The Type A-4 is a knit cap, made from an Olive Drab, 100% worsted wool.  Throughout WWII, these caps were used by aircraft mechanics and armorers when conditions were too cold for the Type A-3 Mechanic’s Cap.  It was also a cap sometimes worn by elite U. S. paratroopers of the airborne divisions, just as seen in the HBO masterpiece film series “Band of Brothers.”  Since the paratroops worked closely with USAAF air and ground crews due to the paratroops’ main mode of transport into battle being the airplane, USAAF personnel and paratroops often traded each other for select uniform and gear items, the A-4 cap being one such item.

The original A-4 caps have a unique construction style with the top forming six sewn segments and produced from a more-dense, worsted-wool knit than similar caps manufactured in the present day.  Buzz Rickson’s has, yet again, done a masterful job of recreating this classic style, right down to the use of vintage machinery for production and the proper-weight wool with the narrow weave on the outer edge graduating into the thicker, heavier weave of the cap body.  Outfitted with an authentic woven spec. label made on vintage looms, this cap is every bit as true to the vintage specimens as it is warm and good looking (and due to its extra-fine quality it's not itchy).  This is just the ticket to round out a Buzz Rickson’s parachutist’s or airman’s jacket – get your cap while stocks last!

Sizes:  One size fits all

Imported from Japan

The U. S. Army Air Force Type B-10 Intermediate Flight Jacket was developed as a replacement for both the leather A-2 and sheepskin B-6 Flight Jackets.  The B-10 Flight Jacket was the first cloth-shelled, alpaca fur-lined flight jacket of the USAAF, being standardized for service in July 1943.  However, actual combat issue did not take place until late February 1944, with the 8th Air Force in England receiving an initial issue of  B-10 Flight Jackets with the corresponding A-9 Trousers.  By the spring of 1944, the B-10 was appearing in much greater quantities, as evidenced by the many 8th and 9th Air Force aircrews outfitted in this jacket in time for the D-Day invasion at Normandy on June 6, 1944. 

The B-10 Flight Jackets were an instant success with just about every aviator who encountered one, being much lighter and more versatile than the jackets they replaced.  Intended for wear in climates between 22 degrees and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the B-10 Flight Jacket was ideally suited for early spring, late fall and winter. Fighter pilots took a particular shine to this slick new jacket style, as it afforded them far less bulk and considerably more comfort in their cramped cockpits.  Just as with all of the flight jackets of the USAAF, the B-10 Flight Jacket’s natural good looks and smart style immediately made it a coveted garment with anyone who could get their hands on one.  This proved especially true among most of the senior officer ranks of the U. S. Army fighting in Europe, as numerous photographs depict non-flying, non-USAAF personnel, such as Generals Ridgeway, Eisenhower, Patton, and Bradley wearing the B-10 Flight Jacket even though they had no rightful authorization to wear the jacket.  Furthermore, all officers of the U. S. airborne units received B-10 Flight Jackets as issue garments just as they had once been issued leather A-2 Flight Jackets, thus furthering their elite image within the army.  But it is the fighter pilot of 1944 and 1945 who was most typically personified through the wearing of a B-10 Flight Jacket. 

Though very popular, the official lifespan of the B-10 Flight Jacket designation was, however, rather short, being superseded by the newer B-15 Flight Jacket specification in late 1944.  Still, the B-10 Flight Jacket saw combat service right up until the end of WWII. After the war, veterans continued to wear these beloved jackets until threadbare, while surplus B-10 Flight Jackets found new homes via the great Army-Navy stores of the era.  Today, an original vintage B-10 Flight Jacket in really nice condition is a very, very scarce and desirable garment to a collector, with jackets in superior condition commanding a four-figure buying price in a heartbeat.

Buzz Rickson has reproduced the B-10 Flight Jacket in exacting detail.  Buzz Rickson’s cotton fabric is never to be confused with the cheap, flimsy sheet bedding fabric used by lesser manufacturers to produce so-called vintage reproduction USAAF flight jackets.  In fact, the only other flying jackets in the world today made from this cotton are those original vintage examples of the USAAF! 

This B-10 Flight Jacket is a Buzz Rickson’s Special Edition, correctly capturing all the nuances found on B-10 Flight Jackets once produced by the the L. S. L Garment Co., making this product virtually indistinguishable from an original vintage example of the USAAF.  Take note of these authentic features:  

• Exact copy of original maker’s label

with brown text on an off-white background produced on a vintage shuttle loom

•Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave three-ply, combed-cotton Olive Drab outer shell to precisely match 1943 USAAF specs.

