Why B-6 jacket are so hard to find ?

[bombs away]

Hi gents,

I've just won an original B-6 jacket on ebay a few days ago (I don't have it for the moment, it's flying home).
I have plenty of questions coming with this catch.
I was wondering why these jackets were so hard to find now ? (or may be they are not so rare and I had no luck to find one before ?). Even on this forum, the posts concerning these jackets are rare.
Does anybody know how much was the total production ?
Does any of forum members here have any original one at home ?
Are they also rare in repros (rare = not too wanted by buyers) ?

Thanks for your opinion about this.

Tim.

 

[Roughwear]

Well done Tim for winning the original on Ebay. I used to own an original Aero B-6, but sold it because it was really too fragile to wear. The fragile nature of the thin B-6 shearling has meant that many have not survived as well as B-3s. There were very few makers of B-6 jackets compared with B-3s and I suspect the total production was much smaller which also adds to their scarcity these days.

 

[Peter Graham]

Until recently I owned an original redskin B-6 but as Andrew says, they are a fragile jacket and I sold it because I was so paranoid about damaging it. I think the fragility comes from the cut of the jacket rather than the thickness. D-1's are of the same thickness of shearling but of a much looser cut so less prone to damage. The complexity of the jacket doesn't help either with the snap cuff, bi-swing back, etc. A good wearable B-6 is still top of my jacket shopping list. In my opinion they are one of the colest jackets ever made. Congratulations on picking one up. I hope it's a wearer. Out of curiousity, can you post a link to the auction. I missed it, and lots of pics when it arrives. Here's my old B-6. I'm not sure if I should have sold it !

 

[bazelot]

I think this is the one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-WW2-40S-B-6-B6 ... dZViewItem

 

[Peter Graham]

I think this is the one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-WW2-40S-B-6-B6 ... dZViewItem

Another non wearer. The inside out pics make me cringe. Imagine the potential damage that would cause to a jacket like that.

 

[bazelot]

I think this is the one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-WW2-40S-B-6-B6 ... dZViewItem

Another non wearer. The inside out pics make me cringe. Imagine the potential damage that would cause to a jacket like that.

Yes this one is definitely not a wearer. It's complete though. As a display it would look nice. Yours was in better shape though. If I remember correctly it even came with the pants.

 

[Peter Graham]

If I remember correctly it even came with the pants.

Yes, the A-5 pants the jacket was issued with. In beautiful condition too. All the B-6's I've seen have been made by Aero. I know Roughwear also made them but does anyone know of any other manufacturers ?

 

[Roughwear]

All the ones I have seen have been made by Aero, although as you say RW, made the B-6 as well. I would be curious to know if anyone else made a B-6. BTW John Chapman in his CD says they were made in small numbers.

 

[deeb7]

All the ones I have seen have been made by Aero, although as you say RW, made the B-6 as well. I would be curious to know if anyone else made a B-6.

Suit Up just has pictures of Aero.

Full Gear lists 7 consecutive Aero contracts, followed by an Arnoff Shoe Co. and finally a Poughkeepsie contract. The last 3 contracts are mainly small sizes, and also noted with the Poughkeepsie ... white label, sometimes unique style jacket.

No mention of Rough Wear, perhaps that contract was invented by Eastman Leather. Eastman use 17756 as the contract number ... the same as, and correct for, their Rough Wear B-3.

 

[Roughwear]

Thanks for this David. I have never seen an original RW B-6. On the ELC website there is their redskin RW B-6 with as you say the same contract no. as the B-3. It could be their invention and I wonder if anyone knows for sure? It is interesting about Poughkeepsie. They also made an AN-J4 but seemingly not a B-3.

 

[deeb7]

It is interesting about Poughkeepsie. They also made an AN-J4 but seemingly not a B-3.

Yes, 2 contracts for the AN-J4, again with Aero, and Arnoff Shoe Co.

I guess with ELC it's poetic license, with their having the use of the RW name.

Kinda like the Dubow B-3.

 

[Roughwear]

David, I will ask Gary about his B-6 when I go to the Duxford Airshow on Saturday. I really can't understand why any modern maker would want to make a B-3 and put a Dubow label on it when Dubow didn't make them! :roll:

 

[Peter Graham]

To quote Eastman's 'Golden Book' in regard to the Roughwear B-6, "Original examples of this contract, are extremely rare". We now know why, eh Gary !

 

[bombs away]

I think this is the one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-WW2-40S-B-6-B6 ... dZViewItem

Another non wearer. The inside out pics make me cringe. Imagine the potential damage that would cause to a jacket like that.

Hi.
That's the one I got. Not a wearer but I never wear these jackets. The condition is still good enough for display.

Peter,yours was really great !

Thanks for the different answers.

Tim

 

[Roughwear]

I emailed Gary about the RW B-6 and this is his reply:

No I'm afraid I don't own an original Redskin RW B-6. When we introduced
this model back in 1996 it was believed that Rough Wear had produced one
under the same contract as the B-3 jacket and A-3 trousers, and being one of
the few manufacturers who definitely produced Redskin garments it seemed
likely. But as time has gone by I am fairly convinced it doesn't exist.
However more surprising turn-up for the books have happened.

 

[Swing]

I emailed Gary about the RW B-6 and this is his reply:

No I'm afraid I don't own an original Redskin RW B-6. When we introduced
this model back in 1996 it was believed that Rough Wear had produced one
under the same contract as the B-3 jacket and A-3 trousers, and being one of
the few manufacturers who definitely produced Redskin garments it seemed
likely. But as time has gone by I am fairly convinced it doesn't exist.
However more surprising turn-up for the books have happened.

Nice. Why the fuck don't they mention that they don't have one, nor have they ever seen an original, on their website? Nice to pay through the nose for a jacket you're assuming is a copy of an original. If they want to make a redskin B-6, just put their friggin house label on it! When you put a Roughwear lable on there, one would assume (my mistake I guess) that there's a Roughwear jacket being copied! What a friggin joke. :evil:

~Swing

 

[Peter Graham]

Brilliant ! VLJ expose Eastman as bullshitters ! I've noticed that ELC have been a bit 'hazy' with the truth on a few occasions but this proves it. I've been hankering after a wearable B-6 for some time and come to the realisation that an original is highly unlikely. I was considering an ELC but not any more. I've heard before from a reliable source that their redskin B-6 is cut wrongly. We now know why.

 

[Hawkeye]

Why the hostility? Gary gave a frank and honest reply to Andrews query. So what if its got a roughwear label in it? By any stretch of the imagination I hear Eastmans B-6 is a fine jacket so why not just enjoy it for what it is?

 

[Swing]

Why the hostility? Gary gave a frank and honest reply to Andrews query. So what if its got a roughwear label in it? By any stretch of the imagination I hear Eastmans B-6 is a fine jacket so why not just enjoy it for what it is?

The RW B-6 is a fine jacket. Selling it with the RW label, and not disclosing that there probably never was a RW B-6s? That's shitty, underhanded, business, especially when you're in a business that revolves around and is based on copying original items.

~Swing

 

[Peter Graham]

Why the hostility?

I don't really care enough to be hostile. I find it mildly amusing. Those individuals who shelled out an extra £55 over the standard jacket for the privilege of owning what they thought was a replica of an original Roughwear contract B-6 may not be so amused though.