G-1 Jacket modern repros

[Anonymous]

Anyone knows how the G-1 made by Alpha (pictured below)

compares with the Cockpit ? (pictured below)

 

[marco77]

Is it Cockpit jacket used by USN and USAF pilot on duty actually ?

 

[RCSignals]

The US made Cockpit jackets are made by Schott. so tehy will be the same as the USWings G1 etc

 

[HackerF15E]

Is it Cockpit jacket used by USN and USAF pilot on duty actually ?

Cockpit USA makes the current USAF A-2 (poorly, I might add...), while Excelled makes the current USN G-1.

 

[Atticus]

Cockpit USA makes the current USAF A-2 (poorly, I might add...)

Its a shame about the new, new A-2s. I'm wearing my old, new A-2 (a '98 Avirex) today. Even after years of owning that jacket, I am still impressed with it.

AF

 

[HackerF15E]

Cockpit USA makes the current USAF A-2 (poorly, I might add...)

Its a shame about the new, new A-2s. I'm wearing my old, new A-2 (a '98 Avirex) today. Even after years of owning that jacket, I am still impressed with it.

AF

Agreed.

I have two '99s and one '01 Avirex (all of the 'new' style with the side panels and inside pockets). Two of them were USAF issued and another I bought off eBay, and other than some minor complaints about the loose fit around the abdomen, they are otherwise fantastic jackets.

 

[RCSignals]

Avirex is now Cockpit. Their jackets at least the US made ones, are made in the same Schott factory.

Excelled is I understand a small company with it's own factory. They also go by the name Branded leather.

 

[HackerF15E]

Excelled is I understand a small company with it's own factory. They also go by the name Branded leather.

That's new info to me...I always just associated Orchard with Branded, but not Excelled Sheepskin & Leather.

Thanks.

 

[RCSignals]

I could be wrong about the Branded thing but that's what I found when trying to figure out who Excelled is. Doesn't mean it was correct.
But I do believe Excelled being a small company manufacturing their own products is correct.

One thing for sure many of these companies have tight relationships and quite a few seem to use Schott for their production.

 

[Jaydee]

I had a cockpit G-1 like pictured above. I can assure you that the jacket is not up to the current specs, or any specs for that matter. The sizing is too big for it's marked size and the proportons are off. Also the zipper hardware is cheap and a poor imitation of the "paper clip" style puller seen on modern G-1s. The Branded / Orchard G-1 is a lot closer to specs than cockpit, and although it has been dissed here, mine is turning out to be a real nice wearer!

Never seen the Alpha in person.

 

[dilbert]

I'm not familiar with the Alpha, but the U S Wings is okay but the bi-swing back is a dog's dinner. They make an attempt to replicate the back but it is not done properly. I think the back must be the most difficult to do well. I have a Gibson & Barnes that is very well done.

 

[RCSignals]

the USWings jackets at least the US made ones, are also made by Schott.
USWings claims to be a supplier military of jackets, but what do they supply?
Kind of interesting the Companies that have contracts but no actual factory.

 

[HackerF15E]

USWings claims to be a supplier military of jackets, but what do they supply?

They purchased Cooper Sportswear, which supplied the DoD with both A-2s and G-1s during the 80s and 90s.

 

[RCSignals]

that could be what they refer to, Cooper, but my impression was they are saying they still do today. That would be under their own name wouldn't it?

 

[HackerF15E]

that could be what they refer to, Cooper, but my impression was they are saying they still do today. That would be under their own name wouldn't it?

They're definitely not supplying either the USAF or the USN currently, nor have they ever supplied a DoD contract under the USWings name.

Some companies get a lot of mileage out of the fact that military units occasionally (rarely) will purchase civilian market leather jackets for people when the normal military supply chain can't issue a particular size at a particular time. I know of this happening once in my USAF experience, and I have certainly heard of it happening with the USN as well.

My suspicion is that some companies turn these onesie-twosie instances into claims of being "suppliers to the US military".

 

[R7000]

Orchard and Branded are related but not Excelled.

Tom

 

[Monsoon]

My suspicion is that some companies turn these onesie-twosie instances into claims of being "suppliers to the US military".

That's what I'm thinking. I have three AF issued flight jackets and one goretex APECS jacket, and none of them are made by Alpha, US Wings, etc.

 

[HackerF15E]

I have three AF issued flight jackets and one goretex APECS jacket, and none of them are made by Alpha, US Wings, etc.

Alpha definitely did have a mid-1990s contract to supply Aramid CWU jackets (IIRC have a 1995 CWU-45/P), but never A-2s.