•Correct USAAF spec. inner lining of warm, double-faced alpaca and wool, dyed to match the salt-and-pepper coloring of the original vintage  B-10s

•Gorgeous, plush, genuine sheep fur collar left in it’s natural buttery shade as found on many B-10’s produced by LSL

•Pencil slot assembled on the exterior of the left pocket in the exact fashion noted on extant B-10’s produced by LSL

•Two button-flap exterior pockets

•One snap-down interior pocket assembled in the unique style and the slightly smaller size associated with B-10’s once produced by LSL

•Exact copy of the 1943 Conmar zipper on jacket front, with zip tape made of all-cotton HBT fabric, not incorrect poly-cotton

• Correct USAAF spec. leather pull tab on zipper

• Custom manufacturing of the correct two-ply 100% worsted wool knit cuffs and waist skirt in Olive Drab

•Wind flap protector behind zipper closure

•USAAF insignia transfer on left sleeve and on wind flap interior  

• USAAF insignia ink stamp in black in the smaller size associated with LSL-contracted B-10’s

• LSL inspector ink stamp in black on the wind flap

Sizes:  36-44 regular.   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan  

The U. S. Army Air Force Type B-10 Intermediate Flight Jacket was developed as a replacement for both the leather A-2 and sheepskin B-6 Flight Jackets.  The B-10 Flight Jacket was the first cloth-shelled, alpaca fur-lined flight jacket of the USAAF, being standardized for service in July 1943.  However, actual combat issue did not take place until late February 1944, with the 8th Air Force in England receiving an initial issue of  B-10 Flight Jackets with the corresponding A-9 Trousers.  By the spring of 1944, the B-10 was appearing in much greater quantities, as evidenced by the many 8th and 9th Air Force aircrews outfitted in this jacket in time for the D-Day invasion at Normandy on June 6, 1944. 

The B-10 Flight Jackets were an instant success with just about every aviator who encountered one, being much lighter and more versatile than the jackets they replaced.  Intended for wear in climates between 22 degrees and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the B-10 Flight Jacket was ideally suited for early spring, late fall and winter. Fighter pilots took a particular shine to this slick new jacket style, as it afforded them far less bulk and considerably more comfort in their cramped cockpits.  Just as with all of the flight jackets of the USAAF, the B-10 Flight Jacket’s natural good looks and smart style immediately made it a coveted garment with anyone who could get their hands on one.  This proved especially true among most of the senior officer ranks of the U. S. Army fighting in Europe, as numerous photographs depict non-flying, non-USAAF personnel, such as Generals Ridgeway, Eisenhower, Patton, and Bradley wearing the B-10 Flight Jacket even though they had no rightful authorization to wear the jacket.  Furthermore, all officers of the U. S. airborne units received B-10 Flight Jackets as issue garments just as they had once been issued leather A-2 Flight Jackets, thus furthering their elite image within the army.  But it is the fighter pilot of 1944 and 1945 who was most typically personified through the wearing of a B-10 Flight Jacket. 

Though very popular, the official lifespan of the B-10 Flight Jacket designation was, however, rather short, being superseded by the newer B-15 Flight Jacket specification in late 1944.  Still, the B-10 Flight Jacket saw combat service right up until the end of WWII. After the war, veterans continued to wear these beloved jackets until threadbare, while surplus B-10 Flight Jackets found new homes via the great Army-Navy stores of the era.  Today, an original vintage B-10 Flight Jacket in really nice condition is a very, very scarce and desirable garment to a collector, with jackets in superior condition commanding a four-figure buying price in a heartbeat.

Buzz Rickson has reproduced the B-10 Flight Jacket in exacting detail.  Buzz Rickson’s cotton fabric is never to be confused with the cheap, flimsy sheet bedding fabric used by lesser manufacturers to produce so-called vintage reproduction USAAF flight jackets.  In fact, the only other flying jackets in the world today made from this cotton are those original vintage examples of the USAAF!  This B-10 Flight Jacket is a Buzz Rickson’s Special Edition, correctly capturing all the nuances found on B-10 Flight Jackets once produced by the Rough Wear Clothing Company, making this product virtually indistinguishable from an original vintage example of the USAAF.  Take note of these authentic features:  

• Exact copy of original maker’s label produced on a vintage shuttle loom

•Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave three-ply, combed-cotton Olive Drab outer shell to precisely match 1943 USAAF specs.

