Tankers

[rjbaal]

Is there a consensus on who makes the best tanker repro?

Thanks

Rjbaal

 

[a2 fng]

I have what i think is a very nice one sold by SOF in the UK.

Posted pics a few years back(on here i think)and it got realy good comments from the experts-maybe not perfect but a hell of a lot cheaper than the top end repros and at the end of the day does the same job-keeps you warm

 

[Cobblers161]

I'm a big fan of Buzz Rickson jackets, yeh they're pricey but the quality is second to none.

A friend of mine has a Real Mcoys but it sits way too high on the waistline and the shoulders are narrow. The Buzz Rickson fits great and looks the business.

I would say however the ATF jackets probably fit a bit more true to the original, the Buzz has a tailored feel to it, of course they are geared more towards street/fashion etc. and not 'keep yer ass from freezing' jackets. The ATF's run larger but from looking at original pics that's probably about right to fit layers underneath.

Sadly though the ATF zip is wrong in that it runs all the way to the top of the collar. Apart from that cracking jacket at a fraction of the price of a Japanese number.

 

[9thinfdiv]

Before they started carrying the Buzz Rickson tanker, Eastman (Mash) made a great repro tanker jacket under thier own name. Too bad they no longer carry them.

 

[greyhound52]

FYI I have one on the buy and sell page (MASH ELC Tanker)

 

[Cobblers161]

And excellent quality too, if I didn't own a BR I'd take that off your hands right away.... Very nice!

 

[Peter Graham]

Cobblers161, that's a cool avatar. Is that St Pauli, Hamburg ?

 

[Cobblers161]

Apologies for the late reply but yes it is, it's the unofficial FC St Pauli flag, I'm a solid fan. They seem to have some pretty firm moral grounding... I think they are reknown for attitude rather than football.

 

[TarHeel1911]

If you don't want to spend the several hundred dollars US a Buzz Rickson's will cost you, I highly recommend the tanker repro offered by At The Front. Less than $100.00 US, and a very nice jacket. Not "110%" historically accurate, but I really like it.

As an added bonus, Mrs. TarHeel, who graciously indulges my interests, has commented more than once on what a sharp-looking jacket it is.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree the ATF Tanker is great value, not 100% acurate, but very warm and looks the part. They do run large, I would go a size down.

 

[Peter Graham]

I can't understand why original tankers are so rare and expensive, there must have been huge amounts produced. I know it was first made in 1941 but does anyone know when production stopped and what replaced it ?

 

[Anonymous]

I can't understand why original tankers are so rare and expensive, there must have been huge amounts produced. I know it was first made in 1941 but does anyone know when production stopped and what replaced it ?

Like the M41 field jacket, production of the tanker jacket, as well as paratrooper uniform would have been stopped when the US Army officially adopted the 1943 uniform changes, M1943 jacket, trousers, and boots which were to replace all the above jackets in the interest of uniformity.

Tanker jackets were, of course, still issued until the existing stocks were depleted and it is not unusual to see them being worn during the Korean War.

The tanker jacket I don't think was ever made in the quantities that the M41 field jackets were but certainly many, many were made. I believe the great popularity of the jacket during the war also made it a popular garment for soldiers to bring home and wear as civilians, but this is only speculation.

Bill K.

 

[Swing]

I can't understand why original tankers are so rare and expensive, there must have been huge amounts produced. I know it was first made in 1941 but does anyone know when production stopped and what replaced it ?

I can't say for sure, but I'd assume tankers were no longer being produced by mid '44.

Why are examples rare today? Fewer jackets made (compared to M-41s) and a lot of hard war time, and post war, use. Those who had them probably wore them until they were falling apart.

~Swing

 

[Chandler]

Those who had them probably wore them until they were falling apart.

And I have to believe they weren't terribly resilient to the hard wear they were given -- look at how Mauldin drew the tankers Willie & Joe wore!

My WW2 Impressions tanker is starting to fray on the collar, if it weren't for Willie & Joe, I'd think I had a lemon of a jacket!

Chandler

 

[Chandler]

Speaking of whom, here's the quintessential tanker:

Chandler

 

[veli1]

I agree the ATF Tanker is great value, not 100% acurate, but very warm and looks the part. They do run large, I would go a size down.

does anyone have a photo of ATF tanker jacket when worn ,and not on manequin?? I've been told that ATF use actual originals from their
collections as templates for their reproductions. Is this statement true?
I have WPG tanker but I'm kind of dissapointed...It's warm all right but sleeves are "pretty big"/ridiculously baggy, especially in proportion to the length,and the taper is awful. I want BR tanker but they are too pricy...

 

[horseback leader]

A few years back I recall seeing 'first pattern' tanker jackets with patch (like a B3) pockets, not the internal slash pockets that most of them have. Now I can't find them anywhere. Anyone have one or know of who's making/selling them?
Dan

 

[asiamiles]

A few years back I recall seeing 'first pattern' tanker jackets with patch (like a B3) pockets, not the internal slash pockets that most of them have. Now I can't find them anywhere. Anyone have one or know of who's making/selling them?
Dan

All the usual suspects in Japan made them, but I don't think they're in their current line-ups. Of course, the front of the patch pocket Tanker looks very similar to the USN Zip Deck Jacket.

 

[veli1]

I agree the ATF Tanker is great value, not 100% acurate, but very warm and looks the part. They do run large, I would go a size down.

As I said earlier I'm very angry and dissapointed with "###" company...Guys, why is it so hard to use original WW2 tanker jacket and make a copy from it ?!?! If you browse ebay you can see sh*t alike jackets aka Tanker jackets all over the place...

I don't understand these people, they all say: "Our tankers are originals and the best on the market"....I say : "bullsh*t"

original

cra*p

 

[Swing]

Wow, make the cuffs longer and the zipper higher at the neck, and my Buzz Tanker would look just like that one (but not quite as dirty).

~Swing