FtrPlt
Active Member
Okay, a bit misleading title but just wanted to add context/background to one very maligned and overlooked flight jacket. Despite conventional wisdom that the Jacket, Cold Weather (High Temperature) is/was a tanker jacket, in reality it both was and wasn't.
Around 1973, Mil-J-43924 came into being as Jacket, Flyer's, Cold Weather -- basically the Army version of the USAF CWU-45/P. It was accompanied by Mil-J-83923, aka Jacket, Flyer's, Lightweight -- the Army version of the CWU-36/P.
Both jackets went through a couple of revisions -- the cold weather jacket receiving updates A thru E and the lightweight jacket receiving updates A thru C. The major changes were as follows:
Both jacket received pattern changes to the pocket closures -- these are likely either the B or C suffix changes.
The Lightweight jacket did not receive any further updates and remained "Jacket, Flyer's, Lightweight" throughout it's production.
Jacket, Flyer's, Cold Weather received a pattern change -- probably the C or D suffix -- in which it received a velcro opening across the upper back, a new nomenclature -- becoming Jacket, Cold Weather, High Temperature Resistant -- and a new NSN. All occurring under the original mil-spec Mil-J-43924.
Both Jacket, Flyer's, Cold Weather and Jacket, Cold Weather (High Temperature Resistant) existed simultaneously until stocks of the former were exhausted. The latter version becoming standard issue for both armor and aviation. TM 10-8400-201-23 is an excellent reference and notes both versions (and their corresponding NSN's) as Standard A (the 'tank' version) and Standard B 'flyer's) as flight jackets, along with the lightweight version. Same TM clearly illustrates the back opening along with other items of clothing that ultimately became dual-use between armor and aviation.
Badging evolved over time. Early-on, the flight jackets had name/branch tapes -- worn the same as on the MA-1. This badging gave way to a flight suit nametag for aviation although it appears armor folks continued with the earlier badging.
Around 1973, Mil-J-43924 came into being as Jacket, Flyer's, Cold Weather -- basically the Army version of the USAF CWU-45/P. It was accompanied by Mil-J-83923, aka Jacket, Flyer's, Lightweight -- the Army version of the CWU-36/P.
Both jackets went through a couple of revisions -- the cold weather jacket receiving updates A thru E and the lightweight jacket receiving updates A thru C. The major changes were as follows:
Both jacket received pattern changes to the pocket closures -- these are likely either the B or C suffix changes.
The Lightweight jacket did not receive any further updates and remained "Jacket, Flyer's, Lightweight" throughout it's production.
Jacket, Flyer's, Cold Weather received a pattern change -- probably the C or D suffix -- in which it received a velcro opening across the upper back, a new nomenclature -- becoming Jacket, Cold Weather, High Temperature Resistant -- and a new NSN. All occurring under the original mil-spec Mil-J-43924.
Both Jacket, Flyer's, Cold Weather and Jacket, Cold Weather (High Temperature Resistant) existed simultaneously until stocks of the former were exhausted. The latter version becoming standard issue for both armor and aviation. TM 10-8400-201-23 is an excellent reference and notes both versions (and their corresponding NSN's) as Standard A (the 'tank' version) and Standard B 'flyer's) as flight jackets, along with the lightweight version. Same TM clearly illustrates the back opening along with other items of clothing that ultimately became dual-use between armor and aviation.
Badging evolved over time. Early-on, the flight jackets had name/branch tapes -- worn the same as on the MA-1. This badging gave way to a flight suit nametag for aviation although it appears armor folks continued with the earlier badging.
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