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German leather flight jackets

FtrPlt

Active Member
Picked up another leather flight jacket a few weeks back. This time a BGS (Bundesgrenzschutz) leather flight jacket. It's similar to the grey Luftwaffe flight jacket although IMO it's made using more refined material than its Luftwaffe counterpart.

Anyway, here it is next to my Luftwaffe jacket. Longer body and with a removable velveton-like torso liner.

Feb122012-001a.jpg
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
That one actually has some promise.

As to mine. Sorry. I should have titled the thread "Cold War Era German Leather Flight Jackets". I don't think the grey leather jackets are on issue to the Luftwaffe any longer and the BGS jackets are pretty scarce. They're also no longer on issue. In any event, BGS ceased to exist back around 2005 +/- and has been renamed BundesPolizei (Federal Police). The green uniforms have been changed to blue.

The various incarnations of the Bundeswehr flight jacket are all extremely well made. Presently I have a Luftwaffe example, the BGS jacket I just purchased, along with a white version worn by German Red Cross pilots. There's also an orange one worn by ADAC flight crews.
 

Rutger

Well-Known Member
Hm, aren't the grey jackets no longer issued? They still were in 2007 which I admit is a long time ago already.
They must have been wearing them for over 30-40 years.
Traded them in for the CWU or what?

The Dutch Air Force pilots were issued them as well until the CWU jackets became fashionable somewhere in the (late?) 80's with the arrival of the F-16.

Up here in Holland (and I suppose in Germany as well) they were advertised for years in aviation magazines in the 80's, but I never liked the grey colour, though the style itself is very good and classic.
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
I guess those already issued them can continue to wear them -- for now. I'm not sure what they're wearing now. Likely something green and nomex. I think the old blue luftwaffe flight suits have finally reached their wear-out date so if not already gone, they will be soon.

Yes, the grey leather flight jackets have been around for decades. I don't know when they came into service but certainly earlier than the 70s. The later ones can be spotted by their makers tag being visible just below the neck as opposed to inside the breast pocket on the earlier versions. Also, the older jackets had sewn-on patches vs velcro on the newer ones.

Get one while you can. Judging by the flood of them on eBay it looks like they're being surplused out by the Luftwaffe. I'm not sure who else used these other than RNLAF.
 

Phantomfixer

New Member
Nice jackets FtrPlt...I think the grey jackets are pretty cool, they are very comfortable. I picked one up on Sardina decades ago. Was a good heavy jacket tons of character.
I can't remember if it had side pocket or not. It did have the vertical chest zippered pocket..
 

GoodTimesGone

New Member
Does the BGS version have those weird open underarm vents like the Luftwaffe flight jacket? I own three of the grey ones and they all have that.
______________________________________________
Tom
 

Monsoon

Well-Known Member
The "Wing King" at my base in Germany use to sport a "Lust"waffe grey leather flight jacket. We all thought it looked pretty sporty.
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Tom;

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately they only have size medium and I'm a large or extra large size. Do you know of any other places that may have them?

B-Man2
 

GoodTimesGone

New Member
Hessen Antique used to have them but are sold out. Here is a link to Sturm- http://www.sturm-miltec.com/Jackets%28L ... talog.html Their site doesn't indicate what sizes, just an item number. You'd have to call their phone number at the top of the page. Valhalla say they have large available- http://valhallasurplus.ecrater.com/p/15 ... her-flight
This site carries some on a regular basis. Availability of sizes vary from time to time-
http://www.oldnautibits.com/stock_php/a ... hing_g.php
________________________________________________________________________
Tom
 

YoungMedic

Well-Known Member
dragging this one back up, is there a way to tell repro's from original issue? Is there a difference in fit or quality? Seems im finding more repros than originals, particularly that aren't previously patched
 

M. from Berlin

Well-Known Member
That one actually has some promise.

As to mine. Sorry. I should have titled the thread "Cold War Era German Leather Flight Jackets". I don't think the grey leather jackets are on issue to the Luftwaffe any longer and the BGS jackets are pretty scarce. They're also no longer on issue. In any event, BGS ceased to exist back around 2005 +/- and has been renamed BundesPolizei (Federal Police). The green uniforms have been changed to blue.

The various incarnations of the Bundeswehr flight jacket are all extremely well made. Presently I have a Luftwaffe example, the BGS jacket I just purchased, along with a white version worn by German Red Cross pilots. There's also an orange one worn by ADAC flight crews.
Flight Crews wear also an white jackets!
 
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