_clap Wear it in good health.

 

[Fletch]

< RANT >

(also somewhat fftopic: ...you have been warned.)

Great attention to detail and quality cotton sateen fabric used (like only the Japanese can do it!)

...more like only the Japanese will do it. We won the war. They won our cast-off culture from an era that is largely out of bounds to modern American consciousness. The best B-10 made should at least be sold in this country, and preferably made here. I know we could do it for less than $800-1000-whatever a throw as they do.

Trouble is, we don't want to. As much as Americans talk about WW2, we keep that era at arm's length because we don't really want to think about what kind of culture we were then. Let alone before. When you get right down to it, today's hip citizen suspects, not much happened in this country between 1865 and 1941 outside of baseball, cars, a few well-worn movies, and a lot of back-breaking labor and misery.

Everydad came home in 1945 and said "let's not talk about the war," which translated into an entire culture that thought, "let's not talk about the past." Why not? What did we have to fear from it? Why is a nation that we nuked (!!!) less fearful of our history than we are?

That's why I like coming to FL - it reminds me how very much we have done in between wars, and how proud we should be of it, however irrelevant it feels today.

< / RANT >

 

[Smithy]

I never thought i would be interested in getting a cloth flying jacket. But then a friend of mine got a Buzz Rickson tanker jacket, and then i got myself a BR tanker jacket and so the path was open for a cloth flying jacket, and it had to be the B-10, the evolution of the A-2.

So for a while now i have been the owner of Paddy's old Buzz Rickson B-10.

Nice jacket Speedster even if you have gone over to "the dark side" of cloth flying jackets!

Actually joking aside that's a really practical and good looking jacket. There's something so very Korean War about it, makes me think of Sabres and MIGs and leave in Tokyo. Trés cool and you wear it well sir

 

[Edward]

This seemed like an appropriate place....

... if I should have started another thread, mods please deal with accordingly.

While out starting the Christmas shoppnig on Saturday, I happened across the Gap and saw a jacket in the window that caught my eye. Looking at it inside, I thought I'd take a photo for folks on here to see:

It put me in mind of a B-10 less the furry collar and lining.... The pockets have (well hidden - they're under the edge of the flap pockets, as you see in some field-modified type A2s) hand warmers, and underneath the collar (wish I'd taken more photos now) there is a zip, which I believe reveals a light hood (an obvious amendment in these largely hatless days). Obviously it's in no way vintage accurate, but if i was in the market for a beater jacket I didn't want to have to worry about too much but still had something of the vintage styling, for GBP50 (which probably means it'll be about fifty buck US too, gonig by the norm for The Gap) it's not bad. Actually, I saw quite a lot of this sort of military inspired clothing on the high street, but this was probably the most striking nod to a specific vintage style.

 

[BellyTank]

(also somewhat fftopic: ...you have been warned.)

...more like only the Japanese will do it. We won the war.

Eastman's current B-10 is actually excellent- maybe better than the Japanese ones. I tried one on at their stall at Duxford a couple of years back- fit is excellent and the cloth and colour is spot on for the contract they copy.
I also had a BR B-10, which was nice but not exactly like an original, although they have made several different versions and I think their "Stag" B-10 was pretty durn close.
Anyway Eastman's new B-10 is an improvement on their first one from about 10+ years ago.
But then, whether it actually made in England is a very good question...

I currently have a BR Tanker jacket(patch pocket version).


B
T

 

[Edward]

Eastman's current B-10 is actually excellent- maybe better than the Japanese ones.
T

You don't have any idea how it compares to the Aero version? Aero and Eastman seem to be much of a muchness in the pricing stakes (across the board, Aero seem a little cheaper on most models), but there's about GBP100 / USD200 of a difference between their B-10s!

 

[BellyTank]

Aero make nice gear but their B-10's not much cop really, Guv.
Not exactly pony but not kosher neiver.
Eastaman's B-10 is top hole clobber, old bean. Innit.
A kosher hinge, not a cheap syrup(not Barnet fair) by any stretch.
Have a butcher's, a robin gander, a proper gander.

Apples and oranges.
Definitely not six of one and arf the other.


B
T

 

[Edward]

Aero make nice gear but their B-10's not much cop really, Guv.
Not exactly pony but not kosher neiver.
Eastaman's B-10 is top hole clobber, old bean. Innit.
A kosher hinge, not a cheap syrup(not Barnet fair) by any stretch.
Have a butcher's, a robin gander, a proper gander.

Apples and oranges.
Definitely not six of one and arf the other.


B
T

Uhm, thanks..... I ,eh, think.....(!)


(Sorry, I don't speak cockernee so well!)