My B-2 Cap Prototype

[dmar836]

Fits me well.
I have a pair of Navy trousers that were damaged in a flood given to me - almost tatters. Otherwise I just cringe at the thought of repurposing original garments.
FYI, AAF trousers are not the correct thickness of shearling.
You basically get one shot with shearling. I had to partially remove the visor to modify ear flaps sides. This perforated the materials too much so they are not as strong. Plus 70yo material. I now know the feeling it needs on assembly for my final version. I will also try other materials and colors.

Next to an original:

Dave

 

[Anonymous]

Looks great, you are sooo close.

 

[TankBuster]

Very nice Dave! I just can't imagine having the patience to do this!

 

[watchmanjimg]

Dave, you are one handy so-and-so. Nice job!

 

[dujardin]

that's greatttttttttttt

congrats

 

[deand]

YESSSSS! Beautiful! Keep up the good work, Dave!









dean

 

[Andrew]

Ok I give up. Which is yours?

Dave when you're ready to restart making B-1's I'm ready.

 

[dmar836]

I kind of took a pause on the caps with all the flying. It's been like a part time job. My check ride is Dec 7th. Then I will be freed up a bit and hopefully will get back to making stuff!
Dave

 

[Phantomfixer]

Have a great time time with your check flight, I enjoyed the critical attitude part....great looking caps, must be a heck of a time sewing sheepskin. They look good..enjoy

J

 

[MikeyB-17]

I'm still scratching my head as to which is the original. Just an observation, my ELC B-2 is stitched differently across the crown-I was slightly thrown when I saw the first pic as it didn't look like mine. Did designs differ between manufacturers like A-2's?

http://www.eastmanleather.com/product_i ... cts_id=144

 

[Phantomfixer]

Just a point of interest, back in the late 80's there was a run on B-2 caps. They all seemed to have worn sheepskin bodies with almost mint visors. The caps had the tag from Shaw- Barton inc from Coshocton, Ohio. All the examples I saw had the same size of 7 1/4. Gear up has an example on page 28.
I bought one from Aviators World out in CA....word started spreading about an amazing find of original B-2s in a box...Some started speaking of reproductions made from cut up pants...
Not a ding on you at all Dave, this was way before your time, I am guessing :lol:


Anyone else remember seeing these caps and heard the same story????

 

[dmar836]

Not at all. As I mentioned, or did I?, those were blown out trousers that were just a mess with only some useable areas.

My first original B-2, though I have only one now, was what I thought was a fake. I sent it back. It had some type of synthetic looking bill that was textured underneath. The rest looked pretty good. It might have had HH reinforcements on all seams instead of just the side. Wish I would have taken pics of it(pre digital). I had never held one so am glad my instincts told me to return it. It was either a movie prop or something. I doubt there was much of a market back then but maybe they were advertized in the back of magazines or something?

Mickey, all of ELCs B-2 have that double row of stitching. I have seen it both ways but more with just the serged seam. There are shearling machines that appear to be just large sergers or "overlock" machines which would not alone give that look. I like the look or the double rows of stitching but they are certainly incorporated in the seam. I think it looks like a double needle job to me. If a machine has a double needle and only one bobbin(not like on blue jeans where there are two bobbins as well), it shares the bottom thread and looks almost like a zig zag underneath. If you Google B-2 caps you'll see it. Ed has some pics on the 303rd BG site.

Mine is the one on the right in the pics. I wanted to use contrasting colors. The visor edging is kid skin dyed with EcoFlo. The HH strip(not seen) was raw HH dyed with the same but with a much better russet look. On the crown I started off with a straight stitch domestic machine (with a "leather" needle) which skipped some spots. The crown stitches look peaky in spots due to having to go back over it. Also, I have not shaped it - sometimes the crown looks flatter than the original and sometimes it looks more bowl-like. Hey, this was a proto with no muslin or any test material - I just went for it. Later I used the walking foot Singer(with a 135X16 leather needle) for the ear pieces and those are rock solid continuous stitches. I was in adjustment issues with the Singer so started with the domestic out of curiosity. The Singer nailed the HH reinforcement strip and visor with no issues. It's a beast! A second pass of the crown with a serger would give it the right look but I doubt it would feed through my domestic serger. Also doing this would likely perforate the shearling too much.

It isn't perfect but just the prototype with the materials on hand. I did spray some veg tanned material in russet last night for two more visors. I'll get a good one yet!

Dave

 

[handworn]

dmar, if and when you take orders, let me know. Eastman doesn't make 'em anymore to fit my 24" head, and I'm not sure they ever made that nice redskin B-2 they make in my size.

Not at all. As I mentioned, or did I?, those were blown out trousers that were just a mess with only some useable areas.

My first original B-2, though I have only one now, was what I thought was a fake. I sent it back. It had some type of synthetic looking bill that was textured underneath. The rest looked pretty good. It might have had HH reinforcements on all seams instead of just the side. Wish I would have taken pics of it(pre digital). I had never held one so am glad my instincts told me to return it. It was either a movie prop or something. I doubt there was much of a market back then but maybe they were advertized in the back of magazines or something?

Mickey, all of ELCs B-2 have that double row of stitching. I have seen it both ways but more with just the serged seam. There are shearling machines that appear to be just large sergers or "overlock" machines which would not alone give that look. I like the look or the double rows of stitching but they are certainly incorporated in the seam. I think it looks like a double needle job to me. If a machine has a double needle and only one bobbin(not like on blue jeans where there are two bobbins as well), it shares the bottom thread and looks almost like a zig zag underneath. If you Google B-2 caps you'll see it. Ed has some pics on the 303rd BG site.

Mine is the one on the right in the pics. I wanted to use contrasting colors. The visor edging is kid skin dyed with EcoFlo. The HH strip(not seen) was raw HH dyed with the same but with a much better russet look. On the crown I started off with a straight stitch domestic machine (with a "leather" needle) which skipped some spots. The crown stitches look peaky in spots due to having to go back over it. Also, I have not shaped it - sometimes the crown looks flatter than the original and sometimes it looks more bowl-like. Hey, this was a proto with no muslin or any test material - I just went for it. Later I used the walking foot Singer(with a 135X16 leather needle) for the ear pieces and those are rock solid continuous stitches. I was in adjustment issues with the Singer so started with the domestic out of curiosity. The Singer nailed the HH reinforcement strip and visor with no issues. It's a beast! A second pass of the crown with a serger would give it the right look but I doubt it would feed through my domestic serger. Also doing this would likely perforate the shearling too much.

It isn't perfect but just the prototype with the materials on hand. I did spray some veg tanned material in russet last night for two more visors. I'll get a good one yet!

Dave

 

[deand]

Several offerings of this on ebay right now, might help you out:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/b-3-jacket-...765?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d08a26b15



dean