•Correct USAAF spec. inner lining of warm, double-faced alpaca and wool, dyed to match the salt-and-pepper coloring of the original vintage  B-10s

•Gorgeous, plush, genuine mouton-fur collar in ginger-toned brown found on Rough Wear B-10s

• Two button-flap exterior pockets

•One snap-down interior pocket lined with heavy all- cotton twill fabric, precisely matching 1943 USAAF specs

•Exact copy of the 1943 Conmar zipper on jacket front, with zip tape made of all-cotton HBT fabric, not incorrect poly-cotton

• Correct USAAF spec. leather pull tab on zipper

• Custom manufacturing of the correct two-ply 100% worsted wool knit cuffs and waist skirt in Olive Drab

•Wind flap protector behind zipper closure

•USAAF insignia transfer on left sleeve and on wind flap interior  

Sizes:  36-46 regular.   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan  

The U. S. Army Air Force Type B-10 Intermediate Flight Jacket was developed as a replacement for both the leather A-2 and sheepskin B-6 Flight Jackets.  The B-10 Flight Jacket was the first cloth-shelled, alpaca fur-lined flying jacket of the USAAF, being standardized for service in July 1943.  However, actual combat issue did not take place until late February 1944, with the 8th Air Force in England receiving an initial issue of B-10 Flight Jackets with the corresponding A-9 Trousers. 

By the spring of 1944, the B-10 Flight Jacket was appearing in much greater quantities, as evidenced by the many 8th and 9th Air Force aircrews outfitted in this jacket in time for the D-Day invasion at Normandy on June 6, 1944.  The B-10 Flight Jacket was an instant success with just about every aviator who encountered one, being much lighter and more versatile than the jackets they replaced.  Intended for wear in climates between 25 degrees and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the B-10 was ideally suited for early spring, late fall and winter.  Fighter pilots took a particular shine to this slick new jacket style, as it afforded them far less bulk and considerably more comfort in their cramped cockpits.  Just as with all of the flight jackets of the USAAF, the B-10 Flight Jacket's natural good looks and smart style immediately made it a coveted garment with anyone who could get their hands on one.  This proved especially true among most of the senior officer ranks of the U. S. Army fighting in Europe, as numerous photographs depict non-flying, non-USAAF personnel, such as Generals Ridgeway, Eisenhower, Patton, and Bradley wearing the B-10 Flight Jacket even though they had no rightful authorization to wear the jacket.  Furthermore, all officers of the U. S. airborne units received B-10 Flight Jacket as issue garments just as they had once been issued leather  A-2 Flight Jackets, thus furthering their elite image within the army.  But it was the fighter pilot of 1944 and 1945 who was most typically personified through the wearing of a B-10 Flight Jacket.

Though very popular, the official lifespan of the B-10 Flight Jacket designation was, however, rather short, being superseded by the newer B-15 Flight Jacket specification in late 1944.  Still, the B-10 Flight Jacket saw combat service right up until the end of WWII.  After the war, veterans continued to wear these beloved jackets until threadbare, while surplus B-10 Flight Jackets found new homes via the great Army-Navy stores of the era.  Today, an original vintage B-10 Flight Jacket in really nice condition is a very, very scarce and desirable garment to a collector, with jackets in superior condition commanding a four-figure buying price in a heartbeat.

Buzz Rickson’s offer a Special Edition of a rare B-10 Flight Jacket produced by the Superior Togs Co., Inc. during WWII.  Some wartime contractors used reddish or berry-colored wool knit cuffs and waistbands on flight jacket production, the most notable being Aero Leather of Beacon, NY, in the production of A-2 Flight Jackets, but at least one B-10 contractor also utilized this same knit color and this was Superior Togs.  Superior Togs also produced many of their B-10 Flight Jackets with an outer shell color that was distinctly olive drab vs. the darker green observed from most B-10 contractors.  Buzz Rickson’s cotton outer-shell fabric is never to be confused with the cheap, flimsy sheet bedding fabric used by lesser manufacturers to produce so-called vintage reproduction USAAF flight jackets.  In fact, the only other flight jackets in the world today made from this cotton are those original vintage examples of the USAAF! 

This B-10 Flight Jacket is a Buzz Rickson’s Special Edition, correctly capturing all the nuances found on B-10 Flight Jackets once produced by the Superior Togs Co., Inc., making this product virtually indistinguishable from an original vintage example of the USAAF.  Take note of these authentic features:  

• Exact copy of original maker’s label with gold text on a black background produced on a vintage shuttle loom.  It is noteworthy that B-10s of this contract have the size on the label preceded by a series of ellipsis dots vs. simply having the size appear standing alone.

