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Flight Jackets of World War Two
The development of protective flight equipment for aviators of the United States Army Air Force of World War Two consumed a considerable amount of time and resources. With the advanced high altitude aircraft being employed over all theaters of operation, comfort of aircrew was critically important in order to maintain the health and morale of aircrew. Flight jackets were just one part of the vast array of equipment issued to aircrew. There was also oxygen supply equipment, protective boots, gloves and headgear, survival equipment, and heated suits of all sorts.
Flight jackets were designed in three basic construction concepts based on material used, Full Leather (Type A-2, G-1, AN-J-3 jackets), Shearling (Types B-3, B-6, B-7, D-1, AN-J-4), Wind and water resistant Poplin, (Types B-9, B-10, B-11, B-15, D-2), and a new material called Nylon commonly seen after WW2
Type A-2 Jacket
The Type A-2 flying jacket was standardized by the U.S. Army Air Corps as a successor to the A-1. The Type Designation Sheet lists the dates for Service Test as September 20, 1930, for Standard as May 9, 1931, and for Limited Standard as April 27, 1943. The specification number is 94-3040. The Drawing Number is given as 31-1415, but the spec labels in the jackets themselves show this as 30-1415. The U.S. Army Air Forces Class 13 Catalog listed the A-2 as "Jacket, Flying, Type A-2," with Spec. No. 94-3040. It also describes the jacket material as, "seal brown horsehide leather, knitted wristlets and waistband (skirt)." A number of contractors received permission to use either Cowhide or Goatskin leather instead of Horsehide. Sizes were listed as ranging in even numbers from 32 through 54. Wartime contract manufacturers (16 in Total) of A-2 jackets were numerous and contracts ranged greatly in quantity.
Type A-2, Contract W535-ac-27753
This jacket is made by Cable Raincoat Co., Boston Massachusetts, under a contract issued 29, April, 1942. This jacket is made of Horsehide.
Type A-2, Contract W535-ac-27753
There were 50,000 jackets purchased under this contract at a unit price of $8.24 each and it was the last of 3 contracts awarded to this manufacturer.
Type A-2, Bronco Mfg. Co.
A very late WW2 contract awarded to Bronco Mfg. Co., New York, N.Y. sometime in 1943. It apparently is made of Cowhide which a departure from the normal leather used.
Type A-2, Bronco Mfg. Co.
This contract was most likely for over 25,000 jacket, though no documentation has been found to confirm. The unit cost is estimated to be $8.00 each.
Type A-2, Poughkeepsie Coat Co.
This was the only contract awarded to the Poughkeepsie Coat Co., of Poughkeepsie N.Y. on the 18th of May, 1942. It is made of Cowhide, which is uncommon.
Type A-2, Poughkeepsie Coat Co.
There were 50,000 jackets produced under this contract with a per unit cost of $8.10 each. This was the only contract awarded to Poughkeepsie Coat Co..
Type A-2, J.A. Dubow Mfg. Co.
This Cowhide jacket produced by J.A. Dubow Mfg. Co. of Chicago Illinois is a very late contracted piece. It was the last of four contracts awarded to this company, this one dated sometime in 1943.
Type A-2, J.A. Dubow Mfg. Co.
There is no documentation indicating how many jackets were made under this contract though it is estimated the unit cost was $8.00 each.
Type A-2, J.A. Dubow Mfg. Co.
This classic jacket made by J.S. Dubow Mfg. Co. of Chicago Illinois illustrates the typical russet color popular for these jackets. This was the second last contract awarded to Dubow on April 25, 1942.
Type A-2, J.A. Dubow Mfg. Co.
The unusual contract tag is unique for this manufacturer. The contract was awarded for 50,000 jackets at $8.06 each.
Type A-2, Aero Leather Clo. Co. Inc.
This jacket by the Aero Leather Clothing Co. Inc. of Beacon N.Y. was produced under the third contract the company received. It is an early contract dated November 1, 1940.
Type A-2, Aero Leather Clo. Co. Inc.
This 1940 contract was awarded for 4500 jackets at a unit cost of $7.26 each
Type A-2, Aero Leather Clo. Co.
The Aero Leather Clothing Co. was awarded six contracts from 1937 to 1942 for a total of 130,000 jackets. The Aero Company used two shades of knit (cuffs and waistband) on their jackets. This variant has the rusty red hue knit while the more common is the chelsea brown knit.
Type A-2, Aero Leather Clo. Co.
Under contract W535ac 27435, Order No. 42-15142P, dated 28th March, 1942 the Aero Leather Clothing Company, of Beacon New York, produced 50,000 jackets at a per unit cost of $8.25.
