The New type CWU-36/P - a review

[Pilot]

1) Alpha has( had) no Gov. Mil. contract on op jacket.
2) Two separated neck spec labels
3j Never labeled “ Made in USA”
4) Mostly Scovill zipper ( especially for older versions) but also others ...green ( tan ) military zippers
5) Never shiny.
6) Solid sturdy make...no fraying, no color loss....etc...Quite long wrist knits....very well made and rock solid.
Happy to assist if you have one in sight...just list some photos/ details...many here can tell you good/legit or not...

 

[anthonyhie]

Sorry for the delay! That's a 1996 jacket and the tender went out for the improved fabric in 2010/11? (I found the docs online but didn't save them.) that is very matte though....interesting indeed. Perhaps a variation but not the newer run. The newer matte ones are seemingly only made by Valley Apparel who may have the only contract.

thanks for the answer, I finally sold it & I have founded a like new shiny creative apparel (I prefer the shiny look). However the 1996 was very matte like you said, and the previous owner said usually the military didn’t have shiny cwu36...strange...
My new one

 

[Saint-ex]

Well said Dmitry...
Sure Alpha invented the A-1 and A-2’s...
All others forged those only

ah? I thought it was Schott !

 

[Rutger]

Alpha has produced contract CWU-36/P and CWU-45/P jackets.
There is plenty to find on the subject.

They, and others, also made cheap copies of ordinary nylon, many lacking the P suffix on the tag. I seem to remember some actually included the P in the tag designation, which could turn out to be uncomfy when the nylons starts to melt while you thought you had it all figured out.

Some contract manufacturers sell the contract spec jackets on a commercial basis as well, such as Valley Apparel.
Notice that Valley Apparel, like Alpha, is based in Knoxville TN.
Some of Valley's staff have a very extensive history with Alpha.

 

[Rutger]

Thanks for the answer, I finally received as a gift an Alpha Industries xl one like new but it’s matte and difficult to see on the pics, could you confirm it’s a new contract ??
See the pics please.

One thing is definitely off wrt the tag : the -36 is the summer version, not the claimed Cold Weather version.
I would suspect if Alpha says aramid in the tag, it will indeed be so. Without having counted the seams and stitches, and taking into account the tag mistake, the jacket looks like one that rolled off the line as a non-contract cloth type CWU-36/P, identical to contract jackets bar the tag.
Alpha did the same back in the old days with the L-2B and MA-1. Those headed for commercial outlets would have three thin lines on the tag. Apart from that they were identical to the contract jackets. Of course, that changed in time.

 

[Pilot]

Agree with almost everything you mention...but...Alpha had never any CWU-36/P nor 47/P US Gov. contract....They tried very hard with a lot of commercial tricks ( pe. renaming their brand/production etc...) they did claim a lot...also about beeing a military sypplier for Nomex flight jackets...but never to the US MoD..They finally sold all in surpluses and other countries...but never to the US MoD.
The Vietnam war contract ( w. the US Government ) with MA-1’s was their last showtime for flight jackets.

 

[Rutger]

Well, I suppose someone will have to come up with an all inclusive list of contracts awarded, because so far there's someone saying they didn't, and someone else (the manufacturer) they did.

Additionally, I'd like to quote HackerF15E, member of this forum:

I have (and saw around the squadron) Alpha CWU-45/Ps, two 1995 models. Every other 45/P that I saw made later than that was a Valley Apparel LLC (several samples from both 03 and 05).

In the 36/Ps (sage green), the '95s were made by Gibraltar PR, Inc, the '00s were made by Propper International, and the '03s and '05s were made by Valley Apparel LLC.

For desert/tan 36/Ps and 45/Ps, the two I have are both 05 models made by Ashland Sales and Service.

 

[Pilot]

Well, I suppose someone will have to come up with an all inclusive list of contracts awarded, because so far there's someone saying they didn't, and someone else (the manufacturer) they did.



View attachment 28832

Additionally, I'd like to quote HackerF15E, member of this forum:

As mentioned... NO US Gov. contract for CWU-36/46-P to Alpha... even if some claim it. The am is sure no US official confirmation.
Merry X-Mas

 

[Rutger]

Ok, there you go.
Link, tag, contract, updated contract for DLA100-86-C-0413

beta.SAM.gov | Search

beta.sam.gov

 

[Flightengineer]

My 36p from 1985 contract year made by Avirex and belonged to navy pilot from VF31.

The specification is the same, but there are no USAF letters at the end. I wonder if there are differences (if they are of course).

