Active duty aircrew and wearing repros

[R7000]

I wrote that part of the Wiki. You should see the contract list elsewhere here to get the picture on Brill contracts as I know them.

I was attempting to bracket their supply dates.

Tom

 

[deeb7]

I wrote that part of the Wiki. You should see the contract list elsewhere here to get the picture on Brill contracts as I know them.

I was attempting to bracket their supply dates.

Tom

Thanks Tom ... that's what I thought. There's not much else out there about the missing years, but Google did find this post on airwarriors.com ...

It was all out war in the 70s...the admiral at Miramar would have anyone trying to pass through the gate in a flight jacket standing tall in his office and his CO would stand gate guard duty until he caught the next scoff-law....at NAS Cecil, there was a tongue-in-cheek sign outside the gate that said "Warning flight jacket removal zone" because some cars would be weaving erratically as drivers tried to remove their jackets before the gate (it also served as a reminder)...at PCola, I saw Command Master Chief in base admin walking down the hall with an armload of confiscated flight jackets taken from students trying to run the gates. At Oceana, wearing of flight jackets was permitted only inside the flight line security gate so aviators had to tuck them under their arms in freezing winter until inside the fence...one VF-32 aviator wearing his in the parking lot was spotted by his CO looking out the window and fined several hundred dollars as soon as he walked into the Ready Room. Meanwhile, abuse of issuing and drawing flight jackets resulted in the leather flight jacket being cancelled outright. The popular 38-40 sizes were depleted first followed by 36 and 42, soon student aviators were wearing several sizes too big or small just to get a leather flight jacket. John Lehman brought back the G-1 Leather Flight Jacket and brown shoes during his tenure as SECNAV in the mid 80s, but the G-1 was reintroduced with strict controls.

 

[sfdistance]

Just wondering if those authorised to wear the Cooper A-2 would be allowed to wear an ELC or Good Wear instead. Would the velcro patches have to be on the jacket ? Would a 'naked' jacket with no decal etc be o.k. ?

Just curious. Wouldn't it be cool to see an aircrewman / fighter jock wearing a Good Wear or Eastman etc whilst fully rigged up ?! Or is the A-2 only o.k. to wear for transport and helo crews rather than fast jet jockeys ?

I'm a maritime type myself but I just left a 6 month tour training with the AF and all the instructors wore their leather in the plane (even some of the Navy guys did too). We were flying T-6's, but that's a lot more similar to tac air than it is to heavies or helos.

I'm new to the forum by the way. Just feeding a recently acquired obsession with military flight jackets and I'm actually in the market myself for a quality G-1 that works for uniform wear. My issued G-1 is pretty awful. It just feels phony with the synthetic collar and the fake pebbling on cowhide.

 

[Steve27752]

Just wondering if those authorised to wear the Cooper A-2 would be allowed to wear an ELC or Good Wear instead. Would the velcro patches have to be on the jacket ? Would a 'naked' jacket with no decal etc be o.k. ?

Just curious. Wouldn't it be cool to see an aircrewman / fighter jock wearing a Good Wear or Eastman etc whilst fully rigged up ?! Or is the A-2 only o.k. to wear for transport and helo crews rather than fast jet jockeys ?

I'm a maritime type myself but I just left a 6 month tour training with the AF and all the instructors wore their leather in the plane (even some of the Navy guys did too). We were flying T-6's, but that's a lot more similar to tac air than it is to heavies or helos.

I'm new to the forum by the way. Just feeding a recently acquired obsession with military flight jackets and I'm actually in the market myself for a quality G-1 that works for uniform wear. My issued G-1 is pretty awful. It just feels phony with the synthetic collar and the fake pebbling on cowhide.

Welcome to VLJ, may I suggest a Gibson & Barnes (Flight Suits) G1 as it looks like the issue item but is better made.

 

[Grant]

Depending on your size, you can still get great 60's era G-1's for less dough than a repro and they look a lot better.

 

[sfdistance]

The G&B jackets look nice but they definitely aren't the same specs as current issue G1s. The most noticable difference is the pocket flaps. I'm curious as to whether or not they will do custom work on jackets. I know they will customize flight suits as I have seen several squadrons with custom flight suits done by them.

 

[Stony]

When I worked at the Museum of Flight, the military ramp was next door and we would get an influx of aircrew from all the services and foreign countries. I remember one day that a couple of active duty Navy aircrew came into the museum and I engaged them about the G-1s they were wearing. Both jackets had "side entry" pockets and custom name plates. I inquired about those as they weren't original to the jackets and they said they had the side entry pockets put in while on duty in Turkey at one of the leather shops and they also had their leather name plates done there. That being said, and because they were wearing them on active duty, one can assume they were within regulations.

