Finally found the N-2B I've been looking for

[Peter Graham]

I've been searching for a 1964 Alpha N-2B for a very long time and just before Christmas I found one. It's an excellent example with very little wear. The stain on the front is from water on the floor when I was photographing it. The coyote fur is teddy bear soft. What makes this contract special, for me at least, is the Crown zippers. They lift the jacket out of the ordinary. I've had a Wisconson N-2B for a while and it's done stirling service over the last few winters but this is the one I've been waiting for, and yes, that is one of Deans beautiful caps. Dean, you're a true gent.

 

[TankBuster]

Nice jacket Peter! It looks like it's a pretty heavy jacket. Perfect for the cold winters areound here.

 

[watchmanjimg]

Fantastic, Peter! I'm glad you went for it.

 

[deand]

Peter, that's a terrific N-2B! I've been watching those on the 'bay and am waiting for a good shot at something close. The cap's looking good, too!






dean

 

[Willy McCoy]

A more handsome jacket for this season I'd be pressed hard to find. One observation on zippers tho'. The military spec. Crown of the first order was the original locking model I say. Conmar was right up there with a reliable closure, but the Crown was the King. Then Crown went to the V2 & V3 ( excuse me, Version 2 & Version 3), to the point of changing the moniker to C&C (Coats & Clark) and alas, looking more like the Conmar. And Conmar? A Conmar has always looked and performed like a Conmar. Reliable & strong. Conmar>Crown. Carry on Buck-Os'.

 

[watchmanjimg]

Did the actual teeth of the Coats & Clark-marked zippers differ from the earlier Crowns? Other than the slider assembly, I'm not sure they're any different. This is based on a comparison of many jackets in my collection.

I agree that Conmars are solid zippers, but I'd take a "peg-tooth" Coats & Clark over a Conmar any day.

 

[dav3469]

Great looking jacket! The fur trim looks to be in really great condition!

 

[kevlarg]

Nice score Peter!

So now you will have to get the N-2 and the N-2A...

 

[Jason]

That looks to be in excellent condition Peter, well done on finding the contract you particularly wanted, in your size too. Not an easy feat! In your hunt, did you find that large & x-large were common, yet small and medium sizes were not as easy to locate?

 

[greyhound52]

Peter,
Fantastic jacket. Love those crowns. Hey did Dean do the hat for you? Looks great.

 

[Weasel_Loader]

Lucky you Peter. Those N-2Bs with Crowns are super hard to find these days. Almost as difficult as the first version N-2B with MIC tabs.

How is the hood on yours. My one and only early N-2B had the stiff hood illness. Not sure what it is, but some of them exhibit that. Has something to do with the inner material inside the hood that gets stiff over time.

Looks great!!!

 

[Peter Graham]

Thanks for all the positive comments guys. To answer a few questions. Jason, finding that contract in any size is very difficult. Later white label N-2B's are pretty common in all sizes but when you start looking for a black label one I'd say large is the most common size. I couldn't believe it when a small one turned up. George, that is indeed one of Deans caps and very fine it is too. Danny, I've been fortunate in that the hoods on both my N-2B's have been soft and pliable. To follow up on the zipper comments I'd have to say that the C&C on the Alpha is a superior zipper than the Conmar on my Wisconson N-2B. The smaller, better engineered teeth means that when it's zipped up to the neck it stays there. The Conmar always unzips by four or five teeth before it catches. I also love the dull grey finish of the C&C/Crowns.