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B-6 jacket made by John Chapman

Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
I arrived on this forum a short time ago (about 5 months). I bought a cycling jacket that I wanted for years ... then I couldn't resist buying a very nice A-2 Bill Kelso ... and now (for a few months) I want a sheepskin flight jacket (after the one I stop ... probably).

I first considered an ANJ-4 jacket (I always considered it). But I think it is a very heavy and warm jacket, it may not be ideal for the climate in the south of France.

So I started looking at the B-6 jackets ... and the more I get interested, the more I love it !

So I have the choice between two brands : ELC and Aero.

For reasons that I can't explain, I don't like the B-6 aero very much. Leather too smooth ? shearling too thick ? I much prefer the B-6 ELC, the fit is nice, the shearling is the right thickness (1/4 "), but ... I definitely don't like the broken grain of the Eastman leather.

As I continued my research, I found THE perfect B-6 jacket ! It's a model that John Chapman made. I absolutely love everything about this jacket ! perfect cut, the leather is sublime ! the color, the finish ... as always with the GW jacket, it's perfection.

The problem is that this jacket does not appear on the Goodwear Leather website ... Is this just a test jacket (in fact, he seems to have made 3 jackets) ? Does anyone know if John Chapman would make a B-6 again ? Has anyone here seen (or own) a B-6 made by John Chapman ?

Arnoff_B6_Jacket.jpg


https://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/sale_b6arnoff_0002.html
https://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/sale_b6_0002.html
https://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/sale_b6arnoff_0001.html
 
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MikeyB-17

Well-Known Member
No expert here, but if it's not on the website, I guess he's not currently offering them. He did a few sheepskins a few years ago, the B-6, an M-444, and a B-3, which I think Heisenberg picked up as a one-off from the sale page a while back. If you email John he may do one for you, but you'll be waiting a long time for it.
 

Pilot

Well-Known Member
We have just accepted two ww2 originals AN-J-4 with AERO labels... as trade ins...both are almost minty.: One in WW2 42” , one in WW2 46”.
Will put them for sale on WW2 AAF militaria (jackets ) sites after a throughout inspection and leather milk treatment.
Happy to answer your photos info requests.
 
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Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
On the "How to Order" page the B6 jacket is listed for $1549

Good point! I hadn't seen that.
It gives me hope that it is possible to order a B-6...

I own a B-6 made by Good Wear. It is an excellent jacket. The B-6 I find more practical than the heavier shearling jackets like the B-3 or ANJ-4.

Wow ! Did you ask John Chapman to make it ? Do you have any pictures to show us ?

We have just accepted two ww2 originals AN-J-4 with AERO labels... as trade ins...both are almost minty.: One in WW2 42” , one in WW2 46”.
Will put them for sale on WW2 AAF militaria (jackets ) sites after a throughout inspection and leather milk treatment.
Happy to answer your photos info requests.

Great ! I'm sure they are very nice jackets. But I don't want to wear original jackets. I've read that sheepskin leather is brittle, and I'd be too afraid of damaging them.
 

Pilot

Well-Known Member
Good point! I hadn't seen that.
It gives me hope that it is possible to order a B-6...



Wow ! Did you ask John Chapman to make it ? Do you have any pictures to show us ?



Great ! I'm sure they are very nice jackets. But I don't want to wear original jackets. I've read that sheepskin leather is brittle, and I'd be too afraid of damaging them.
Try it... no pre-made opinion ever won an onion .. open minded wins...
 

foster

Well-Known Member
Wow ! Did you ask John Chapman to make it ? Do you have any pictures to show us ?

It was something he was planning to make and I expressed interest. I didn’t ask for it to be made for me, but he mentioned when it was available in case I wanted it. Naturally, I did.

I did take some photos and I think I wrote a review on this forum. Not sure if the images are still in there, as I used photobucket at the time, and they changed and stopped hosting images for free. I have some photos on my computer at work which I can find on Monday.
 

asiamiles

Well-Known Member
Much prefer the waist belts, the zips on some versions look odd and would potentially cause damage to car surfaces
Yes, I've always thought the zips aesthetically displeasing. Am I recalling correctly that it was WWII Aero's that used the straps as opposed to the more commonly seen zips?
 

MikeyB-17

Well-Known Member
I prefer the straps too. Never owned a B-6, but I’ve never liked the side zip idea. I wouldn’t trust them to stay closed. Then again, I’ve had plenty of bike jackets with sleeve zips that managed to stay zipped up, so perhaps my fears are groundless.
 

Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
Email John and ask him would be my advice. I think he's incredibly busy but he will reply as soon as he can and you'll know for sure.

Yes I will contact John Chapman to find out if it is possible to make me this B-6 jacket.
Anyway I am not ready to order right away, I don't have the budget for it yet.
I think that if he accepts to make this kind of jacket he will announce me a very long manufacturing delay...

Much prefer the waist belts, the zips on some versions look odd and would potentially cause damage to car surfaces

I also really like the straps. But I don't dislike zippers either.
If I understood correctly, straps were on the first models? Or is it just the specificity of a particular contract?
 

foster

Well-Known Member
Yes, I've always thought the zips aesthetically displeasing. Am I recalling correctly that it was WWII Aero's that used the straps as opposed to the more commonly seen zips?
I think Aero used the zips and Arnoff used the straps at the side of the waist. Those are there to give a little opening to the skirt when the wearer is seated. Since it is a longer garment in the waist than the B-3, once you sit down in it the skirt can get a little tighter on the hips.
 

johnwayne

Well-Known Member
Said here many times that I’m not a shearling fan in that I do like the look but just know I’d rarely wear one, I actually have a sheepskin coat in my loft where its been for years because the UK climate is rarely that cold and, such a jacket is not practical for jumping in and out of the car, however, the B6 is what I’d go for if I was tempted! I doubt too you’d find a better one than a Goodwear but of course the wait and premium is a concern for most. I’m finding my B10 (BR) is my ‘go to’ winter jacket and amazingly it gets lots of compliments from all sorts of people, young, old, gents and ladies!!
 

archbury918

Member
I have one of John's. A trial made a few years ago. He wasn't happy that the shearling was a whiter shade.
Very comfortable. I prefer over my Aero B-6. Last photo is just comparison of B-3 shearling thickness to a B-6
20210118_121921.jpg
 

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