• Hanger in neck area sewn into the collar; this was in contrast to those B-10s that had the hanger bar tacked in place.

• Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave three-ply, combed-cotton outer shell in a distinct hue olive drab to precisely match that found on most B-10s produced by Superior Togs.

• Correct USAAF spec. inner lining of warm, double-faced alpaca and wool, dyed to match the salt-and-pepper coloring of the original vintage  B-10s.

• Gorgeous, plush, genuine mouton-fur collar left in gingery shade of brown as noted on most extant B-10s produced by Superior Togs.

• Two button-flap exterior pockets with pocket flaps cut in the distinct shape noted on many B-10s produced by Superior Togs.

• Pencil slot assembled on the exterior of the left pocket in the typical fashion noted on B-10s produced by Superior Togs.

• One snap-down interior pocket assembled in the typical fashion noted on B-10s produced by Superior Togs.

•Exact copy of the 1943 Conmar zipper on jacket front, with zip tape made of all-cotton HBT fabric, not incorrect poly-cotton

• Correct USAAF spec. leather pull tab on zipper.

• Custom manufacturing of the correct two-ply 100% worsted-wool knit cuffs and waist skirt in the berry shade associated with B-10s produced by Superior Togs.

• Wind flap protector behind zipper closure.

• USAAF insignia transfer on left shoulder sleeve.

• USAAF insignia screening in off-white and located on the wind flap.

• AN inspector ink stamp in black on right interior at zipper base.  

Sizes:  36-44 regular.   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from Japan  

The C-2 Vest (sweater) is an all-time favorite of our founder, who deems its design, utility, construction, and function as genius, as well as indispensable with almost every jacket in one's wardrobe.

Developed in 1934 for the Air Corps and intended specifically to be worn under flying jackets and flying suits, the C-2 was both fabricated and designed to provide a very hugging fit; the narrow, tapered sleeves and hugging body help the C-2 to act as a second skin.  The intention was to provide for an additional 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit of useful life to any given outer garment, and with minimal bulk and interference when worn with any number of layers protecting from the cold.  The A-2 Flying Jacket was the main companion intended for wear with the C-2, as the A-2 was designated a Summer Flying Jacket and, with its lightweight poplin lining, really nothing more than a leather wind breaker.  

When the C-2 is worn with the classic A-2 Flying Jacket, the benefits are immediate and immense, truly allowing for use of the A-2 into colder temperatures without feeling chilled.  It has been said that to get the most use out of an A-2 Flying Jacket, one must be prepared to sweat and freeze:  the C-2 Winter Flying Vest can extend the useful life of the A-2 significantly into colder weather and substantially help to eliminate the "freezing" part associated with getting the most life from the A-2.  Additionally, thanks to the tapered sleeves (very snug from elbow to cuff), easy donning and removal of any jacket style is readily afforded with a TRUE C-2 Winter Flying Vest.  

Another substantive benefit of the C-2 is the full-zipper closure.  Many individuals find they want to remove their sweater once inside warmer surroundings, then having to reverse the process when heading back outside:  with most sweaters, this means pulling the sweater over one's head or slowly fidgeting with buttons, but the easy-glide zipper of the C-2 makes immediate removal and replacement effortless!

The C-2 is not just for use with the A-2 Flying Jacket:  the design, function, utility and overall fit makes it the perfect companion for any jacket, whether leather or textile in fabrication, and military or civilian in design!  Although attempted by other brands past and present, the various iterations of the C-2 have all fallen short in one or all of the following ways:  incorrect or less-than-precise fit (such as sizing small, medium, large, etc., or sizes that cover ranges, such as 42-44 vs. sizing that is size specific, such as 38, 40, 42), yarn size that is too thick (creates bulk and sloppy fit), yarns that are too fuzzy and soft (will not hold up to years of use), incorrect zipper types, sewing/assembly, and various other atrocities. 

Buzz Rickson's has, in their typical precision, crafted the ultimate C-2 Winter Flying Vest (sweater).  Please note these authentic, high-quality features that make this the ONLY C-2 to own:

• Copy of original maker’s label design produced on a vintage shuttle loom.

• Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave Olive Drab worsted-wool yarns to match AAF spec.  The yarns are not at all bulky or thick, and they have that crisp "bite" found on the vintage C-2 sweaters; these yarns are decidedly not at all soft or fuzzy, thus providing years, and years of use without premature wear and excess pilling.

