• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

More about Army Nomex flight jackets

Peter Graham

Well-Known Member
After reading so much on the forum about them I decided to buy one. Here's an evaluation for anyone else thinking about it. First off, it won't break the bank. I picked up this brand new cold weather example for £21 and I'm over the moon with it. The quality is great, it's pretty warm and I can't get over how light it is. The shell is very similar in weight, colour and feel to a WW2 B-15, as is the cut. A word about sizing. I usually take a 38 in most jackets and this one is medium regular. In the photo I'm wearing a medium weight sweater and a T shirt under it so if you want to add layers underneath and you're any bigger than a 40 I'd go for a large. The regular length is longer than a B-15 or MA-1 so is very practical. The arm length is perfect for me. The zippers are blackened brass Scovills, another feature I like. The pockets are a bit shallow and it would have been nice if they were lined with a warm material. There is a velcro fastening collar strap which should help to keep the wind out and the much discussed slot across the shoulders is tightly velcroed closed so no heat should escape through it. The knits are nice and tight and only time will tell if they go bally or not. These jackets, along with the woodland M-65's must be the best value military jackets out there. I can't think of a reason not to buy one.

PC045541600x800.jpg


PC045554600x800.jpg


PC045543800x600.jpg


PC045553600x800.jpg


PC045552600x800.jpg


PC045551800x600.jpg


PC045550800x600.jpg


PC045555600x800.jpg
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
Great purchase, Peter!

You'll be very hard pressed to wear one of these out. The knits are very robust.
 

Peter Graham

Well-Known Member
An update. I've been wearing it this week in temperatures hovering around zero and it's mighty warm with a sweater and scarf. Tonight I walked for about twenty minutes in fairly heavy rain and it also seems to be waterproof but after the jacket dried off it was covered in off white dusty blotches. Acid rain perhaps ? :shock:
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
Dr H said:
Snow? :?:
:lol:

Slightly water-repellant but they do get very wet in heavy rain. Since it's new, you'll likely end up with small water stains. Once you wash it and the whole thing gets soaked it's a non-issue as the 'stains' will then match the rest of the jacket!
 

Cobblers161

Well-Known Member
I just picked up one of the same CVC Aramid jackets from ebay, a steal at £24, a last minute bid fuelled by a beer or two that eased my trigger finger.

This one has a green inside label and is made by Carter Industries and is in mint condition.

The fit is Large Regular which is perfect for my 6' 194lbs/88kg frame.

It is warm but not too warm, I imagine it will see more wear in Spring, Autumn although out today with just a sweatshirt underneath it was just right. I am so impressed with it I've put away my A-2 Deck jackets.

Thoroughly impressed!
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
Out of curiosity, what year is your green tag jacket? I picked one up very recently (Flyer's, Lightweight version) and it's DLA-94 which has to be very close to the end of the line for these. I think the 2-piece Woodland flight uniform was already in use.
 

Peter Graham

Well-Known Member
A quick update. I've been wearing this jacket daily for nearly a month now and it's been through the washing machine once. The white marks that I mentioned have gone and have not reappeared after rain showers. I don't know what caused them. The knits are still good as new after the wash, tight as a drum. Yep, I'm still impressed with it.
 

GoodTimesGone

New Member
I think these jackets actually look better after some washings and a bit of fading. After washing they get a softer appearance and not so bright green. I've owned about four of them and the two used ones I acquired had a very slight brown tint to the green. Right before I read this thread I had just laundered one of my new nomex ones for the first time. The other new one I had was the more rare desert tan color. I would have kept it but it was slightly too small so I sold it on ebay. The large regular or medium long fit me equally well. They are surprisingly warm for such a light weight jacket.
_____________________________________
Tom
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
Curious about the desert tan version. Does/did yours have white velcro for the pockets? I just acquired one and was trying to figure out if the velcro had been replaced or if they were really made using white?

Along the same lines, was yours the winter-weight version with the back opening? I'm curious if the Army lightweight flyer's jacket was ever produced in tan?
 

GoodTimesGone

New Member
My tan one was winter weight with the back velcro retrieval opening. The velcro was desert tan like the jacket. I have never seen the tan in the lightweight summer version.
_____________________________________________________________________
Tom
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
GoodTimesGone said:
My tan one was winter weight with the back velcro retrieval opening. The velcro was desert tan like the jacket. I have never seen the tan in the lightweight summer version.
_____________________________________________________________________
Tom

Strange about the velcro color. My second tan jacket arrived today. It also has white velcro. Both are made by Carter Industries. One is SPO-96 and the other SPO-03 so it appears this maker used white velcro. None has been replaced. White on the pockets, back opening; and throat flap.
 

Rutger

Well-Known Member
Ok, I rose to the challenge and ventured into the attic.
The three I own are all Carter Ind, have white velcro for the pockets and the back flap, and tan velcro for all patch attachments on chest/shoulders. One is without patch velcro. They are from contract date '96, '01 and '03.

The CWU-36's and -45 I have are all from Ashland, and all velcro is tan (but a paler shade of tan).

I like the tan versions a bit more because the colour sets them apart, but they naturally show dirt better.

I think the construction of green and tan are identical, including the elbow reinforcement which in my eyes shows that they really gave a lot of thought to durability and practicality. It's more of a working jacket than the CWU.

edit:
on a side note I think these should be called cloth jackets, the touch of the fabric couldn't be more different from the aramid CWU jackets. These have a very nylonesque touch about them.
If one didn't know the CVC jacket is made of aramid, I'm certain it would be qualified as a cloth jacket.
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
Thanks for checking your jackets! I suspect the tan velcro for the patches was an addition at the user level rather than production. One of mine has stitch holes indicating a velcro nametag and USAF command patch was once present. The other came from a US Army pilot and there are no indications of nametag, rank, or patches on it.

Since the Army has been wearing the two-piece flying uniform since the mid-1990s, I don't think there's a high percentage of Army aircrew who even remember wearing the flightsuit style name tags.

I agree with you on the cloth flight jacket comment. When I first started visiting this site, I somewhat expected to see the Army flight jackets in the "Cloth Jacket" section.
 

KELORGO

New Member
Can those who own the CVC jacket please give me some advice on sizing? I am 5'10" and about 210 pounds. I usually wear a size 46 sport jacket and XL in all of my other jackets, except for a newer Alpha MA-1 which runs small so I need a 2XL. Do the CVC and CWU 45 jackets fit true to size or should I go up one size to a 2XL like I have to in the newer Alpha MA-1s?

Are the CVC and CWU 45 jackets warmer than an Alpha MA-1 (newer model)? While were talking about MA-1s, does anybody know what size I should be looking for in the older (60s and 70s) MA-1 jackets, the ones with the wool and cotton interlining?

Thanks for any help!

KELORGO
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
I have a tan CVC jacket that's a Large-Long and I suspect it was mislabeled. It's very large -- considerably larger across the shoulders than my green CVC jacket in the same size. Aside from this one jacket, the rest are fairly consistent in sizing and appear relatively true to their stated sizes -- i.e. a MED is 37-41; LRG is 41-45. I don't own any XL jackets but I suspect they would be 46-50? AT your height, you'll definitely want to go with the XL-Long.

The CWU series doesn't come in Short, Regular, or Long sizes like the Army jackets. You'll want to check body and sleeve lengths.

My 2-cents on comfort is that the Army Flight/CVC jackets are more comfortable to wear -- having a far more cloth-like drape than the nomex/aramid/nylon CWU series. Warmth-wise, the CWU-45 and CVC are probably about the same. I don't own one of the wool-lined MA-1s so can't offer a comparison.
 
Top