This flight jacket was standardized as the M-422 spec. by the US Navy in March of 1940, after which the design went through several spec. revisions, culminating as the AN-J-3A flight jacket in October of 1943. The M-422A spec. was the most widely produced of all the USN intermediate leather flight jackets of the 1940's, seeing action in every battle that USN/USMC aviators took part in: from U-Boat hunting in the Atlantic and invasion patrols on D-Day, to the decisive Pacific engagements at Midway, Guadalcanal and the “Marianas Turkey Shoot.” A testament to the good looks and great function of this flight jacket design is that, with only subtle changes, it continues to be issued to USN airmen right up to the present day - now known as the G-1.

We have chosen to reproduce the M-422A flight jacket introduced in October 1940, specifically copying those jackets once produced by an original manufacturer, Gordon & Ferguson, in a 1941 contract. This flight jacket matches every nuance of detail found on the finest original examples: absolutely unsurpassed, heavy, sumptuous vegetable-tanned, medium-brown goatskin in 3-ounce weight, with a character-rich, course pebbled grain found only on old originals and ours; 100% worsted-wool cuffs and waistband, the latter in the correct bi-directional weave; pure mouton fur collar and leather throat latch; one interior and both outer pockets lined in all-cotton twill; rayon satin lining in the correct burgundy color; stenciled “USN” marking behind collar in silver paint; authentic woven label; bi-swing pleated back for ease of movement; armpit gussets; asymmetrical left pocket with pen holder and a reproduction 1942 nickel-plated Talon zip. Let our M-422A flight jacket catapult you into U. S. Navy history!

Sizes available: 36-48 regular. Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on special order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

This Luftwaffe leather flight jacket is named for and patterned after the leather flight jacket worn by Luftwaffe Major Erich Hartmann.  Hartmann  was credited with 352 confirmed aerial victories during his service with the Luftwaffe in WWII, making him the highest-scoring ace of all time and setting a record that is very unlikely to ever be broken. Known as the “Blonde Knight of Germany,” his ability at aerial combat was astounding. Most of Major Hartmann’s combat took place on the Eastern Front with the famed fighter squadron JG52. Collecting many awards for his skill and bravery as a fighter pilot, he was eventually awarded with the highest decoration for bravery and combat in the German armed forces - The Knights Cross with oak leaves, swords and diamonds.

Throughout his service with the Luftwaffe, Major Hartmann can often be seen in archival images wearing his short leather flight jacket, which he very likely acquired during the early part of the war when he was posted in France. Many Luftwaffe fighter pilots had this style of leather flight jacket which was originally commercially purchased (not issued) at ordinary clothing and motorcycling shops in France. In fact, they were actually referred to as “Cyclists Jackets” by the Luftwaffe pilots. Made of a fairly lightweight and close-cut construction, they appealed to the German fighter pilots both for their smart looks and their applicable use in the cramped cockpits of aircraft such as the Me109.

Archival photos and extant jacket examples illustrate that, although following a very similar design to each other, these flight jackets all differ slightly from one another in terms of pocket profiles, positioning of pockets, different fabrics for the lining, etc. This occurred, most probably, due to the fact they were produced by many different manufacturers and for many different pilots’ tastes. The outer shell leather can be found in black, gray and brown, but in most of the Luftwaffe archive photos it's impossible to tell which shade was favored most as the images are generally in black and white. We have had several original examples at the factory whilst studying this design and this has lead us to believe that both shades were equally common. Most people believed them always to be black, but this is largely due to the archive images being in black and white; obviously, brown would easily appear to be black in old black-and-white photos.

Our reproduction of this leather flight jacket style is as accurate to the original as is feasible to be. We have even had the correct, unusual-looking little front buckle reproduced to ensure the utmost authenticity. Available in a choice of black or brown Nappa leather, this hide will leave you absolutely drooling with pleasure the moment you put it on. The top texture is butter soft, yet the hand is firm and very pliable with some stretchability; while its snug cut best is suited for trimmer builds, the supple nature of the Nappa will help this jacket mold to your shape effortlessly.

Other details include a lining of 100% wool in a plaid print in the body and 100% cotton in the sleeves. Buttons on the pockets and cuffs are real horn, and zips are by original German manufacturer, Riri, with the correct lighter brown taping as is always seen on these jackets regardless if the leather is black or brown. Since these were commercial jackets, no military maker label can be deemed as correct, so we have made our own that bears the name “Hartmann” and the insignia of his squadron - JG52. Without question, no other manufacturer has been able to reproduce this style with such authenticity; we're certain you'll agree.

Please note - this style is cut and designed just like the originals, which is very close and “nippy” (it's supposed to be this way), so some may prefer to go for a larger size than they would normally wear because of this. However, this flight jacket looks much more stylish if it is worn as Hartmann did his - close and snug.  

Sizes available: 36-48 regular. Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on special order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from England  

Liquid Leather comes as a Conditioner/Cleaner set and is the perfect care treatment for all Eastman Leather leather products. The conditioner is a light, non-greasy cream which protects and conditions any type of finished leather (not for suede or Nubuck), and is perfect for jackets, as it leaves no residue.

The cleaner is also a mild application, which is ph neutral, containing no harmful ammonia, salts or phosphates. It is perfect for cleaning any Eastman Leather leather or sheepskin (only the outer side of the sheepskin and not the wool) garments.

