The Alpha Story... book?

[oose]

Hi all,
Seeing as the A-2 guys have their book needs sorted out I thought the nylon lovers among us should have a stocking filler themselves!
I have to give my family some ideas as to what I want. Does anyone know anything about this book...

http://www.alphaindustries.com/Books/Al ... -Story.asp

All the best
stu

 

[watchmanjimg]

Does anyone know anything about this book...

I know whoever created that jacket on the cover had a hell of an imagination . . . :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[oose]

Does anyone know anything about this book...

I know whoever created that jacket on the cover had a hell of an imagination . . . :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm with you on that one! managed to find some sample pages on there Spanish site, not great but a couple of interesting things...
http://www.ariaspissinis.com.ar/argalpha/book1.pdf
http://www.ariaspissinis.com.ar/argalpha/book2.pdf

ALPHA INDUSTRIES is the direct descendent
of three companies—Superior Togs Corporation,
Rolen Sportswear and Dobbs Industries—that trace
their existence to the 1940s. These companies
formed an affiliated family linked by common ownership,
management and the identical business
of manufacturing flight jackets and other military
apparel for the U.S. Defense Department. How the
survivor, Alpha Industries, navigated its way through
the U.S. Government contracting industry and
entered the commercial apparel business provides
a glimpse into a bygone and arcane sector of
the American clothing industry that has been little
noticed or understood.
In January, 1948, Robert Lane and his wife
Helen incorporated Superior Togs Corporation in
New York City. Prior to Superior Togs’ creation, Lane’s
entire business career had been in the clothing
manufacturing business. Beginning before World
War II, Lane owned and operated several apparel
companies, including Lane Sportswear, Superior
Garment Company and Superior Togs Inc. In 1949,
Superior Togs Corporation began its life by manufacturing
flight jackets for the U.S. Defense Department
at its New York City factory. In 1951 Superior
Togs moved its factory to Elizabeth, New Jersey.
There Superior Togs made several of the most wellknown
U.S. Army Air Force flight jackets, including
the B-10 and L-2 jackets and also the A-9 and A-10
flight pants.

All the best
stu

 

[watchmanjimg]

Wow! Some real whoppers from a company that unquestionably should know better. Superior Togs L-2? Orange-lined MA-1s starting in 1963? Give me a break!

FtrPlt, check out the Army Nomex jackets--especially the lightweight version with its excellent patchwork. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the discussion of Army-issued CWUs.

 

[oose]

Thought you'd enjoy that!
It amazes me that so many mistakes can get into a book with such little text! You would have thought that they would have managed to get some better examples of their own stuff. I did like that B-15D though. Oh well I just have to think of something else!

All the best
stu

 

[watchmanjimg]

Some of the depicted jackets are fantastic, but couldn't they at least have found a single N-3B with the hood attached? How about the stains on some of the other examples? Incredible!

 

[greyhound52]

Gee Jim I think you could do a better job at least you would have better models of the jackets.

 

[FtrPlt]

Wow! Some real whoppers from a company that unquestionably should know better. Superior Togs L-2? Orange-lined MA-1s starting in 1963? Give me a break!

FtrPlt, check out the Army Nomex jackets--especially the lightweight version with its excellent patchwork. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the discussion of Army-issued CWUs.

The info on the lightweight jacket should have read "through the 1980s" rather than "until the 1980s". The badging, as shown, looks okay. It's actually a nice example of the early lightweight jacket. Note there are no pocket flaps -- just velcro on both sides of the opening that you press together.

Same for the cold weather jacket. Nice example of a true, cold weather flyers jacket -- i.e. before it became dual-use for aviation and armor. Notice the pocket flaps have already appeared. The back opening hadn't come into being yet .

 

[Rutger]

Interesting to see written that a rope was to be attached to rings on the extraction harness, and then the person to be extracted.
Somehow I'd say there's too much handling required, but I don't know zip on the subject of rescueing people from disabled tanks.

 

[FtrPlt]

This is the only strap/harness that I've ever been able to find. Built into the CVC coveralls. We'd really need to hear from a bonafide armored vehcile crewman to know what the extraction process was. Looking at this, my impression is that an unconscious persons arms would slide right out of the harness.

 

[watchmanjimg]

Wow! Some real whoppers from a company that unquestionably should know better. Superior Togs L-2? Orange-lined MA-1s starting in 1963? Give me a break!

FtrPlt, check out the Army Nomex jackets--especially the lightweight version with its excellent patchwork. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on the discussion of Army-issued CWUs.

The info on the lightweight jacket should have read "through the 1980s" rather than "until the 1980s". The badging, as shown, looks okay. It's actually a nice example of the early lightweight jacket. Note there are no pocket flaps -- just velcro on both sides of the opening that you press together.

Same for the cold weather jacket. Nice example of a true, cold weather flyers jacket -- i.e. before it became dual-use for aviation and armor. Notice the pocket flaps have already appeared. The back opening hadn't come into being yet .

I agree regarding the Army jackets, and I love the lightweight type as depicted. Note what appears to be a WW2-era 1st Cav patch with OD border.

What I was hoping you'd comment on was the apparent claim that these jackets were supplanted by the CWU in the 1990s. Is this so?

 

[FtrPlt]

The move towards CWU jackets by the Army is true but sometime after 1991. I'm not sure why. The Army was moving to phase out the one-piece flight suit and into the 2-piece Woodland ABDU. All after my time so I imagine at one point you would have seen the older, green Army flight jackets in simultaneous use with the CWU jackets and also the 2-piece woodland flying suit.

I honestly have no idea what was worn as a flight jacket with the 2-piece suits.