This is a photo catalog of various flight jackets. All jackets
are original WWII issue unless otherwise noted.
Additional jackets are now posted in a second page called
Flight Jackets of the U.S. Air Force Museum.
Updated: 18 August 2002.
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Type A-2, Bronco Mfg. Co.
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This jacket is a plain A-2 in excellent condition.
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Type A-2, Poughkeepsie Leather Coat Co. Inc.
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This jacket is in outstanding condition and sports a nameplate
along with a shoulder AAF insignia decal.
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Type A-2, Rough Wear Clothing Co.
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This A-2 jacket is in well-worn condition but is an example of a
jacket with ties to an operational unit. The squadron insignia
painted on the chest is that of the 718th Bombardment Squadron of
the 449th Bombardment Group. During WWII this unit flew primarily
B-24 bomber aircraft out of Italy on missions in the Mediterranean
and European Theatres of Operation.
Also of interest is that the spec label indicates a pre-war
contract number, and the serial number found on a small label
under the left pocket flap is shown as #248.
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Type A-2, Monarch Mfg. Co.
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This A-2 jacket belonged to Chuck Yeager and was worn by him
when he became the first person to fly past the speed of sound
on October 14, 1947. (This photo was taken at a touring exhibit
of the Smithsonian. The display was not well lighted.)
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Type B-3, H.L.B. Corp.
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This is a B-3 sheepskin jacket. The B-3 was designated as a
"winter" or "high altitude" jacket and was both popular and
prevalent in its use. Shown here is a second pattern B-3 as
seen by the three panels on the back and the additional panel
on the side.
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Type B-3, Werber Sportswear
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This B-3 jacket is a very nice example of the two-tone color
scheme where the sleeve reinforcements, pocket, and trim are
in russet brown hide over the darkly shaded shearling.
[Photograph and jacket from the collection of
Charles E. DiSipio, History Preservation Associates, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA.]
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Type B-3, H.L.B. Corp.
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This B-3 jacket is an outstanding example of an early,
probably pre-war, jacket as indicated by the reddish tone of
the finish on the shearling. During the war, this red color
gave way to the more common dark brown, the transition to
which is evident on the right sleeve cuff (left in photo).
[Photograph and jacket from the collection of
Charles E. DiSipio, History Preservation Associates, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA.]
- Jacket shown alone. (36k JPEG)
- Jacket with gear. (41k JPEG) Shown here with
beautiful examples of the Type B-3 life vest, a Bancroft
Flighter true crush cap, and a headset with the early
bell-shaped foam earcups.
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Type B-3, maker unknown (no label).
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This B-3 jacket is also of the early red variety as shown in the
previous example. As can be seen in the view of the back,
there are also construction differences between this early
version of the jacket and the later model as demonstrated
in the H.L.B. dark jacket above.
The first pattern of the B-3 used two main panels for the
back while the second pattern used three panels, presumably
since it was easier to cut three smaller panels of sheepskin
than to find two larger ones. Also shown here, the
first pattern has a single side seam running down from the
underarm and terminating in a triangular gusset at the bottom.
The second pattern is characterized by two seams running the
length of the side flanking a long narrow panel of shearling.
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Type B-6, Aero Leather Clothing
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The B-6 is a lighter weight sheepskin compared to the B-3 as
the shearling pile is cut down a bit further. The construction
is also quite different and includes such distinguishing features
as a bi-swing back, snap-down epaulets, zippered waist adjustment,
and two inside hanging pockets. This particular example is
surely a rare piece as it is in the early reddish tone similar to
the B-3 jackets shown above.
[Photograph and jacket from the collection of
Charles E. DiSipio, History Preservation Associates, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA.]
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Type B-6, Aero Leather Clothing
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This B-6 represents the more common dark tone, although the
trim on this example is russet brown. B-6 jackets were also
made with the dark trim to match the jacket.
[Photograph and jacket from the collection of
Charles E. DiSipio, History Preservation Associates, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA.]
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Type B-10
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This B-10 jacket is a mint condition example of the first Army
Air Force cloth shell jacket type. This particular jacket has
epaulets, but B-10s were also manufactured without them.
[Photograph and jacket from the collection of
Charles E. DiSipio, History Preservation Associates, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA.]
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Type B-10, L.S.L. Garment Co.
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This painted B-10 jacket served with its owner in the
43rd Bombardment Group. The collar is a recent replacement.
[Jacket from the collection of Reto Kleinpeter.]
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Specification M-422A, H.&L. Block
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This Navy M-422A specification saw extensive service during WWII.
The G-1 nomenclature was not used until the specification 55J14
which followed in the late 1940s.
[Photograph and jacket from the collection of
Charles E. DiSipio, History Preservation Associates, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA.]
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Copyright © 1997-2008 Marc D. Weinshenker. All rights reserved.
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