What jacket(s) are you wearing at the moment?

[Lord Flashheart]

I only have one vintage jacket, a restored H&L Block M-422A I picked up from Steve Sellers last year, and I am pleased to be it’s custodian but wear it only very rarely. It’s a very comfortable jacket and i decided to give it a little wear today. Sorry for the stern look (it’s in the water round here) but I’ve been out for a long bike ride today.

 

[mulceber]

Great jacket, Flash! Do you have any more pictures you can share of it?

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Thanks Jan I will do. Not today though. I cycled 85 miles so, forgive me, but the sofa beckons! It’s a surprise even to me but through the past year I’ve developed an interest in the history of USN jackets which doesn’t seem quite as well covered as the A-2 here which is a bit of a shame.

 

[B-Man2]

Let’s just talk for a minute about cycling 85 miles . Damn Flash ! Thats a notable accomplishment. The UK Olympic Committee needs to take note .

 

[mulceber]

Makes perfect sense to me - you want to get started training early for Paris in 2024.

 

[Nickb123]

Well, after a week where I felt like I was being besieged by the sun (temperatures around 88 F/31 C), the temperature broke yesterday and this morning it was 68 F/20 C. So, @Nnatalie and I decided it was jacket weather and went for a walk, me in my BK Star and her in her newly-patched Five Star Dubow:

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The patch is a WASP patch that I bought her for Christmas, but hadn't gotten around to having attached until about a week ago.

Fifinella!

 

[MikeyB-17]

Yours truly looking pained (note to self - remember to stop looking pained and smile instead) in the GW Acme that has been up for sale at a bargain price for too long now.....

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I dunno about pained, Steve, you look more like you’ve been up to no good, and been caught in the act!
I have to say that driving your own Jeep around a WWII airfield on your doorstep is off the scale in terms of cool. I’m very jealous.
I’m also amazed that GW hasn’t sold. I like the strides. Are those cords? They do compliment the A-2 very well. May have to keep my eye out for a pair.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Let’s just talk for a minute about cycling 85 miles . Damn Flash ! Thats a notable accomplishment. The UK Olympic Committee needs to take note .

Makes perfect sense to me - you want to get started training early for Paris in 2024.

Be grateful Burt that I don't post pics of me in lycra on my road bike. Mind you it does keep me in shape for my flying jackets so I'm not complaining. And 85 miles is only part of it ... the real question is how quick you cover them (and lets be honest they do allow me the luxury of a good slab of cake with lunch and a stop for an ice cream on my way home). So if I set off for the Paris 2024 Olympics now I might get there in time ...

 

[Micawber]

I dunno about pained, Steve, you look more like you’ve been up to no good, and been caught in the act!
I have to say that driving your own Jeep around a WWII airfield on your doorstep is off the scale in terms of cool. I’m very jealous.
I’m also amazed that GW hasn’t sold. I like the strides. Are those cords? They do compliment the A-2 very well. May have to keep my eye out for a pair.

LOL, I am innocent I tell ya, innocent!

I know I am privileged to live where I do, and thinking about it I am struck that in fact our two previous places have also been in the thick of aviation heritage too - funny that.

The pained look is down to the fact I had been in and out of the Jeep so many times taking photos, then had stood talking to a local lady for a good half hour I had got a bit sore and fatigued so by that stage was looking forward to getting back for a cuppa.

No idea why the GW hasn't sold. I have two 'Acme's' but if I could find a decent Aero label for one I might be tempted to keep both....

Yes they are corduroys, proper thick heavy country cords too. I like cords, although I have other colours I am particularly fond that tan colour, or variations of it...

^^^And how sad is that

 

[London Cabbie]

LOL, I am innocent I tell ya, innocent!

I know I am privileged to live where I do, and thinking about it I am struck that in fact our two previous places have also been in the thick of aviation heritage too - funny that.

The pained look is down to the fact I had been in and out of the Jeep so many times taking photos, then had stood talking to a local lady for a good half hour I had got a bit sore and fatigued so by that stage was looking forward to getting back for a cuppa.

No idea why the GW hasn't sold. I have two 'Acme's' but if I could find a decent Aero label for one I might be tempted to keep both....

Yes they are corduroys, proper thick heavy country cords too. I like cords, although I have other colours I am particularly fond that tan colour, or variations of it...