Type A-2, Cooper Sportswear Mfg. Co.
Not to be confused with modern Cooper replicas this jacket made by Cooper Sportswear Mfg. Co., Newark New Jersey was contracted on the 5th of January 1942. It is made of horsehide and is one of the most difficult to locate Type A-2 jacket
Type A-2, Cooper Sportswear Mfg. Co.
This contract was for 5000 jackets at a per unit cost of $7.89 each. It was the only contract awarded to Cooper Sportswear of Newark New Jersey.
Type A-2 Perry Sportswear Inc.
The Perry Sportswear Inc. of Newburgh New York produced over 70,000 Type A-2 jacket in three contracts. The number of jackets in the last contract of 1943 does not indicate total number of jackets. This jacket is from the second contract awarded to Perry Sportswear Inc.
Type A-2 Perry Sportswear Inc.
Under contract W535ac 275618, Order No. 42-16175P, dated 23 May, 1942, the Perry Sportswear Inc. of Newburgh New York produced 50,000 jackets at a cost of $8.25 per jacket
Type A-2, I. Spiewak & Sons Co.
This single contract jacket made by I. Spiewak & Sons Co., of North Bergen, New Jersey is made of Goatskin. The contract was awarded May 18, 1942.
Type A-2, I. Spiewak & Sons Co.
The well worn contract tag is still legible to read the contract number and manufacturer. There were 25,000 jackets made under this contract for a unit price of $8.15 each. Only one contract was awarded to this company.
Type A-2, Star Sportswear Mfg. Co.
The Star Sportswear Mfg. Co., of Lynn, Massachusetts was awarded one contract to produce the Type A-2 on May 18, 1942. It appears, through DNA tests, to be made of Cowhide
Type A-2, Star Sportswear Mfg. Co.
This contract was awarded for 30,000 jackets at a per unit cost of $8.10 each
Type A-2, David D. Doniger Co.
Without an hesitation it will be stated this is the rarest of all the World War Two contracted Type A-2 jackets ever produced. The David D Doniger co, of New York, N.Y. produced this jacket in Goatskin.
Type A-2, David D. Doniger Co.
Under contract No. W5353AC29971 the Doniger company produced 5000 jackets at a cost of $8.15 each. what makes this particular jacket so incredibly rare is the "Un-Branded" specification tag. This is the only example of this jacket manufacturer with this specification tag feature I have personally seen in my 40 plus years of collecting.
Type A-2, Werber Sportswear Co.
This is one of three contracts awarded to Werber Sportswear of Newburgh, N.Y.. The contract was issued on August 8, 1941 and it appears these jackets were made of horsehide
Type A-2, Werber Sportswear Co.
This 1941 contract was issued for a total of 7000 jackets at a cost of $7.36 each. It was the last contract Werber Sportswear received for the Type A-2 jacket
Type A-2, Cable Raincoat Co.
This is the first of three contracts awarded to the Cable Raincoat Co., of Boston Massachusetts. The contract is dated December 29, 1941 and the jacket were made of Horsehide.
Type A-2, Cable Raincoat Co.
Under this contract Cable Raincoat Co, produced 10,000 jackets at a per unit cost of $7.90 each. This was the first of three contracts they received.
Shearling Jackets
With the development of high altitude aircraft and the growing need for protective flight gear the U.S. Army Air Corps turned to the history of aviation to provide and fill the need. Early experiments with heavy sheepskin lined flying suits sued in the open cockpits of early aircraft did identify a possible interim solution. Lamb Shearling was known for its insulative properties that met and exceeded fur lined garments. Additionally, the incompressibility of shearling combined with the rain and wind resistance afforded this natural material an advantage for aviators. Experiments through the 1920's to 1930's brought a number of excellent designs into the Air Force Quartermaster equipment lists.
What is shared here is a sampling of Shearling flight jacket designs that were commonly seen in World War Two
Type B-3 Specification No. 3061
Type B-3 Jacket, No. 3061 Spec.
The Type B-3 flight jacket is a classic USAAF high-altitude bomber crew jacket of WWII. Inspired by the RAF Aircrew Jacket designed by Leslie Irvin, the B-3 Flight Jacket was standardized in 1934 under Specification #3061. It featured a tall shearling collar with two buckled straps that would wrap around the neck of the wearer for better protection. It was made a of a 5/8” (sleeves) to 1” (body) pile shearling and included shoulders reinforced with additional leather and a single pocket on the right side of the jacket.
Type B-3 Jacket, No. 3061 Spec.
