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TO BE ?... OR NOT TO BE? .... A Tale of two B-10s

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Hey Guys :)
A while back Mulceber and I joined forces and wrote up a couple of collaboration posts, wherein we reviewed and compared a couple of our respective A2 jackets for your information and reading pleasure. Well after some thought and discussion with Brettafett, we decided to try something new that hasn’t been tried before. A transatlantic collaboration post with Brett in the UK and me in the US. While that doesn’t sound too difficult, the distance, time zones, written preparation , formatting and synchronized posting of the post presents a new series of challenges that we had to overcome. We are happy to tell you that we’ve successfully taken up the challenge, and we are here to tell you about a tale of two different B-10 repros . The first is the Bronson B-10 , which I am the happy owner of, and the second is an ELC B-10 owned by Brettafett. So Brett why don’t you tell them about your first thoughts of our decision to put this post together.

BRETT;
First off thanks Burt for getting in touch and suggesting this collaboration. I really enjoyed what you and Jan (Mulceber) came up with previously. It’s funny, I had been wanting to post something about my ELC B-10 compared to my recent B-15 for a while now, but other stuff gets in the way . In fact when I owned a Bronson, I was considering doing the same . Just for context, I’ve never owned an original WWII B-10 , but Ive seen a couple first hand. I have owned a Real McCoys Stagg , a Bob Dong, and a Bronson repro for comparison. I will say right from the start that I love my ELC B-10, Its the one flight jacket that I have held on to for all of these years . I purchased it back in 2005, after a visit to their factory in Ivybridge. It’s a 40 long, and I had ELC add an inch all the way around . The jacket fits perfectly. it’s a super warm jacket but only for cooler weather. After 15 years it has hardly aged and the knitwear is still taught and firm. It feels a touch lighter that other B-10 repros I’ve owned, which adds to the ease of wear and moving around in it.

B-MAN2
Ok Brett , Thanks for your thoughts. So let’s begin with looking at a couple of photos of the two jackets in question. The first is the Bronson B-10 which currently sells for $199.99 US and is made in China. The jacket is very warm and can be worn on the coldest of days. for additional warmth a BOB sweater added will get you through the coldest of nights.

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ELC B-10 BRETT
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COLLARS
BRONSON B-10 B-Man2
The collar is thick, soft and plush made from mouton and follows the lines and shape of original B-10 collars . The stitching is solid and well done, similarly to any top tier B-10 jackets, made by the well know makers. On a scale of 1-10, I would easily give this collar an 8 or 9 for quality and attention to detail . Take a look and judge for yourself .
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ELC B-10 Brett
ELC’s collar is based off a Roughwear AC965 contract, and sports a unique shape among B-10s, with slightly more elongated collar tips . The collar is made from genuine mouton fur, like the originals . It’s plush and keeps the wind away when worn up on a cold day. The stitch work is impeccable. The mouton is not overly thick or bulbous, nor is it thin. The mouton has proven is durability over time and 15 years later is still in top condition .

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SHELL
BRONSON B-10 B-Man2
The shell is 100% heavy duty Cotton Twill Fabric . While the fabric is heavy duty the interior label advises not to machine wash the jacket, but hand washing is recommended. The shell is tough and will withstand hard use. That doesn’t mean that it won’t tear if you catch it on a sharp edge or hit the concrete at 35 mph while riding your crotch rocket or Harley .

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ELC B-10 Brett
The shell is a 3 ply combed cotton olive drab twill custom made to replicate the correct weight and weave of the originals . One can feel the difference when compared to other B-10 repos . I’m not saying it’s better or worse , but it’s different. Slightly lighter, slightly more flexible , but robust and hard wearing for sure.
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LINING
BRONSON B-10 B-Man
The lining is a mix of 75% Wool and 25 percent Polyester that looks and feels very much like a soft Alpaca. It is moth resistant and known as Demotex-Ed. The lining is plush and adds great warmth and thickness to the jacket . The lining runs throughout the interior of the jacket, as well as down the arms .

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ELC B-10 Brett
The color matched Alpaca lining is soft and warm, and according to ELC is made to USAAF Specs. The lining covers the entire inside of the jacket except for the armpit area. I have worn this jacket with just a t-Shirt and during some cold winters with a sweater and it really does the job well. My B-15 acquisition out does even this one .
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KNITS
BRONSON B-10 B-Man2
The knits on a Bronson are well made, 2 ply wool and will outlast many knits on other repro jackets . The OD color is a good match for the jacket and looks like an original set of knits . The cuffs and waistband have good elasticity and resist stretching . They will probably last the life of the jacket with minimal care while putting the jacket on and taking it off.
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ELC B-10 Brett
I love the ELC OD 2 ply wool knits. These feel softer in touch in comparison to Bronson , and Bob Dong , but after 15 years are still taught and hold their form. The same can be said for the waist band, it’s not lost its shape . One of my bug bears with my Bronson was that the waist knits felt loose on my skinny frame, but I have not heard that complaint elsewhere .
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ZIPS
BRONSON B-10 B-Man2
This is an area Bronson has tried to step up their game a bit . The zip they used for this jacket looks to be a reproduction of a Talon M-41 Nickle No5 . I say “ looks” because I tried to match the repro to a photo of the zips in my ELC A2 manual and this is the closest photo I can find . I’m not sure if this is period correct but it looks good .