• Taping of neck seam and zipper closure sides with contrasting HBT cotton fabric.

• Correct design of fit, with tapered arms and hugging body construction; in conjunction with the correct weight of wool yarns, the use of this C-2 with most any jacket will be a dream.

• One pocket on lower left side.

• Correct lockstitch throughout assembly.

• Authentic copy of a brass Conmar zipper custom made at great expense and outfitted with cool-looking, contrasting tan-colored zip tape made of all-cotton HBT fabric, not incorrect poly-cotton, and correctly reinforced with real bar tacking (not mere look-a-like stitching) at the base.

• Correct cotton hanging loop cross-stitched directly through the sweater neck area.

• Assembly with contrasting-color, all-cotton thread on vintage sewing machines.

When worn as originally intended, we can comfortably fit chest measures up to 46" - 48".  Please do NOT attempt to guess your size and please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from Japan

This is one item we could not be more excited about bringing to our customers.  Since our first sale in 1989, multitudes of customers have, over the decades, asked where they could obtain a good copy of the iconic USAAF A-11 Navigation Watch to wear with their flying jacket purchases from us, but there were simply no really good copies of this watch that could match the pedigree of the goods we sell.  At long last, for all of those who have asked about really nice copies of the iconic A-11 Navigation Watches with mechanical movements, your deliverance has finally arrived!

The original WWII A-11 Navigation Watches were produced in hundreds of thousands during WWII and were the standard timepieces issued to pilots, bombardiers, and navigators, and the most perfect companion for a WWII-style flying jacket.  WWII A-11's were made by Bulova, Elgin, and Waltham and had 15-jewel mechanical movements, with each maker producing subtle differences between their styles in such areas as the dial, hands, case, etc. 

Buzz Rickson's, in conjunction with watch masters in Japan, have now produced the most authentic A-11 Navigation Watch available in the world today, which beautifully copies an Elgin-made example from 1941.  Almost everything had to be custom made at great expense in small quantities (this is a limited edition of only 500 pieces) to match the original Elgin watch used as the basis for this project.  

There have been a few upgrades to this A-11 copy:   increasing the jewels to 21 vs. 15 jewels of the original A-11 is an improvement that provides greater longevity and accuracy, and the use of a mineral crystal vs. the glass crystals of the original A-11 provides for greater longevity as the original glass crystals were very prone to scratches, chipping, and cracking.

This Buzz Rickson A-11 Navigation Watch will serve you as faithfully as those brave airman did the USAAF in WWII.  Please note the features that come with this A-11 Navigation Watch:

• Clone-like black watch dial with luminous numbers that matches those found on Elgin A-11's

• Clone-like luminous hands, including sweep second hand, that match those found on Elgin A-11's

• Nickel-plated watch case that matches the finish, design, and style of those found on Elgin-made watches of this contract (case diameter is 1.25") and includes the same typeface and stamping style on the back as found on Elgin A-11's of this contract

• 21-jewel mechanical automatic watch movement.  The movement will run for approximately 40 hours if wound 30 times; wearing the watch for 8 hours a day every day should preclude the need to set the time again or wind it unless you need to change the time.

• Water resistant (it's okay if the watch gets a little wet doing chores, but this is not a waterproof diving watch and is not intended for submersing in water or other liquids)

• Mineral crystal glass

• Shock resistant 

• Clone-like copy of the issue-style cotton watch strap in Olive Drab shade 3 and sewn with cotton thread and outfitted with a nickel-plated buckle 

• Vintage-style watch box with A-11 nomenclature corresponding to an Elgin-made A-11 of this contract 

• Limited edition of 500 pieces worldwide

Imported from Japan

Last ONE Left!!!

The U. S. Air Force MA-1 Intermediate Flight Jacket was introduced as the direct descendant of the “modified” B-15D Flight Jacket in 1957.  Flight Jacket models B-15A through B-15D had been “modified” in accordance with a USAF Materiel Command directive of 1954.  The directive called for all of the types of B-15 Flight Jacket on issue or in stock to have the factory-installed fur collar removed and a wool knit collar installed in its place; this modification was intended to reduce the flying jacket’s flammability that was considered greater with a fur collar in place.  These new “modified” flight jackets were considered to be a substantive improvement, thus the next garment in the evolution of the USAF Intermediate Flight Jacket would be produced at the factory without a fur collar but with a short wool knit collar in its place.  Thus began a flying-jacket legend!