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^^^And how sad is that

Steve, not sad. Was wondering where you get your proper Bedfords & Tatershalls..?

 

[Micawber]

Steve, not sad. Was wondering where you get your proper Bedfords & Tatershalls..?

From memory there are some from Ratcacher, there's a pair or two from Hogg's in there, a pair from Gieves, I think another from Pakeman, Catto & Carter and another from Magee.

Pakeman, C&C have now gone but it proves that buying good gear often means you get stuff that lasts. Old Town of Holt are quirky but turn out clothing based on traditional designs, their corduroy is lovely, sturdy stuff, their high waist, fishtail back trousers are brilliant. I also like traditional cords on offer from Darcy Clothing but these last two are ok if you want the real agricultural look from 100- 50 years ago lol!

I buy from all over but for general suppliers people like John Norris are reliable and have a good general range at realistic prices. Phillip Morris likewise. Ditto Brocklehursts. Hogg's of Fife are ok for general country gear, shirts and cords included. Cordings and their ilk are up a notch but their stuff lasts. I used to buy quite a bit from Ratcatcher when they were up on the Welsh borders near my mum but they changed hands, still good gear but less available - they are still going and I've seen them at shows, still good stuff but that said they are more moleskin.

For cheap as chips Tattersall check shirts that are ok for doing dirty jobs in Champion from somewhereoutthereistan stuff is hard wearing and cheap enough not to worry about.

Truth be told there are still no end of places from expensive down to bargain basement a la Champion gear but the retail market has changed quite a bit in the last year to eighteen months.

 

[Smithy]

Samuel and Windsor had fantastic Tattersalls and for ridiculously good prices - I bought loads from them and they are exceptionally hardwearing. Lots of their other stuff was a bit iffy but their Tattersall shirts were as good as anyone's.

Sadly Samuel and Windsor have gone tits up now so when I wear these out I'll have to no doubt splash out more.

 

[Enigma1938]

Seeing "Ponchoman" has opened the door to a little non flying jacket fun..... here's something completely different, just for fun.
My partner has been conserving a lot of exhibits for a new museum that will be opening soon in Blackpool devoted to Music Hall and associated items, it will be called Showtime !
anyway, she didn't have a large enough costume dummy to see how this would look on an exhibition dummy so, being something of a dummy, i volunteered.
Some of our older British viewers will recognise it as one of Bud ("Underneath the Arches") Flanagan's fur coats ...
So if anyone is interested in old British Music Hall, seaside entertainments etc, she's also done George Robey's outfi'St, Tessie Ohea & Danny LaRue dresses, Punch and Judy puppets etc etc, a trip to Blackpool next year my be fun.
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Wow reminds me instantly on that guy in the movie "Slow West" ....

 

[Nickb123]

GW Doni

 

[917_k]

Now where did I park my B-36?

The B-15C jacket with the full ensemble. I don’t do reenactment or dress up (nothing against those that do), so this is being worn purely because I didnt have a mannequin on which to display everything and wanted a shot of the complete outfit for a friend who works in television.

All original kit, loosely supposed to be SAC bomber crew from the early 50s. Back chute needs adjusting as it shouldn’t sit that low, was just thrown on for the photo.

 

[B-Man2]

Pretty cool looking kit you have there.
Is the chute inside the container or for display only?

 

[Thomas Koehle]

5 STAR ANJ3 with traditional "Allgaeu" (the area in the south of Germany where "Neuschwanstein Castle" is located) leather short - so called "Lederhosen" or "Krachlederne"

 

[flyincowboy]

Nice shorts by the way sure you enjoy them!

 

[917_k]

Pretty cool looking kit you have there.
Is the chute inside the container or for display only?

Thanks Burt! The chute is complete with the canopy. I’ve made sure the rip cord is securely fastened with a zip tie, don’t want that being deployed….

 

[B-Man2]

Thanks Burt! The chute is complete with the canopy. I’ve made sure the rip cord is securely fastened with a zip tie, don’t want that being deployed….

I always liked collecting that kind of kit .
At one point as a young kid, I had a complete harness , a May West, a chest pack parachute and a one man pilots raft that my uncle had brought back. I was too young to appreciate what I had and used the May West and life raft as floaty’s at the beach and popped the chute to show it to my friends . I could kick my own ass today for being such a putz.