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Real Mc Coy. Test Sample L-2 type: 1st FDS CHUCK YEAGER

UBIK

Member
Hello, here's a great and rare repro from Real Mc Coy of the test sample L-2 type, as worned by LTCOL Chuck Yeager at that time. In 1958-59 he was commander of the 1st FIGHTER DAY SQUADRON. Only a couple of photos exists of him wearing it.
The jacket is a very nice, great Conmatic zipper (forgot a picture of it, sorry).
The patches repro are really accurate and very nicely done. They really have an old feeling of manufacturing. The global placement is accurate, but size of patches seems a little bit to big, but again hard to tell: photos ref are so smalls
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YeagerBySign.jpg
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Tommy

Active Member
See, I'd looked at those pictures before and always assumed it was one of the Nylon Jackets he was clearly pictured in, in colour. But looking at those now, it does appear to be a cloth jacket the same as yours is?
 

UBIK

Member
Yes, it's clearly a cloth jacket L-2 type. Only blue cloth jacket were delivered as test sample for high ranks officers or for special pilots like Yeager. I have one original test sample, L-2 type, like this one from the early 1960's from a brigadier general. So This a repro is as close as the originals were, and so this Yeager one.
 

Tommy

Active Member
I didn't know they were for high ranking officers or specialists. It's something I forgot to mention in my above post, Yeager wearing this in the mid to late 50s surprised me. By this time the cloth jacket would have been replaced in common issue by Nylon. I had always assumed the 'test sample' jackets that Buzz and McCoys produced were supposed to be pre-nylon, so I've learnt something new today.
 

UBIK

Member
As I say Yeager wore this jacket between 1958-1959: when the 1st FDS came back to the US from Spain. Before that model he has a SG nylon jacket L-2b 1st model when he was in Germany at the 417th FBS on F-86 . Blue Test Sample were widely seen amongs High ranks from the end 1950's to the 1960's. And yes it's not a pre-model to Nylon jacket. What was tested is an alternative cloth to replace nylon.
 

falcon_ib

Well-Known Member
Perhaps the patches look smaller on his jacket because his jacket itself is a larger size than yours? Great jacket and wonderful details on the patches
 

UBIK

Member
I compare the patches from my knowledge of USAF patches from the end of the 1950's. The size are not really definied, but from what I saw/know/patches I haves from the same era/ and the size of the thread of real japanese made patches, the FDW patch should be around 3.60-70'' not 4'', for the FDS patch I would say the same, even if 4'' is plausible but I think it's more around 3.60-70 also''. On the pictures I compare the size, with the nametag strip, not the jacket itself of course ;) and also from other elements: but it's not a science , I agree.
R.McC likely don't have acces to these very rare patches, and not their size. Even me: In almost 20 years of search: I have never saw a 1st FDS or 1st FDW patch for sale. They can cost around 300 $ each.
Only "famous" USAF patch collector like Alec Fushi have those: and he doesn't want to share the true size of these, to avoid repro. I think that's kind of sad.

http://www.usafpatches.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=62&pid=30335#top_display_media

The real Mc Coy 1st FDS patch have a blue border, real one are red.
Another ref from Alec:
https://units.supersabresociety.com/emblems/413th-fdw-tfw/

Btw Yeager wearing the jacket very loose, no perfect fit here. He may be use the jacket a couple of times during office days, the 2 photos with the 1st FDS cap and jacket are made for show off most likely.
 
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UBIK

Member
A little up, with a new big picture of Chuck with this cloth test sample jacket; that I have find, from the same period. Interesting detail the bottom flap of the jacket is not like the usual type or other original Test sample jackets I have: the flap is to be closing from inside not outside!really cool detail! the pressure is more centered on the panel. Also the zipper have a longer metal pull. We see also a little the two patches. The patches seems pretty big from what I have thought previously. Good point. The edge of the 1st FDS patch seems to be in light colour , not blue borders like the real Mc Coys type.
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The regular test sample:
 

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