The MA-1 Flight Jacket’s lightweight construction, comfortable non-bulky warmth and natural good looks made this style an instant success with jet jockeys at bases around the world, as well as anyone who could beg, borrow or steal one of these coveted gems.  It was intended for wear in climates between 25 degrees and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, thus ideally suited for early spring, late fall and winter.  The MA-1 Flight Jacket would see combat life during the Cold War and Vietnam War, as well as in fashion life that, in many forms and colors, continues to this day. MA-1 Flight Jackets produced for the USAF in the 1960's declined in quality and warmth from those of the 1950s and featured a reversible orange lining.  But those early MA-1 Flight Jackets that were made from a grayish shade of sage green in heavy-weight nylon twill, warmly lined with woolen fiber filling sandwiched between the outer nylon shell and the sage green inner nylon lining were, and likely will remain, the nylon flight jacket of greatest desire by both aviators and collectors.  Although the orange-lined MA-1 Flight Jacket was superseded by the newer Nomex jackets in the 1980s, it was not uncommon to find an old veteran still wearing an MA-1 Flight Jacket for some years afterwards. 

Buzz Rickson brand takes extraordinary steps to recreate this classic jacket style in the exact, same manner of original production.  The nylon twill used in the lining of the original garments is a lighter type from that used on the exterior (because the USAF reasoned that the lining would be subject to less wear and tear), and indeed Buzz Rickson has recreated both weights of nylon twill for their reproduction, but supreme, museum-grade authenticity does not stop there.  The original nylon twill, being produced in large runs by various manufacturers, would also reflect slight color shifts in each dye lot produced - nothing outlandish, mind you, but noticeable enough when you hold one roll of fabric against another from a different dye lot or different manufacturer.  To counter this unavoidable color deviation, the USAF specs. stipulated that a jacket had to me made from fabric that was entirely from the same dye lot, except for small pieces of the jacket such as the interior pocket welting.  Astute observers of the original garments are aware of this detail, and so are the jacket masters at Buzz Rickson, thus Buzz Rickson brand goes the extraordinary extra mile and expense and has two purposely different shades of nylon twill produced (albeit subtly different shades), so that the interior pocket welting does indeed appear to be subtly different in shade from the rest of the jacket lining, exactly duplicating a normal result of true, mass production in a reproduction garment that has nothing in common with mass production and is crafted in small batches with love.

The popularity of MA-1 Flight Jacket series produced one of the longest continued service careers of any flight jacket in the history of the USAF. Buzz Rickson has reproduced the 1957 first-model MA-1 Flight Jacket in exacting detail.  Buzz Rickson’s heavy nylon twill fabric is never to be confused with the cheap, flimsy flight satin used by lesser manufacturers to produce so-called vintage reproduction USAF flight jackets.  In fact, the only other flying jackets in the world today made from this nylon are those vintage examples of the USAF!  This Buzz Rickson’s MA-1 Flight Jacket is a Special Edition, correctly capturing all the nuances found on MA-1 Flight Jackets once produced by the renowned Lion Uniform Company, making this product virtually indistinguishable from an original vintage example of the USAF.  Take note of these authentic features:  

• Copy of original maker’s label design produced on a vintage shuttle loom

• Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave nylon outer and inner lining shell to precisely match 1957 USAF specs. and treated to repel water

• Correct USAF-spec. inner lining of warm wool fiber filling sandwiched between the outer and inner shell lining

• Two snap-down exterior pockets lined with warm 80/20 wool-rayon fabric precisely matching 1957 USAF specs.

• Two snap-down interior pockets lined with heavy all-cotton twill fabric precisely matching 1957 USAF specs.

• Exact copy of the heavy-duty 1953 Crown zippers on sleeve pocket and jacket front, with zip tape made of all-cotton HBT fabric, not incorrect poly-cotton

• Heavy all-cotton zipper pull tab as found on Lion Uniform MA-1s, designed for easy functioning with gloves

• Heavy wind flap protector located behind zipper closure

• Correct USAF-spec. leather pull tab on sleeve pocket

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, two-ply, 100% worsted-wool knit collar, cuffs and waist skirt in sage green

• Heavy-weight parachute harness nylon in sage green, correctly sewn to left front chest for attaching oxygen mask retainer clip

• Two snap-down tabs (one on each breast) for retaining headset and microphone wiring leads, exactly as on original 1957 MA-1s

• USAF insignia transfer on left sleeve and under maker label in lining, exactly as found on early MA-1s

• Zippered pocket on left sleeve outfitted with four pen/pencil slots and two anti-puncture pencil caps made of USAF-spec. brass

  Sizes: XS – XXL.   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan    

The L-2B Flight Jacket was an all-time favorite, renowned for comfort, light weight, and amazing warmth-to-weight ratio, and all of this remains true with this masterpiece copy.  

