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Japanese WW II Flight Jackets

Do you have a Japanese flight Jacket


  • Total voters
    5
  • Poll closed .

Woody

New Member
Interestingly enough there is very little talk of Japanese flight jackets. Why is that? The Japanese had them, both leather and in cloth material, but you never hear of anybody bragging that they scored a new Imperial Japanese Army Jacket.... They were not made in the same quantities as the US / British / German / Italian , or even look as cool as those did.... but still you would think that folks would still have one or some in their collections. But hardly anybody does. If you do have some, please post pictures of yours here. I will start with this one, it is a winter jacket that is fur lined (rabbit) Made of a cotton blend, full fur collar, button up, made in 1943. Electric connection for a pair of heated googles, pull gather at the waist
 

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B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Woody
Great looking WWII jacket. Looks mint.
With regard to why Japanese flight jackets are not featured that much on this forum . I would offer two possibilities. ( And they are just opions so please don't hang me out to dry on this)
First .... I think that many of our members have a connection in one way or another to the European theater of operations during WWII. Fathers , grandfathers, etc fought in that theater of operations. Many of them returned with momentos of their service in that war. I.E. uniforms, flight jackets . Etc.
Secondly ....There are a number of forum members who live in Europe and I'm not sure we have an equal compliment of members living in Asia collecting war time jackets from the Pacific Theater of operations. Also many of our members are WWII reenactors and there seems to be a greater number of repro makers producing equipment from the European theater. Just my opion no firm data on this.
 
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Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Wow that looks brand new! Amazing. I think B-man has some valid points there. I would add that there is a style factor as well. Many collectors like to wear their jackets once in a while as well. The American & European jackets seem to have versatility and most can be worn and look good with the right clothing combinations.

Another interesting question, why are the US flight jackets, repro and original, so popular in Japan, and there does not seem to be as much interest in the Japanese flight jackets?
 

Woody

New Member
Wow that looks brand new! Amazing. I think B-man has some valid points there. I would add that there is a style factor as well. Many collectors like to wear their jackets once in a while as well. The American & European jackets seem to have versatility and most can be worn and look good with the right clothing combinations.

Another interesting question, why are the US flight jackets, repro and original, so popular in Japan, and there does not seem to be as much interest in the Japanese flight jackets?

Yes the jacket was never issued. Indeed the US and European jackets are way cooler looking, and were used in non-military roles such as identifiers in movies and plays. As to why the Japanese are fascinated with American culture, it is really hard to say, but they do identify with Americanism....a lot. Perhaps we have MacArthur to thank for that.
 

RussWilkins

New Member
Yes the jacket was never issued. Indeed the US and European jackets are way cooler looking, and were used in non-military roles such as identifiers in movies and plays. As to why the Japanese are fascinated with American culture, it is really hard to say, but they do identify with Americanism....a lot. Perhaps we have MacArthur to thank for that.
Hmm, good point.
 

Thomas Koehle

Well-Known Member
Talking for myself I am actually also interested in the CBI and pacific areas concerning equipment aso but in Europe it is pretty difficult to get hands on Japanese period items ...

No „bring backs“ from any veterans or so

And although Germany and Japan (same enemy makes us friends) where allies not so many jap-stuff around here and if extraordinary expensive.

Additionally it is also a matter of sizing: still for me as a collector / re-enactor it is possible to find garment either US or -pretty rare - German that suits my 44 chest and 1.90 MTR height

And although I rarely wear „real“ WW2 garment it is still that it could fit but Japanese items????

No way!

And latest: as far as I know no other aieforce members did the „personalization“ of their stuff like the Americans did which makes a lot of the flight garment very individual so you always find something new to add to your collection
 

D97x7

Well-Known Member
Glad this topic came up, I was watching The World At War the other week on about the Kamikaze and noticed they all seemed to be wearing fur collared jackets, I did wonder then why there seems to be little interest in them.
 
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