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Buttons for N3B

Flightengineer

Well-Known Member
Hi guys,
Almost finished repairing my old N3B. Only 1 of the original buttons present.

I mean this big plastic buttons for windflap

iu


I would like to put new ones. It is very difficult to find similar ones, I would like to put the original.
Maybe someone of you knows where can buy for a reasonable price or advise the seller.
Thanks in advance.
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Check Mash in Japan. Not cheap but they have a lot of repro buttons that match many different vintage military items.
 

917_k

Well-Known Member
Haven’t seen what Mash charge for these, but is it a mad idea to just buy a wrecked N3B (these turn up regularly on eBay) and pinch the buttons and resell the button-less jacket afterwards? I’ve seen trashed N-3Bs sell for as little as $30 before, so could be viable.
 

Flightengineer

Well-Known Member
Haven’t seen what Mash charge for these, but is it a mad idea to just buy a wrecked N3B (these turn up regularly on eBay) and pinch the buttons and resell the button-less jacket afterwards? I’ve seen trashed N-3Bs sell for as little as $30 before, so could be viable.

I also thought about it and, apparently, I'll do so (I'm now looking for a donor here in Russia).
As for eBay, this is a good only for guys living in the US, but not for me - even shipping junk at a price of $30 to my country will cost me $60-80 for a total of $120 for 4 buttons - that's too much.
 

Flightengineer

Well-Known Member
Dmitry
Are the size of the buttons the same on a commercially made N-3b as on the military issued one ? I’m not sure ?

I think yes. Anyway, my jacket is a very, very old Alpha. It has no labels now, but I remember the time when they were. This is not a government contract for USAF, but it exactly copies it in correct sage green colour and fit (no ugly modern frog-green Alpha) and perhaps the only difference from those issued by the Air Force is the windproof flap with an extra loop (5 versus 4). So I need 4 or 5 buttons. I bought it many-many years ago and this jacket has seen a lot. I was looking for a main zipper for half a year and thanks to Brice (@Pilot) I got it - I'm very grateful to him for this big help. My seamstress installed it and made more other big jobs to restored it. It remains for me to add buttons and perhaps restore the worn out USAF decal on the sleeve and by next autumn the jacket will again be able to serve for walks in the forest or my dogs walks.
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
I think yes. Anyway, my jacket is a very, very old Alpha. It has no labels now, but I remember the time when they were. This is not a government contract for USAF, but it exactly copies it in correct sage green colour and fit (no ugly modern frog-green Alpha) and perhaps the only difference from those issued by the Air Force is the windproof flap with an extra loop (5 versus 4). So I need 4 or 5 buttons. I bought it many-many years ago and this jacket has seen a lot. I was looking for a main zipper for half a year and thanks to Brice (@Pilot) I got it - I'm very grateful to him for this big help. My seamstress installed it and made more other big jobs to restored it. It remains for me to add buttons and perhaps restore the worn out USAF decal on the sleeve and by next autumn the jacket will again be able to serve for walks in the forest or my dogs walks.
Do you also need the smaller anchor buttons that go onto the inside of the jacket when you sew the main button on?
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