Vintage Jackets

[Edward]

Like in Kentucky.. Everything is related!

if we get divorced can she still be my sister?

 

[Bombing IP]

True story a friend of mine got divorced and his ex wife became a Nun ,he told me on the phone can you believe it my wife has now become my sister .

Jeff

 

[Edward]

now that is some kind of funny right there! mine left me because she finally came out as gay... not sure what that makes us... awkward ?

 

[B-Man2]

now that is some kind of funny right there! mine left me because she finally came out as gay... not sure what that makes us... awkward ?

Shocked comes to mind...

 

[Edward]

Shocked comes to mind...

yep. I was blindsided by the news... looking back I can see some of the signs (and it explained a few things) thought we were just at that time of our lives with work, chores and kids and being exhausted that it was just the normal midlife pattern of hallway sex where you walk past each other and say F*** You! lol! but... thought things would get back on track or get better somehow... marriage is work and you gotta work at a relationship but she was getting distant.... then one day it was sit down and lets have a talk. so, I couldn't be too mad because she lived with this secret and feelings for a long time and tried to deny it... she's a good person so... difficult for her to tell me...anyhow, I was sad, depressed, a bit miffed of course... also excited to get to date and bang other chicks legally! but, dated one hottie for about 4 months... nothing since. such is life at the age of 51 I suppose. women my age are set in their ways, looking for a rich guy that looks like George Clooney and are pretentious snobs in this area.... but then, I'm looking for specific types as well I guess... Farmer's daughter. lol! many women my age start looking like men in drag on those dating sites so its a bit jarring to try to find someone to try to impress. meh, life is fine single... I go to bed when I want, watch what I want, eat what I want and don't have to answer to nobody nohow!

 

[Edward]

would have been more fun and easier to swallow if she was a "lipstick lesbian" but the person she is with now looks like a dude so... that's off putting. wish she figured this out 20 years ago... oh well...
but I have 2 ELC A-2 Jackets and one original Spiewak and they hug me and don't tell me to take out the trash! lol!

 

[DenimCanvasCamo]

I've got a few too many vintage jackets to drop them all in one go... But given this started with an Irvin, that feels like a good place to start...

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From what I understand on this one, it's early/pre-war. Fewer panels and a much close crop to the shearling.

 

[B-Man2]

I've got a few too many vintage jackets to drop them all in one go... But given this started with an Irvin, that feels like a good place to start...

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From what I understand on this one, it's early/pre-war. Fewer panels and a much close crop to the shearling.

Nice looking Irvin... definitely an early one with no panels, known as a Battle of Britain Irvin because it was issued and used prior to WWII right up through the BOB. Can you tell us a little of how you acquired it and does it have a manufacturers label or size ? Looks to be in fairly good condition for its age.

 

[DenimCanvasCamo]

Yeah, fortunately this one is in great condition, still very wearable! No label unfortunately, and didn't come with any story. I bought it about 5 years back from a guy called Simon Swaffield, he used to be a dealer/repairer of Irvins, he's been mentioned on this forum before!

 

[ausreenactor]

Found the original pics of my Bronco! Time got away from us yesterday after Netball and we watched Avengers Endgame as the last family activity. Packed the Monarch for some 'dress up' pics.

 

[Spitfireace]

Aero did an outstanding job! The repro belt matches the rest of the jacket very nicely. This is only about the second original Devon Fleece Irvin I've seen close up in photos.
The other was owned by Andrew S. The back of the jacket is pretty damn good as it looks to be in mint condition. From the sectional piecing that comprises the jacket, I would say that this is a mid to late war production jacket. Its a great piece !! Thank you for posting it

Thankyou. It was also assembled from Coastal Defence jackets. Which is weird. They made jackets out of parts of others.

