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CAGLECO - G-1

blaze424

Member
Has any quality manufacturer of reproductions attempted a CAGLECO G-1 - or considering doing so? Goodwear or Dave Sheeley, perhaps? Dark seal CAGLECOs are pretty iconic.

thanks
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Neither maker currently produces one but I bet if there was some interest ( multiple people) someone might .
 

MaydayWei

Well-Known Member
1957-1958 Calgeco is my favourite contract! Too bad, eh?
Sheeley does a 1952 Monarch 7823(AER) which is a few years apart but the same specification.
Something to consider?
 

Maverickson

Well-Known Member
Hi All,

There are still plenty of original Cagleco jackets out there. If not I might consider doing a rendition. As I have a soft spot for that particular make G-1. Moreover, my late father was first issued a Cagleco in 1955.

EE Sheeley In G-1 Jacket.jpg


He was a career naval aviator & that is the Skyraider seen below & exactly what he flew with regards to the VA-55 Warhorses squadron patch seen attached to his G-1


Sheeley's Skyraider 1957.jpg


Cheers, Dave
 
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MaydayWei

Well-Known Member
We all know JC is the best at this.
But why does his Calgeco just not look like a Calgeco?
Colour of the mouton? Shape of the mouton collar? colour of the leather?
Maybe just the lighting. I'm sure he nailed it though. Must just be the pics.
 

MaydayWei

Well-Known Member
@Maverickson
Would you ever consider reproducing a patched jacket?
Like what you did to reproduce your father's?
The only people who provide patched repros are BR, RM, and ELC (all of which are strongly lacking in accuracy, both in terms of patches and the jackets themselves)
 

Maverickson

Well-Known Member
Hi,
I suppose that I could and would. I reproduced almost every patch seen on that jacket. Plus I have several Caglco jackets in my possession to include a size 42, 44 & 46.

Not to mention, I had those Cagleco knits reproduced. I just have to have the labels made.

Most notably the knits that I had specially made for those Cagleco and Monarch G-1s are good enough to match the original/existing waist knits verses having to replace all to maintain a good match!

Note, almost every VA-55 squadron mate seen in this 1958 group squadron pic is wearing a Cagleco. With the exception of the skipper.

VA-55 1958 USS Benington.jpg


Mos notably, the skipper who was a WW-2 bomber pilot is still alive and well.

Cheers, Dave

.
 
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blaze424

Member
Dave - I am interested in underwriting a CAGLECO repro, if that is a project you'd be willing to consider. What can you tell me about the design features that are unique to that jacket - cut, construction, etc?
 
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bseal

Well-Known Member
We all know JC is the best at this.
But why does his Calgeco just not look like a Calgeco?
Colour of the mouton? Shape of the mouton collar? colour of the leather?
Maybe just the lighting. I'm sure he nailed it though. Must just be the pics.

 

MaydayWei

Well-Known Member
Hi,
I suppose that I could and would. I reproduced almost every patch seen on that jacket. Plus I have several Caglco jackets in my possession to include a size 42, 44 & 46.

Not to mention, I had those Cagleco knits reproduced. I just have to have the labels made.

Note, almost every VA-55 squadron mate seen in this 1958 group squadron pic is wearing a Cagleco. With the exception of the skipper.

View attachment 66820

Mos notably, the skipper who was a WW-2 bomber pilot is still alive and well.

Cheers, Dave

.

They look so friggin' sharp! Hot damn.
Pardon me, but I have 2 silly questions.
1. If not a Calgeco, what was the skipper wearing?
2. What's the ball-park figure for a patched VA-55 repro of a Calgeco?

Gotta love early jet-age Navy patchwork! Oh my, my.
 
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MaydayWei

Well-Known Member

Mate! My eyes must be playing tricks on me.
I really have no idea why but JC's Calgeco doesn't seem to look like it to me.
Damn, maybe I gotta get my eyes checked!
 

Maverickson

Well-Known Member
Hi Blaze,

What can you tell me about the design features that are unique to that jacket - cut, construction, etc?

Although built using a common specification, most G-1 jacket enthusiast almost immediately note those differences in the outward appearance to allow for the recognition of one make to the other. In addition, most understand that the G-1 is a cut jacket. But there remains enough tell tale differences that also changes the fit and or cut from one make to the other.

As a rule of thumb & much like all G-1's the Cagleco is a cut jacket. By design there is little if any gut room and most would agree that the G-1 is a great looking jacket for fit individuals. However, there are certain differences between those individual makers unique design changes that would then differentiate the fit of one given maker's jacket to another in that same size.

As we all know the G-1 model jacket had many different makers and each maker roughly followed a given specification. However, the fact remains that each maker went about achieving those specifications by employing changes that ultimately created an over all unique fit for each. Since I am most familiar with the Monarch it is easiest to use that make for comparison purposes.

If I made the comparison of the Cagleco to the Monarch I would say that the Cagleco is slightly more forgiving than the Monarch and these are my reasons.

1) The Cagleco's sleeve hole is configured such that it sits noticeably lower in the body of the jacket than the Monarch.

2) The sleeve gusset is also wider in the Cagleco

Yes, there are a few other identifiable difference like the hour glass cut of the Monarch's front panel but by far those two difference found in the Cagleco sleeve configuration is the game changer. On the other hand exactly why the Monarch is among the most cut of the G-1's.

Cheers, Dave
 
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Maverickson

Well-Known Member
Hi Al,

Earlier I was asked about replicating my late father's original Cagleco G-1. Sometime back I had those same squadron patches that were once attached to his original jacket duplicated. All done with fully embroidered with like machine used to do those same patches back in the day.

To include the 1955 model VA-55 Warhorses patch, 1957 ATG-2 USS Hancock Cruise patch, 1958 USS Bennington cruise patch, 1953 through 1958 ATG-2 partch and 1968 model VA-152 Mavericks (same version used during his command) squadron patch. All seen below.

Sheeley Patches.jpg




Father's 1954 Model  Cagleco.jpg

Cagleco Reverse.jpg


While not a real good image I have another image of him wearing his jacket. The A/C seen in the back ground is an FJ-4B Fury & USN version of an upgraded USAF Sabre jet. As seen in the following image

9-2-2008-02.jpg


Father is seen standing beside the CO & wearing the (green & white) checkered arm band denoting the officer of the day.The image was taken in on the NAS Miramar flight line in 1957 or 1958 and just prior to his USS Bennington deployment.

Cheers, Dave
 
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