• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Usaaf irvin jackets?

flyincowboy

Well-Known Member
Seen many pics of crewsmenbers back from missions or ready to go wearing irvin jackets? Wondering was such jacket part of the normal flight gear, or replacement of the regular B3 / B6?
The irvin jacket is fairly identifiable by the zipper on the sleeves; belt at the bottom and the different fleece colour....
B3  n irwinjackets.jpg
henslin  crew.jpg
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
could someone help me identify this jacket?
If you take off all of the pockets the belt and the add ons … and look at the length of the fleece , it looks like a B-6 jacket . During the war parachute riggers who repaired and customized all sorts of flight gear would do things like this at the request of the jackets owner . Look at the A2’s that were worn by the 352nd Fighter squadron . They most all had interior cargo pockets added to their A2’s to carry additional maps and survival gear .
69911EC0-6C1C-471A-B02C-7CBFB9EEA4E9.png
 

flyincowboy

Well-Known Member
If you take off all of the pockets the belt and the add ons … and look at the length of the fleece , it looks like a B-6 jacket . During the war parachute riggers who repaired and customized all sorts of flight gear would do things like this at the request of the jackets owner . Look at the A2’s that were worn by the 352nd Fighter squadron . They most all had interior cargo pockets added to their A2’s to carry additional maps and survival gear .View attachment 61239
If you take off all of the pockets the belt and the add ons … and look at the length of the fleece , it looks like a B-6 jacket . During the war parachute riggers who repaired and customized all sorts of flight gear would do things like this at the request of the jackets owner . Look at the A2’s that were worn by the 352nd Fighter squadron . They most all had interior cargo pockets added to their A2’s to carry additional maps and survival gear .View attachment 61239
yes i was thinking of B6 but the back pattern is way different.
 

Smithy

Well-Known Member
You'll also find that a number of US men had served in the RAF and RCAF and had been issued them. When they transferred to the USAAF most took their British flying kit with them. A large example of this at a unit level was the three Eagle Sqns of tha RAF which became the 4th FG in the 8th AF.

British flying kit was very highly regarded within the USAAF.
 

Micawber

Well-Known Member
Stuff was altered, repairs, adapted, made and remade all over the shop. When you think most airfields had guys, materials and equipment to carry out such work and the 70+ years in between, it's no wonder non standard gear survives and surfaces from time to time.
 
Top