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Type A-9 Flight trousers time frame?

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
Hello,

Does anyone have information on the production dates of A-9 trousers?

There seems to exist a least three variations:

One with 5 x buttoned pockets, no zippers.

One with 2 x angled zipper pockets and 3 x buttoned pockets.

One with 2 x zipper opening from bottom to knee, 2 x angled zipper pockets and 3 x buttoned pockets.

Sorry the vague descriptions...And correct this info appropriately.

The plan is to have a B-10 made (Ideally by Goodwear) with the buttons and Conmar zipper puller from a period correct A-9. Goodwear still has the B-10 on the order page, but no pictures per say.

Thanks,

Dany
 
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dmar836

Well-Known Member
If JC offers a B-10 you can be assured he has the appropriate hardware. Unless you want to rob a period zipper pull and buttons just so you can say they are from 1944, though on a new repro jacket, (and thereby destroying an actual period item) then there really is no reason. I likely have several A-9s and I'm sure Carl can scare up the contract dates but sure cannot see them being from different enough time frames to matter with the hardware. They are all late-war as are the B-10s.
Am I missing something?
Dave
 

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
Dave,

The goal is to find the appropriate donor A-9. A pair in bad shape like some ebay offerings, so replacing buttons and taking one slider is acceptable...!? And yes I am debating if it's acceptable...

Mostly, I am trying to find out if some were produced after 1945.

I just bought a pair made by Sovereign in near mint condition with the pale OD color buttons, no zips, they will go in the collection!

And I am in the procees of acquiring a pair made by Rough Wear, that are really salty with a lot of tears and missing some components.


Dany
 

dmar836

Well-Known Member
I don't think there was much of anything made under wartime contracts once the war ended. There are stories of shiploads of supplies with nowhere to go. Govt is inefficient but I assume production didn't continue with that surplus. Though there were always updated contracts - M46 Ike jackets etc come to mind that I have come across, I can't remember seeing as much of the combat gear dated '46. Just post-war produced flying trousers even if the A-11s, and especially the superseded A-9s, would be odd. They went nylon pretty quickly and the E-1s(I think) came out just a few years after the war. I think even the A-11s went nylon IIRC with the B-15s before a major pattern change but long story short I think you are safe.
A majority of what I know is from what I have seen and compared at shows, shops, in other's collections, etc. I don't have a whole lot of reference books as they aren't that useful to my collecting. Again, I think Carl has some definitive info on the actual contracts.
Dave
 

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
Dave, You are right about Goodwear having appropriate hardware... I found some image of the elusive and planned B-10 and this : The buttons are vintage WWII buttons, and the zipper is an NOS brass M-43 Talon, which works great.

Thank you for the info, really appreciated as I dont own any reference myself and this site is my primary source.

Dany
 

Carl

Well-Known Member
Can i chime in on this ? Im a bit confused with the description of the A9 trouser !?!? They should have 2 zipped pockets below the knee (slanted) and one pocket on the right side thigh .
As for production dates , there is a list ,that I , thats me !! no one else compiled ! showing contract dates for the B10 /A9 combo . The earliest contract award date was September 43 and the last completion date was June 44.
 

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
Hello Carl,

Sorry if my initial description was vague!

Here are some images of different variants of A-9 and A-10. Beside cloth/buttons colors, there seems to have been a lot of variants in production (belt loops, pocket position, lower leg openings...). Do you have date/info for A-10 flight trousers?

The first strip is compose of:

Dann Clothing Type A-9 -- Zippers are horizontal instead of slanted.
Oldin Dennis Type A-9 -- Two vertical zippers running up the ankle
Fitzwell Sportswear Type A-9 -- No zipper pockets and one pocket on left side

A-9-Variants.jpg



Second strip is compose of A-10 pants, identical to A-9 but reinforced back and front with a double layer of cloth:
Ben Greenholts Type A-10 -- No zipped pockets
W&C Clothing Type A-10 -- No zipped pockets and reinforce patch of cloth
A-10-Variants.jpg



Thank you,

Dany
 

Carl

Well-Known Member
Well Dany !! Thats somthing i have learned ! Never knew there were so many variations of the A9 and A10 trouser !! :eek:
 

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
Hey Carl,

I was under the impression that the manufacturers were to follow strict specifications and apply amendments only when directed... I am happy they had some leeway when producing all the types and variants, it adds to the interest and collecting!

D
 

Carl

Well-Known Member
Now im hunting for the different types !!
Do you mind if use this info else where ?
C
 

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
No problem.

There's also Type A-8, same cloth and pocket except for the insulation, quilted instead of alpaca... Some A-8 look exactly like A-10 with the reinforcement double cloth patch, quilted insulation.

D
 

Greg Gale

Well-Known Member
I don't imagine they make any repros of these? Wouldn't make a nice streetwear :D I could use one for winter flying though.
 

Carl

Well-Known Member
No problem.

There's also Type A-8, same cloth and pocket except for the insulation, quilted instead of alpaca... Some A-8 look exactly like A-10 with the reinforcement double cloth patch, quilted insulation.

D
Type A8's should be quilted Dany ! :confused:
 

Carl

Well-Known Member
@Dany McDonald , im presently ammending my lists for the B10 /A9 set and the B11/A10 sets . I will inform you of the dates etc when i have got the ammendments made .

Many thanks for bringing this interesting and important info to the forfront

Carl
 

Dany McDonald

Well-Known Member
Hey man it's my pleasure to share on this forum!

Question: Was it common for manufactures to get contract for A-9 and no B-10? They had the cloth and hardware to do both.

Thank you,

Dany
 

Carl

Well-Known Member
Hey man it's my pleasure to share on this forum!

Question: Was it common for manufactures to get contract for A-9 and no B-10? They had the cloth and hardware to do both.

Thank you,

Dany
Dany , I havnt anything on my lists that show just A9 trousers being made . BUT! and i know it isnt anything to do with this topic BUT i do have details of just A11a trousers being made and B15a jacket .
 
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