 

[USMC_GAU-21]

Stony,

Yes they were wearing them on active duty but NO they were not in regulations. In Okinawa, Korea, Narita, Iwakuni, all had shops that would put the "hand-warmers" on your G-1. They also did very nice leather name tags. Tiger Embroidery in Okinawa does some of the best in the world.

But, the regs are clear, only the coast Guard G-1 has the hand warmer pockets. Also the name tags specified by the ALSS (Aviation Life support systems) Manual for the Navy is very specific on the black leather name tag. Initials last Name, Rank Service, leather, black.

But we all know the cloth fun name tags are the best and we all wear them. But, they are not in regulations.

r/Dan

 

[Stony]

Also the name tags specified by the ALSS (Aviation Life support systems) Manual for the Navy is very specific on the black leather name tag. Initials last Name, Rank Service, leather, black.

Their name tags were brown leather with their wings embossed on them. So, if they weren't within regs, how did they get away with wearing them? Probably didn't wear them on the base and could probably get away with them while on TDY to Boeing.

 

[sfdistance]

You'd be amazed how little people actually care about reg's in certain parts of the military. Not that it's always a bad thing. I see guys wearing and flying in non reg boots every day. Nobody cares... I guess we all just figure as long as the boots look ok with the flight suit is sort of up to you if you're worried about your boots going up in flames or not. Most commanders have a lot more important things to worry about than what type of nametags, boots, etc. their pilots may be wearing. Also people tend to wear stuff that looks cool or is more comfortable. Keep in mind aviators are usually a lot less strict on all
of this than other areas of the military.

 

[USMC_GAU-21]

I am not amazed at what certain parts of the military wear or do not wear. I was active duty for 22 years in aviation. We wore what worked. We wore what we could "get away" with. Cloth name tags, non-issue (comfortable steel toe) boots, under-armour t-shirts, whatever.

But the original intent of the post was is it with in regulations to wear the knock-offs. NO.

Yes commanders are busy doing "other" things, but there are rules and regulations in the military for a reason. Do we deviate? Yes all the time. Look at a combat aircrewman in any theater today, and he is wearing what "works" at not necessarily what he was "issued".

As far as the guys at Boeing, well to bad they wore those "Gucci" name tags, but you are right no one is going to stop them. Maybe they should have stopped themselves.

But like you said aviators are a lot less strict on these things........

I am not trying to "argue" and start a regulations war here between the services, but just because they are wearing it does not mean it is authorized.

I also understand that folks do what works.

r/Dan

 

[sfdistance]

I wasn't trying to argue with you Gunny. I meant that "you'd be amazed" comment for those here who don't have any experience with the military. Maybe not the right choice of words. I guess I said that because I myself am surprised from time to time at what flies here at my current command, compared with other places I've been.

 

[USMC_GAU-21]

Got ya

And I agree, sometimes it is amazing what these guys find and wear! But I hear ya!

No worries....! And thanks for serving!

r/Gy Dan

 

[Andrew]

The A-2, well a pretty ordinary looking repro version is authorized flight line clothing in the RAAF. It even has it's own Contract number, but who knows what this relates to.

http://www.kitbag.com.au/prod348.htm

An approved version is also made by US Authentic. Somehow funny that the approved versions appear to have none of the appealing features of the real thing or an excellent repro but I suppose that's all you get for $300.

Shame about the look of this (though i'm sure they don't care). I reckon they deserve much better.

 

[bfrench]

The A-2, well a pretty ordinary looking repro version is authorized flight line clothing in the RAAF. It even has it's own Contract number, but who knows what this relates to.

http://www.kitbag.com.au/prod348.htm

An approved version is also made by US Authentic. Somehow funny that the approved versions appear to have none of the appealing features of the real thing or an excellent repro but I suppose that's all you get for $300.

Shame about the look of this (though i'm sure they don't care). I reckon they deserve much better.

Hi, Andrew,

I can remember flying light GA aircraft and it never was about the jacket - only about the flying and the people.

It wasn't until met the mob here that it became about the jackets - heck, it was hard enough owning a money sucking bottomless pit of a light plane always looking for the next buck to pay the expenses let alone fretting about how we looked - I think the official uniform was a t-shirt and a pair of well worn jeans - but it was worth every moment.

Just as buying and fixating about the jacket details are now.

Thanks for the pics,

Cheers,
Bill French

 

[deeb7]

The A-2, well a pretty ordinary looking repro version is authorized flight line clothing in the RAAF. It even has it's own Contract number, but who knows what this relates to.

RNZAF crew have been wearing US contract nomex, and nylon dating back to, at least, the 70's. Recently, Air Vice-Marshal Graham Lintott has taken to wearing this ...

 

[ausreenactor]

I sold a pair of the issue A-2s a while back for a Loadmaster. Not sure if I still have the pics..

Couchy