The USAF L-2B Flight Jacket was developed as a direct replacement for the blue L-2A Flight Jacket.  L-2A Flight Jackets were produced in blue circa 1950 as part of an effort by the then-new USAF service branch to stand apart from the old USAAF and its association with the U. S. Army.  This blue color proved unsatisfactory in combat conditions during the Korean War, where a downed airman needed a combat uniform color that would help conceal him from any nearby enemies, and the new USAF blue, unfortunately, only made downed aviators better targets and more easily found.  The result of this combat experience in the first two years of the Korean War resulted in the development of a new color that did better conceal downed airmen and, by mid-1952, the first of the combat flying clothing began to appear in this new color known as sage green.  The early sage green tended to have a distinctly more silver-grey cast to it than the later sage green shade employed in the 1960s, which is one distinguishing characteristic of the earlier L-2B Flight Jackets.

The L-2B Flight Jacket was intended for wear in climates between 42 degrees and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, thus ideally suited for spring, summer and fall. The essential differences between the L-2A Flight Jacket and L-2B Flight Jacket are:  Color changed from blue to sage green, size on labels changed from numerical (38, 40, 42, etc.) to textual increments (small, medium, large, etc.), the cut was made more generous and the outer nylon shell was changed from 1/3 twill to the heavier 2/2 twill, while the lining was changed from a wool-and-nylon blend to a wool-and-rayon blend.  The L-2B Flight Jacket had a long service life, with later versions that featured the orange linings that were first introduced in 1964 still being found in service use into the late 1970s.  This Buzz Rickson’s L-2B Flight Jacket is manufactured in the earlier silver-grey sage green and is a precise copy of an original example produced by the esteemed government contractor Skyline Clothing, Corp., circa 1958, being the 4th L-2B Flight Jacket variant (Spec. 7448C) in the evolution of the L-2B Flight Jacket series.

Buzz Rickson has reproduced the L-2B Flight Jacket (Spec. 7448C) in exacting detail.  Buzz Rickson’s heavy-weight nylon twill fabric is never to be confused with the cheap, flimsy flight satin used by lesser manufacturers to produce so-called vintage reproduction USAF flight jackets.  In fact, the only other flight jackets in the world today made from this nylon are those vintage examples of the USAF!  Please take note of these authentic features:

• Exact copy of the original maker’s label produced on a vintage shuttle loom

• Custom manufacturing of the correct 2/2 weave and weight in silver-grey color USAF Sage Green nylon twill outer shell to precisely match 1950's USAF specs., and treated to repel water

• Custom manufacturing of the correct 65% rayon 35% wool double-faced inner lining in silver-grey sage green, reflecting early L-2B manufacture

• Exact copy of the super-desirable, spring-loaded 1950's Crown zippers on sleeve pocket and jacket front, with zip tape made of all-cotton HBT fabric in a beautifully contrasting tannish color, not incorrect poly-cotton.  The leather zip pulls have been sewn in a circular pattern, exactly matching the stitch style found on L-2B Flying Jackets once produced by Skyline Clothing, Corp.

• Correct USAF-spec. leather pull tabs on zippers

• Custom manufacturing of the correct two-ply 100% worsted-wool knit collar, cuffs and waist skirt in the USAF Sage Green

• Heavy, parachute harness nylon in USAF Sage Green correctly sewn to left front chest for attaching oxygen mask retainer clip

• Snap-down pocket flaps and shoulder straps crafted to match the style found on L-2B Flying Jackets made by Skyline Clothing, Corp.

• USAF insignia transfer on left sleeve and under maker label in lining

• Zippered pocket on left sleeve outfitted with four pen/pencil slots and two anti-puncture pencil caps made of USAF-spec. brass

Sizes:  XS  – XXXL.  The fit is generous.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Crown is a registered trademark in the USA of History Preservation Associates.