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B-Man2

Well-Known Member
ZIPS Continued
ELC B-10 Brett
The jacket sports a copy of a brass 1945 Talon zipper, with zip tape made of all cotton HBT fabric , which according to ELC is period correct . A neat russet Horsehide puller is included . There’s a wind flap protector behind the centrally aligned zipper, that goes up about 3/4s of the way and the cotton twill shell pretty much covers the zipper on both sides, no snagging.

POCKETS
BRONSON B-10 B-Man2
The pockets on this B-10 closely resemble those of a Roughwear and are double row stitched around the edges and the pocket flaps are similar to various original B-10 jackets . The buttons are firmly attached and loosening should not be a problem down the road . There is an interior map pocket with a snap inside of the jacket as well.
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ELC B-10 Brett
Classic pocket profile matched to original Roughwears' again. I love how all the bits are color matched to the the shell, even the custom made Urea buttons . The left pocket has a pencil holder with a mini pocket inside the pocket, to hold them in place . There’s the typical inner pocket on the left side with a snap closure, lined with a robust 100% olive cotton twill fabric . This is large enough for a folded map or an escape kit, or in our case a cell phone or a wallet .

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ROUNDELS
BRONSON B-10 B-man2

Nicely done silk screened USAAF Roundel is on the left shoulder. It’s complete with a dark blue background with the traditional Star and wings . It’s sharp and well done.
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ELC B-10 BRETT
The silk screen USAAF Roundel on the left shoulder is positioned perfectly to my eye , it’s neat and tidy and appears just like those found on originals . Mine has not faded at all . There’s also a stenciled AAF Roundel on the wind flap.
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EPAULETTES
BRONSON B-10 B-Man2
The epaulettes on my Bronson closely follow the original patterns of the WWII B-10 jackets. They are single stitched and sit directly over the shoulder seam.
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ELC B-10 BRETT
EPAULETTES WITH X box stitching run to a triangular end with a button . Two rows of stitching , I assume exactly like originals . Here again the stitching is immaculate. One wonders if these were artifacts from an A2 design, as they are not really functional . Ultimately these were dropped in the next evolution, the B-15 .
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LABEL AND HANGER TAB
BRONSON B-10 B-Man2
This is where I think the Bronson could do a little better in authenticity. The label leaves a bit to be desired . You guys be the judge .
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ELC B-10 BRETT
The Roughwear label is an exact copy of an original and according to ELC was produced on a vintage shuttle loom. I never use the hanger tabs myself .

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CONCLUSIONS

ELC B-10 BRETT
Overall this is one of the most comfortable flight jackets I’ve ever owned . It’s like a soft, light, winter lined warm A2. The pockets are are classically styled, but I prefer the practicality of the B-15s hand warmer pockets. It’s a common sense design and and easy to see why it was a favorite in the cockpit . I’ve seen Buzz B-10s, they look great but are a bit short in the fit . I’ll hang onto my ELC B-10 thanks. I’ve owned Bob Dong and Bronson B-10s, I prefer the Bronson between the two . I am looking forward to the ATF B-10 coming out later this year, potentially another great option. Thanks for reading and thank you Burt for another great collaboration .

BRONSON B-10 B-Man2
Well Brett you did a super job and thank you for taking the time to write up a transatlantic collaboration post. For my part the Bronson B-10 is a well made jacket and at $199.99 is great value for the money. It’s well constructed and with a little care should last as long at BRETTs ELC . It’s a very warm jacket and if worn with a sweater or jumper would easily keep you warm in below freezing temperatures. Unfortunately that's only from the waist up, as your ass would freeze. Thanks to all for your patience and time . I appreciated you guys !
 
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falcon_ib

Well-Known Member
Thanks for sharing guys, wonderful job!! That Eastman is a beautiful jacket.
I've owned a Bronson B-10 for about a year and it's become one of my favorite jackets. I'd just add that it fits a little tighter than marked (like other Bronson products - definitely size up), and I share Brett's concern with the loose-ish waistband (although maybe we're just too skinny!)

