fleet16b
Well-Known Member
Well over the years I have read about many many ways to age our repro flight jackets. Some of these ways have proven to show not too bad results .
However, none of these methods seem to catch the real look.
When I was a kid hanging around airports with my Dad, many of the old guys would joke with a newbie when he showed up in a brand new shiney flight jacket.
They were all wearing their old worn jackets and the new guys always wanted theirs to look the same. As the old pilots said, " you have to earn that look thru experience , you can;t make them look that way". The old boys wore their old leathers as a badge of distinction.
I think they were right, the only way a leather jacket will get "the look" is thru use . Nothing can artificially create the wear and tear of use.
Here are some more updated pics of my jacket
Bought in 2003 , she now has close to 1000 flight hours on her.
98 % of those hours are done in my 1940 Fleet Finch biplane
LEFT ARMPIT FRONT
RIGHT ARM FRONT
RIGHT ARM REAR SHOWING RUBBING AT THE ELBOW FROM THE TIGHT COCKPIT OF THE AIRPLANE
REAR VIEW SHOWING WEAR MARKS FROM THE SHOULDER HARNESS BUCKLES
COLLAR
LEFT SHOULDER FRONT
RIGHT SHOULDER FRONT
RIGHT ARM
LEFT ARM ELBOW REAR
RIGHT POCKET
FRONT TOP HALF
FRONT FULL
However, none of these methods seem to catch the real look.
When I was a kid hanging around airports with my Dad, many of the old guys would joke with a newbie when he showed up in a brand new shiney flight jacket.
They were all wearing their old worn jackets and the new guys always wanted theirs to look the same. As the old pilots said, " you have to earn that look thru experience , you can;t make them look that way". The old boys wore their old leathers as a badge of distinction.
I think they were right, the only way a leather jacket will get "the look" is thru use . Nothing can artificially create the wear and tear of use.
Here are some more updated pics of my jacket
Bought in 2003 , she now has close to 1000 flight hours on her.
98 % of those hours are done in my 1940 Fleet Finch biplane
LEFT ARMPIT FRONT
RIGHT ARM FRONT
RIGHT ARM REAR SHOWING RUBBING AT THE ELBOW FROM THE TIGHT COCKPIT OF THE AIRPLANE
REAR VIEW SHOWING WEAR MARKS FROM THE SHOULDER HARNESS BUCKLES
COLLAR
LEFT SHOULDER FRONT
RIGHT SHOULDER FRONT
RIGHT ARM
LEFT ARM ELBOW REAR
RIGHT POCKET
FRONT TOP HALF
FRONT FULL