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan

The MA-1 Flight Jacket’s lightweight construction, comfortable non-bulky warmth and natural good looks made this style an instant success with jet jockeys at bases around the world, as well as anyone who could beg, borrow or steal one of these coveted gems.  It was intended for wear in climates between 25 degrees and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, thus ideally suited for early spring, late fall and winter.  The MA-1 Flight Jacket would see combat life during the Cold War and Vietnam War, as well as in fashion life that, in many forms and colors, continues to this day. MA-1 Flight Jackets produced for the USAF in the 1960's declined in quality and warmth from those of the 1950's, and featured a reversible orange lining.  But those early MA-1 Flight Jackets that were made from a silver-gray shade of sage green in heavy-weight nylon twill, warmly lined with woolen fiber filling sandwiched between the outer nylon shell and the sage green inner nylon lining were, and likely will remain, the nylon flight jacket of greatest desire by both aviators and collectors.  Although the orange-lined MA-1 Flight Jacket was superseded by the newer Nomex jackets in the 1980's, it was not uncommon to find an old veteran still wearing an MA-1 Flight Jacket for some years afterwards. 

The popularity of MA-1 Flight Jacket series produced one of the longest continued service careers of any flight jacket in the history of the USAF. Buzz Rickson has reproduced this first-model MA-1 Flight Jacket in exacting detail.  Buzz Rickson’s heavy nylon twill fabric is never to be confused with the cheap, flimsy flight satin used by lesser manufacturers to produce so-called vintage reproduction USAF flight jackets.  Buzz Rickson brand takes other extraordinary steps to recreate this classic jacket style in the exact, same manner of original production:

The nylon twill used in the lining of the original garments is a lighter type from that used on the exterior (because the USAF reasoned that the lining would be subject to less wear and tear), and indeed Buzz Rickson has recreated both weights of nylon twill for their reproduction, but supreme, museum-grade authenticity does not stop there.  The original nylon twill, being produced in large runs by various manufacturers, would also reflect slight color shifts in each dye lot produced - nothing outlandish, mind you, but noticeable enough when you hold one roll of fabric against another from a different dye lot or different manufacturer.  To counter this unavoidable color deviation, the USAF specs. stipulated that a jacket had to me made from fabric that was entirely from the same dye lot, except for small pieces of the jacket such as the interior pocket welting.  Astute observers of the original garments are aware of this detail, and so are the jacket masters at Buzz Rickson, thus Buzz Rickson brand goes the extraordinary extra mile and expense and has two purposely different shades of nylon twill produced (albeit subtly different shades), so that the interior pocket welting does indeed appear to be subtly different in shade from the rest of the jacket lining, exactly duplicating a normal result of true, mass production, but in a reproduction garment that has nothing in common with mass production and is crafted in small batches with love.

The only other flying jackets in the world today made to this level of authenticity are those vintage examples of the USAF!  This Buzz Rickson’s MA-1 Flight Jacket correctly captures all the nuances found on MA-1 Flight Jackets once produced by the Albert Turner Company, making this product virtually indistinguishable from an original vintage example of the USAF.  Take note of these authentic features:  

• Copy of original maker’s label design produced on a vintage shuttle loom, nota modern, projectile loom.

• Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave nylon outer shell and inner lining to precisely match the originalUSAF specs. and treated to repel water.

• Correct USAF-spec. inner lining of warm wool fiber filling sandwiched between the outer and inner shell lining.

• Two snap-down exterior pockets lined with warm 80/20 wool-rayon fabric precisely matching 1950's USAF specs.

• Two snap-down interior pockets lined with heavy all-cotton twill fabric precisely matching 1950's USAF specs.

• Exact copy of the heavy-duty 1953 Crown zippers on sleeve pocket and jacket front, with zip tape made of all-cotton HBT fabric that is rolled and glued at the base, not incorrect poly-cotton that is heat sealed with plastics at the base.

• Leather zipper pull tab as found on Albert Turner MA-1's, designed for easy functioning with gloves.

• Heavy wind flap protector located behind zipper closure.

• Correct USAF-spec. leather pull tab on sleeve pocket.

• Custom manufacturing of the correct, two-ply, 100% worsted-wool knit collar, cuffs and waist skirt in sage green.

• Heavy-weight parachute harness nylon in sage green, correctly sewn to left front chest for attaching oxygen mask retainer clip.

• Two snap-down tabs (one on each breast) for retaining headset and microphone wiring leads, exactly as on original 1950's MA-1's.

• USAF insignia transfer on left sleeve and under maker label in lining, exactly as found on early MA-1's.

• Zippered pocket on left sleeve outfitted with four pen/pencil slots and two anti-puncture pencil caps made of USAF-spec. brass.

  Sizes: XS – XXXL.   Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Buzz Rickson’s goods are imported from Japan