M-445A query

[Hawkeye]

I recently recieved a very nice original M-445A courtesy of Bazelot. Im no expert on Navy shearlings, i'm more of an Irvin guy, so I don't really know the story behind this model. Would anyone be able to give me a little background info on this type?

 

[deeb7]

Would anyone be able to give me a little background info on this type?

I don't think there's much to know, essentially it's a Navy version B-3.

You know, like the G-1 is to the A-2 .... better designed, and all that, but we like the Airforce one better.

 

[Falcon_52]

Hawkeye:

Like David said, the M-445 jacket was the Navy's high-altitude, extreme cold weather jacket (like the B-3 was to the Army). From the pictures in the Suit Up! book, it looks like the M-445A was modified slightly from the original M-445 in that it had a 3/4 zipper plus two buttons instead of a full length zipper. This was probably done to make the jacket sit better in the cockpit because the pilot could undo one or both buttons at the bottom and the front of the jacket would sit flatter rather than ballooning up.

Noel

 

[Roughwear]

and from JC's CD:

The M-445A series of jackets superceded the M-445. They are quite similar to the Army Air Force AN-J-4, which was made around the same timeframe in WWII. The jacket can be seen with two designs, one like the older M-455, and one like the M-445B series. The details of the older jackets are that there's no goatskin belt around the waistline, the wind flap is sheepskin rather than goatskin, the sleeves often have diamond-shaped goatskin reinforcement, and the zipper spans the length of the front, rather than stopping short and having buttons at the bottom.

 

[Hawkeye]

Many thanks for the info.

 

[Peter Graham]

Didn't take you long to get it on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-WW2-USN-M-445A ... dZViewItem

 

[Hawkeye]

Yes, once I got over my initial enthusiasm for the jacket I realized I would probobly never wear it, already having my Irvin for winter wear. I dont want it to sit unused in a closet, so better it goes to someone who can appreciate it and use it for its intended purpose. Im also selling my saddlery A-2 now that my Goodwear has arrived, and possibly my Star G-1 will go soon too (great jacket but a bit too short).

 

[deeb7]

Didn't take you long to get it on ebay.

Could Canada become the new Spain?

 

[Andrew]

H.E. here's an idea- maybe you could split any profits with 'ol Baz to help him buy food for his suffering Wife...

 

[bazelot]

Actually she needs more sleep than food right now but I will take anything at this point