Maybe off topic, but I handled a Real McCoys B-10 and I honestly thought it was too high-end; the softness of the fabric and the butteriness of the mouton seemed way too luxurious to belong on a military flyer's jacket. I absolutely understand the appeal of a highest-quality material fancy jacket, but I'll admit that it didn't feel "real" enough to be marketed as a wartime-accurate reproduction. Open to hearing others' thoughts of course.

Thanks again! Like mulceber I'm always interested in a good review and hope there's more on the way!
 

MikeyB-17

Well-Known Member
Well played boys and thanks for all your hard work. One point, I believe that Demotex was an anti-moth treatment used during the war, and the label is a reproduction of what was on a wartime jacket-I’ve seen similar anti-moth labels on D-1’s etc. I’m not sure any actual treatment has been applied to Bronson’s jacket-in fact I suspect they copied it from something like a Rickson B-10.
 

mulceber

Moderator
Inspired by your thread, I wore my BD B-10 out to forage for food tonight.
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The BD makes for an interesting comparison to my Bronson B-15A. I agree with Brett that I prefer the design of the B-15 - hand warmer pockets, bigger collar, full length storm flap, all of it. At the same time, Bob Dong used an interesting blend for the lining of their cloth jackets that feels a bit cozier to me. Maybe it’s just scratchier, and I associate scratchy wool with warmth. I also haven’t had the issue of loose waistbands on it either. Either way, while I prefer the Bronson product due to design, the materials in the Bob Dong give it a run for its money.
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Inspired by your thread, I wore my BD B-10 out to forage for food tonight.View attachment 51966
The BD makes for an interesting comparison to my Bronson B-15A. I agree with Brett that I prefer the design of the B-15 - hand warmer pockets, bigger collar, full length storm flap, all of it. At the same time, Bob Dong used an interesting blend for the lining of their cloth jackets that feels a bit cozier to me. Maybe it’s just scratchier, and I associate scratchy wool with warmth. I also haven’t had the issue of loose waistbands on it either. Either way, while I prefer the Bronson product due to design, the materials in the Bob Dong give it a run for its money.
Jan
That’s a great photo of your Dong !
I’m jealous !
( Ok this post right here is going to totally destroy all the work that Brett and I did , because ALL of you know .... what’s going to happen now .... but I just couldn’t resist :rolleyes:);)
 
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B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Jan the only way to save this post now Is for you to piggy back on it with a comparison review of your BD jacket to our jackets . Please feel free to just use the format we used and do a quick review of it here . :)
 

Micawber

Well-Known Member
Excellent comparison reviews chaps, thank you. I have an ELC, Bronson and Buzz B-10's (as well as originals in the past) and agree with your observations.

My ELC was bought as a fairly well used example and has had the knits replaced with examples from MASH while in my ownership. It's a comfy, easy to wear jacket that doesn't hinder in any way, it just works.

I bought two Bronsons a while ago, one for my son and one for me. Before I became ill I wore mine hard for extended periods while doing a lot of often mucky chores on the land here. As a result it has been thrown in the washing machine a couple of times - it held up well although the interlining especially in the sleeves has puffed up somewhat. I must stress that this jacket probably saw more intense, dirty wear than most will so should give years of normal wear. My son's jacket has not seen much wear so is still fresh. All things considered
they were a good buy.

The BR I have is one of the cream / white collared LSL versions. I like it but concur with the view that they come up a bit shorter than the other two, that said at my height this has not been an issue. All three jackets are labelled 44, out of all of them the Buzz is certainly the trimmest fit.

Like Brett I do prefer my ELC B-15 for ease of use day to day, not that I restrict my daily outer wear to repro flight jackets you understand. The external pockets are a big plus and internal ones easy to access and a useful size too. A timeless garment.
 

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
B-10s in the movies.
As most of you know, ELC made the B-10s for the Red Tails movie (John Chapman made the stunning A-2s). I may be wrong, but I seem to recall seeing some ‘special edition’ ELC B-10s sold in Japan with those very dark brown / black collars, as seen in the movie. Say what you will about the movie, but for me the best part was the jackets....
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Micawber

Well-Known Member
Reference my earlier post and for what it's worth...
L-R My well used and several times washed Bronson, ELC (with MASH knits) & BR LSL B-10 repros.

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Sorry but I'm running late and have things that I need to get done today so no time for much more than hastily plonking them down on my daughters bedroom floor ...and she just got nagged about it needing a vacuum!
One thing about the Bronson is that before it was washed last time (it hasn't been worn since) I attacked the decal with some acetone or similar in order to fade the image a bit. I consider it a work jacket was happy to do it. However I do wish manufacturers would consider producing some of these without the shoulder decals.

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foster

Well-Known Member
Great review.

I am really regretting that I did not wear my B-10 today. I must have missed the memo. Seeing the photos and the review reminded me how wonderful the mouton collar is on my ELC B-10.
 
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