 

[Spitfireace]

its a very convincing and well done replica. its made exactly like the originals in that its silk sewn to a cotton linen backing and silkscreened properly. the aging I think is coffee or tea. they even went so far as to use a period vintage number stamp to replicate the number of the chit. its based on one of those from the second printing issued by the Nationalist Chinese Government’s Commission for Aeronautical Affairs in anticipation of a Second American Volunteer Group (SAVG - Second AVG) . After that Washington made them in the tens of thousands and there is a "W" with the series number. those you can actually find originals available from time to time but the limited "official" Chinese made
are rare and don't come available often. then there are the theater made versions by citizens of the area and they made them out of all kinds of materials including leather... sometimes those come available .. all pricey of course! lol!
My 5th patch and the CBI patch are authentic originals... it all displays well and being I paid big bucks for reproduction A-2s, repro parachute harness, repro1942 service boots and a repro B-3 Mae West I don't mind that I have a nicely made repro blood chit.
Its silk sown to a cotton backing. You can see the stitch holes from where the chit was stitched onto or inside of a flight jacket.


yes, it wasn't until I had the jacket in hand that I could tell it was the original and not a replacement. so very happy about that. there is minor tearing around the collar area and a few worn holes where the clasp rivets are.. typical. but lucky no major degradation. I don't think this jacket saw much use.. being hot in the South Pacific area it probably wasn't worn too often... not like those in the ETO anyway.


exactly.. no collar stand. which I prefer. helps the collar to lay down and relax a bit better in my opinion. I guess for dress up spit and shine and be representable you want that sharp stand up look but for mission worn appeal its like the crusher.. you want some sag and droop. lol!

here's some closeups of my counterfeit Blood Chit... lol! (upon my death and its way to another collector, it will be revealed to be an authentic and rare piece worth thousands of course LOL!)


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Nice repro. That being said I hate repros. Have to be very discerning.

 

[B-Man2]

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Found the original pics of my Bronco! Time got away from us yesterday after Netball and we watched Avengers Endgame as the last family activity. Packed the Monarch for some 'dress up' pics.

Couchy
Your Bronco looks like it’s in great condition . I took a look at the ELC A2 Manual and there’s a bunch of interesting information listed about your jacket . If you don’t have access to the book let me know and I’ll be happy to give you a synopsis of what it says. Bronco had 2 contracts to deliver jackets one in 1942 and a second in 1943 . The contracts were W535ac 29191 42-19172P which was the 1st contract and W33-038ac 1761 which was the second , 1943 contract. Which one do you have?

 

[Silver Surfer]

hooha, that bronco looks like a primo wearer. does it fit as a 44? i ask because bronco sizing seems to have been all over the place.

 

[Edward]

Nice repro. That being said I hate repros. Have to be very discerning.

ya well, I try to get mostly original items but can't always afford it. I have to remind myself I'm not a museum. I'm the only one that sees it anyway and it looks nice on display. I don't hate repros. I own two ELC A2 repros and don 't hate them.

 

[Phrog Driver]

its a very convincing and well done replica. its made exactly like the originals in that its silk sewn to a cotton linen backing and silkscreened properly. the aging I think is coffee or tea. they even went so far as to use a period vintage number stamp to replicate the number of the chit. its based on one of those from the second printing issued by the Nationalist Chinese Government’s Commission for Aeronautical Affairs in anticipation of a Second American Volunteer Group (SAVG - Second AVG) . After that Washington made them in the tens of thousands and there is a "W" with the series number. those you can actually find originals available from time to time but the limited "official" Chinese made
are rare and don't come available often. then there are the theater made versions by citizens of the area and they made them out of all kinds of materials including leather... sometimes those come available .. all pricey of course! lol!
My 5th patch and the CBI patch are authentic originals... it all displays well and being I paid big bucks for reproduction A-2s, repro parachute harness, repro1942 service boots and a repro B-3 Mae West I don't mind that I have a nicely made repro blood chit.
Its silk sown to a cotton backing. You can see the stitch holes from where the chit was stitched onto or inside of a flight jacket.


