Did W&G "invent" the G-8 jacket?

[zoomer]

This is the earliest example I know of, made by Willis & Geiger in (I assume) the 1980s.
Altho we know the Navy never issued G-8s, nothing more is known - say, whether it was designed for the Navy.
Given W&G's tendency to play it by ear with history, could this have been their design?

Then again, if W&G actually said they designed it - they probably didn't! :roll:

 

[SuinBruin]

I've read elsewhere that it was Neil Cooper's father (yes, of that Cooper family) who invented the G-8.

Whoever did it, I wonder how many people have been suckered into buying one based on the (mis)understanding that it is an actual military flight jacket design...?

 

[zoomer]

I've read elsewhere that it was Neil Cooper's father (yes, of that Cooper family) who invented the G-8.

Whoever did it, I wonder how many people have been suckered into buying one based on the (mis)understanding that it is an actual military flight jacket design...?

GOK.

When did (Mort?) Cooper supposedly design the G-8? Know any more?

 

[Tim P]

I do like the design though

 

[SuinBruin]

This is all second (or third or fourth) hand, but the topic came up on another forum and this is what the poster said as to when Mr. Cooper may have come up with the G-8 (or as it is now being marketed, the "Type 440" :roll: http://www.uswings.com/g-8.asp):

"I don't know for certain, but the 'creative' stuff was in high gear in the early 70's. I believe that was a motorcycle design from the 50's that was tweaked and repurposed."

That's all I got. Meager, I know.

 

[watchmanjimg]

"Where legend lives . . ." :lol:

In all seriousness I have no idea where the design came from, nor when. However, I suspect it's one of numerous patterns that came about sometime in the first half of the 20th Century and have since found their way into the repertoire of certain makers. I have the "Raider," which is Lost Worlds' version of this type. Apparently some relationship existed between the two firms in the past, as Stu mentions here:

http://lostworldsinc.com/Kilimanjaro_Safari_Jacket.htm

Had this jacket been an original W&G design, it's not much of a stretch to assume that Lost Worlds simply continued producing it under their own label and specifications. All I can say for certain is that I sold mine to a friend and subsequently bought it back because it's a hell of a jacket!

 

[jack aranda]

I like this design, too, all but the zipper sleeves. Looks cool, watchmanjimg; good fit.

 

[watchmanjimg]

I like this design, too, all but the zipper sleeves. Looks cool, watchmanjimg; good fit.

Thanks, Ben! I didn't like the zippered sleeves myself but they're unobtrusive in actual use. What I really dislike about this design is the blued-steel slide buckles at the waist. You can see why in Zoomer's pics. However, I remedied this in short order by replacing them with brass D-rings from Home Depot. This was an easy fix that did not require any seams to be opened. Another pet peeve is the useless side-entry "handwarmer" pockets. They're too shallow and the angle is awkward, not to mention they're lined with a drill fabric that offers no warmth. I've considered sending the jacket back to have the pockets modified to a standard patch type, but this would only make my bank balance even smaller than it already is. :cry:

Interestingly, US Authentic offers the option of either pocket design in their version. This is perhaps its sole redeeming feature as they flagrantly misstate the G-8 as having been issued to Navy and Marine pilots in the late 1920s. I call bunk! :lol:

 

[Clyde from Carolina]

I've always kind of liked these, too. Neat design.