There are variants of this jacket that exhibit combinations of colors on the body, sleeves and pocket of the jacket. Some contractors were known to have mixed pigments with a polyacrylate compound then coated the jacket with a shellac which was supposed to enhance its wind deflecting capabilities. Unfortunately, the compound and shellac had the undesirable characteristics of flaking or peeling off in use, thus leaving areas of unfinished leather showing through.
Type B-3 Jacket, No. 3061 Spec.
It should be noted that some contractors tried different pigment formulations that produced varying shades. The weight of these jackets and natural limited strength of the shearling caused severe damage when the jacket was stored on a wire coat hanger which would rip out the shoulder rendering the jacket unserviceable. Any jacket of this type should always be stored flat in a drawer constructed of acid free components. The jacket featured here was made by H.L.B. Corp, New York, most likely in 1942.
Type B-6, Specification No. 3097
Type B-6 Jacket, No. 3097 Spec.
In early 1939 the US Army Air Corp followed up on a plan to develop and issue a lighter weight winter flying suit. The older Type B-3 Jacket and A-3 Trouser combination was an excellent flying suit, although it did not afford flexible use in the tight confines of the numerous single engine fighter aircraft being developed at the time. In the high-altitude multi-engine bombers, the heavy flight suits provided adequate protection from the cold, although at the sacrifice of flexibility.
Type B-6 Jacket, No. 3097 Spec.
The B-6 featured two slash pockets on each side of the zipper, as opposed to one patch pocket as found on the B-3 jacket. However, the days of the shearling leather flight suits were numbered as development of cotton fabrics and pile lining provided just as efficient cold protection with the added benefit of unhindered flexibility. Add to this the demands of leather products namely the shearling leather required for each flight suit being 75 square feet it becomes apparent an alternative was needed.
Type B-6 Jacket, No. 3097 Spec.
A more lightweight solution was needed and culminated in the standardization on June 12, 1939 of the Type B-6 flight jacket, Specification No. 3097 and the A-5 trouser combination. By the summer of 1940 the B-6 was broadly issued to US Army Air Force air crew and served throughout most of the war. The jacket was constructed of a seal brown finished shearling with a 3/4” pile throughout.
The B-6 jacket featured here was made by Aero Leather Clothing Company under contract number 42-5110-P, most likely a late production piece.
Type AN-J-4, Drawing No. AN-6552
In an effort to standardize flight equipment between the branches of the U.S. Military; flights jackets, Trousers and headgear were manufactured in a common design that was intended to be issued to all branches of the service. To identify material produced under this combined effort the flight jackets were assigned the Type AN-J designation.
Type AN-J-4
The U.S. Army Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines were issued this new jacket design which incorporated features of the USAAF B-3 Jacket and the U.S. Navy M445 Series of jackets. The Type ANJ-4, Drawing No. AN6552 represents the final high-water mark in the development of the WWII Sheepskin Flight Jacket. Accepted by the Quartermaster on May 17th 1943 the AN-J-4 was the last model flight jacket to be made from sheepskin.
Type AN-J-4
The zipper was redesigned on a leather guide tab for easier operation, then strengthened with elaborate Goatskin piping. The addition of goatskin facings on the sleeves and collar further enhanced durability and protection while seated in the tight cockpits of the aircraft of the day. The jacket featured here is manufactured by Aero Leather Clothing Co. under Contract No. 43-13616-A. The photos illustrate the goatskin facings and the heavy shearling.
Type AN-J-4
The design featured 3/4” shearling pile throughout and utilized goatskin in the waist, cuffs and underarm gussets. Wool cuffs were fitted inside the sleeves to eliminate the previous sheepskin cuffs which impeded the fit of flight gloves and were susceptible to soiling and damage. However, the AN-J-4 did not enjoy such a long period of service; in less than a year it would itself be superseded by a new generation of pile-lined, fabric flight jackets; the B-10/B-15 series.
Type D-1 Jacket.
An interesting jacket that was not intended for use by Aircrew. A very simple design made with a light shearling meant to protect Ground Crew from the harsh cold fall, winter, spring conditions seen in England. It rapidly became popular with aircrew who wanted a less bulky and cumbersome jacket for the tight confines of single seat fighter aircraft and bomber cockpits.
Type D-1 Shearling Jacket
A very simple jacket design that became popular not only with ground crew but with flight crew as well. The dark brown polyacrylate coating is clearly seen here as it does produce a rather stiff inflexible finish
Type D-1 Shearling Jacket
This jacket was made by Perry Sportswear of Newburgh New York under contract No. 4212688p. It was produced based on Specification No. 94-3084.