 

[Pilot]

And made out of Polyamid? not Nomex or Aramid????
Am docs might be quotes or drafts or rejected at the end ( Polyamid ) or whatever...All the Alpha productions went to surpluses so maybe private purchases .
Docs and label looks like.. but again I am convinced these from Alpha were never officially issued.
Sorry still not convinced...by all am especially Polyamid ...fire booster instead retardant...
Sorry no way US Gov would ever allow its flyiers to wear Polyamid in 85 and later...

 

[Flightengineer]

This is mine label



Aramid is an aromatic polyamide = nomex.
Just polyamide - the same thing or not?

 

[Rutger]

Ok.

(1)
"Quotes, or drafts or rejected" ?

DEFINITIVE CONTRACT.
DATE SIGNED : Dec 15, 1985

Matching tag- and contractnumber, name of supplier, US GOVERMENT BUREAU RECORDS.

(2)
"Sorry no way US Gov would ever allow its flyiers to wear Polyamid in 85 and later..."

Your lack of knowledge on plastics shows.

Aramid is a subspecies of polyamide. It is also know as Nomex.

Aramid - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Aramid = Aromatic polyamide = fire resistant polyamide.
The P in CWU-36/P and CWU-45/P is for Polyamide. The lower part of the tag says "This jacket is made of fire resistant material".
SO, NO. The USAF did NOT send it's pilots out with NYLON CWU-36/P jackets.

Polyamide is NOT NYLON. Nylon is just another subspecies of polyamide.

Polyamide - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

A polyamide is a macromolecule with repeating units linked by amide bonds.
The MA-1 was made of a type of Polyamide known as Nylon. Nylon melts and burns.
The CWU type jacket is made of a type of Polyamide known as Aramid or Nomex. It does not melt or burn easily.

Please, also read this link:

Nomex - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

For your convenience I have added a label from another maker which uses the combination of CWU-36/P, Polyamide, and Fire resistant.

Aramid fibers are a class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers. They are used in aerospace and military applications, for ballistic-rated body armor fabric and ballistic composites, in bicycle tires, marine cordage, marine hull reinforcement, and as an asbestos substitute.[1] The name is a portmanteau of "aromatic polyamide".

Thank you.

 

[Flightengineer]

@Rutger, perhaps, as a man who know a lot about nomex jackets, you know whether the letters of the USAF mean the additional requirements from the Air Force indicated in brackets after the specification or not?
As I said earlier, mine 36/P belonged to the USN pilot and there are no these letters on the label as you can see, although the specification is the same.
Or could the manufacturer simply not indicate them?
Thanks.

 

[Rutger]

@Rutger, perhaps, as a man who know a lot about nomex jackets, you know whether the letters of the USAF mean the additional requirements from the Air Force indicated in brackets after the specification or not?
As I said earlier, mine 36/P belonged to the USN pilot and there are no these letters on the label as you can see, although the specification is the same.
Or could the manufacturer simply not indicate them?
Thanks.

Sorry, haven't checked this thread for a while. I don't know a whole lot about the CWU jackets, but there are lots of places to find information. And the evolution of the -36 and -45 is interesting (to me, anyway).

Yes, the labels have varied considerably, omitting and adding (sometimes even doubling) information.
I've never checked if Navy contract jacket tags carry the exact same information of USAF jackets.
A quick search seems to indicate that all MIL-J-83382B had (usaf) added, while all those from MIL-J-83382C never had.
Well, that is until someone proves my hypothesis wrong.

It appears your jacket was from a contract originally awarded to Avirex Ltd., the Avirex label subsequently in 2008 being sold by the owner, who renamed his company to Cockpit USA Inc. I'd say that Cockpit USA Inc are the legal manufacturer of that particular contract, and not the Avirex company we know today.

beta.SAM.gov | Search

beta.sam.gov

Another Avirex Ltd. tag & matching (Cockpit USA) contract:

beta.SAM.gov | Search

beta.sam.gov

 

[Flightengineer]

Thank you, Rutger, I know this history of Avirex/Cockpit.
I am also interested in the history of these jackets. I find that older versions look more attractive IMO. Mine 36p equipped an old metal Scovill zipper with a large puller. I love this jacket, it was presented to me by my American colleague, who, before joined to SW airlines as 737 pilot, flew F-14 in his past life. Jacket also has 4 velcro for nametag and patches, 2 patches with velcro back (SQN and F-14) came to me with this jacket.