yes, it wasn't until I had the jacket in hand that I could tell it was the original and not a replacement. so very happy about that. there is minor tearing around the collar area and a few worn holes where the clasp rivets are.. typical. but lucky no major degradation. I don't think this jacket saw much use.. being hot in the South Pacific area it probably wasn't worn too often... not like those in the ETO anyway.


exactly.. no collar stand. which I prefer. helps the collar to lay down and relax a bit better in my opinion. I guess for dress up spit and shine and be representable you want that sharp stand up look but for mission worn appeal its like the crusher.. you want some sag and droop. lol!

here's some closeups of my counterfeit Blood Chit... lol! (upon my death and its way to another collector, it will be revealed to be an authentic and rare piece worth thousands of course LOL!)


View attachment 22577View attachment 22578View attachment 22579View attachment 22580View attachment 22581

Not a bad one, has all the correct markings, including a discreet number and an official Chinese "chop", but its the wrong material. The original blood chit made for the Flying Tigers was made of rayon. Use of rayon for BC substrata continued through Korea, the Cold War, and Vietnam, when the US blood chit program went away, only to be restarted for Desert Storm using Tyvek as substrata and with the afformentioned number replicated on each corner of the chit, a program which continues today. Likewise, US evasion charts were originally on cloth, then rayon, very briefly on a PVC type shower curtain material, also went away until they were reissued on Tyvek substrata in the late 80's when the program restarted. While the original Flying Tiger blood chit is extremely rare, subsequent numbered US rayon blood chits through the Korean War are very plentiful, and are considered "decommissioned" so they are legal to own and trade.

 

[Edward]

Not a bad one, has all the correct markings, including a discreet number and an official Chinese "chop", but its the wrong material. The original blood chit made for the Flying Tigers was made of rayon.

it could be rayon... not sure. I have no way of contacting or verifying who actually made it sadly. its most likely not real silk. I have two original escape evade maps (C/D ) and they are of course rayon but always described in general as silk maps even though they aren't.

 

[Phrog Driver]

The government certainly took its time on that one.

B-man, the "helper" in a blood chit case has to initiate the process at a time and place of his choosing, so as to minimize the possibility of retribution on him or his family or his village (using the generic "him" here, yes, it could be a "her"). That claim is made when the helper deems it is safe to do so, so it may be years later. In this particular case, unfortunately the original helper was not around to make the claim. Thing is, his son was not only awarded the $100K, he was also awarded the cleaning contract he was competing for at the Air Force base where he made the claim. He then came back later and said that while $100,000 was grand, his father had helped multiple airmen in that event and he should get $100K per airman. That subsequent claim resulted in a Presidential tasker which was ultimately denied.

 

[Phrog Driver]

it could be rayon... not sure. I have no way of contacting or verifying who actually made it sadly. its most likely not real silk. I have two original escape evade maps (C/D ) and they are of course rayon but always described in general as silk maps even though they aren't.

Yeah, they were not on silk. At this point in the war, the Japanese had all the silkworms, having conquered SE Asia. So what silk we had we used for parachutes. Rayon was a substitute material for other uses like BCs and evasion charts (also called "Cloth Maps" in this era).

 

[B-Man2]

B-man, the "helper" in a blood chit case has to initiate the process at a time and place of his choosing, so as to minimize the possibility of retribution on him or his family or his village (using the generic "him" here, yes, it could be a "her"). That claim is made when the helper deems it is safe to do so, so it may be years later. In this particular case, unfortunately the original helper was not around to make the claim. Thing is, his son was not only awarded the $100K, he was also awarded the cleaning contract he was competing for at the Air Force base where he made the claim. He then came back later and said that while $100,000 was grand, his father had helped multiple airmen in that event and he should get $100K per airman. That subsequent claim resulted in a Presidential tasker which was ultimately denied.

Thanks for that info. Never really knew how the blood chit thing worked and how the helper collected his reward, but that was interesting.