NOTE: Pale aniline-dyed leathers may be slightly darkened by using Liquid Leather. We have done several tests and found that any darkening was hardly noticeable, if at all. But, to be sure, one should try testing on a small out-of-sight area first.

The Luftwaffe (German Air Force) ruled the skies after the outbreak of WWII in September 1939. During that time, many of their fighter pilots became some of the highest scoring aces in history. The egos of these dashing pilots and close quarters inside the cockpits of their Messerschmitt 109s spawned the need for a practical and stylish flight jacket. Since no issue flight jacket existed other than cumbersome flying suits, beginning in May 1940 these pilots were authorized to privately purchase their own waist-length leather flight jackets as long as they conformed to a basic design; accordingly, these flight jackets are the most unique of any in WWII since the features of design were as varied as the individual.

For the first time since WWII, this fine style has been copied in a typical form. Our Luftwaffe leather flight jacket example features: premium, 3-ounce weight vegetable-tanned horsehide in your choice of black or brown; warm, all-cotton moleskin lining in Luftwaffe blue; two zippered breast pockets; two slash lower pockets; deep, zippered pistol pocket inside; snap-down throat clasp, belt clasp and cuffs; belted side adjusters; zippered forearm openings, authentic label in German text and more... This tasteful and stylish design is extremely versatile. Made to our usual exacting standards, this flight jacket will serve you as faithfully as the German pilots did the Luftwaffe; whether flying, motorcycling, or just everyday casual wear, this tasteful design is a versatile garment whatever the occasion.

Sizes available: 36-48 regular. Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from England  

This flight jacket is rooted in pre-WWII Hollywood.  Thunderbird Field was a creation of Hollywood producer Leland Hayward, along with investors James Stewart, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Robert Taylor and Margaret Sullivan. Thoughtfully laid out, the airfield could be seen as an etching of the mythical Anasazi Thunderbird from the air. The control tower formed the head of the bird, the administration buildings and barracks its body, the hangers its wings, and the gardens its feathered tail.

In 1941 the field became part of the United States Army Air Force's training establishment and contract-based primary flight training base for Allied pilots of various nations throughout the war.

The Thunderbird Field Instructor's Flight Jacket is based upon traditional flight jacket and garment designs of the period, being strikingly similar to the USAC A-1 Flying Jacket of the 1920s. Made from 100% wool serge dyed in navy blue for the body, dark brown WarHorse® leather for the sleeves, and rayon-satin for the lining, this light-weight, easy-to-wear jacket has both classic vintage style and practical versatility: Worn in the autumn over just a T-shirt, or in the winter over a sweater - it fits the bill. The slick, high-quality rayon lining means it slips on and off easily, and the all-wool knit trim to collar, cuffs and waist keep the wind gusts out.

Stitched to the left upper left shoulder is an absolute spot-on reproduction of the famous Thunderbird Field embroidered patch, which has been produced on original 1920s looms using rayon yarns (which gives the patch an authentic, vintage look and feel), making it indistinguishable from an original example.

Sizes available: 36-48 regular. Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on special order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

This flight jacket is rooted in pre-WWII Hollywood.  Thunderbird Field was a creation of Hollywood producer Leland Hayward, along with investors James Stewart, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, Robert Taylor and Margaret Sullivan. Thoughtfully laid out, the airfield could be seen as an etching of the mythical Anasazi Thunderbird from the air. The control tower formed the head of the bird, the administration buildings and barracks its body, the hangers its wings, and the gardens its feathered tail.

In 1941 the field became part of the United States Army Air Force's training establishment and contract-based primary flight training base for Allied pilots of various nations throughout the war.

The Thunderbird Field Instructor's Flight Jacket is based upon traditional flight jacket and garment designs of the period, being strikingly similar to the USAC A-1 Flying Jacket of the 1920s. Made from 100% wool serge dyed in olive drab for the body, dark brown WarHorse® leather for the sleeves, and rayon-satin for the lining, this light-weight, easy-to-wear jacket has both classic vintage style and practical versatility: Worn in the autumn over just a T-shirt, or in the winter over a sweater - it fits the bill. The slick, high-quality rayon lining means it slips on and off easily, and the all-wool knit trim to collar, cuffs and waist keep the wind gusts out.

Stitched to the left upper left shoulder is an absolute spot-on reproduction of the famous Thunderbird Field embroidered patch, which has been produced on original 1920s looms using rayon yarns (which gives the patch an authentic, vintage look and feel), making it indistinguishable from an original example.

Sizes available: 36-48 regular. Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on special order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

The tee shirt is surely the most ubiquitous item of clothing that exists in our society today.  It fills the wardrobes of billions and is available in all shapes, sizes and colors, and its had just about every logo, slogan and advertisement put upon it known to man, but its lineage is one of humble utility, being nothing more than a basic, white undergarment that functioned as underwear.

Sailors and Marines of the U. S. military in WWII were issued with these white tee shirts, officially known as a Quarter-Sleeve Undershirt, or known in military slang in conjunction with under drawers - "Skivvies."  These service personnel were often seen stripped down to just this basic garment when working in hot environments or relaxing on a ship's decks; though such casual use of the undershirt didn’t begin in WWII, it was never before seen so worn in such great numbers as it was in WWII.  In the decades that followed the war, especially the ‘50s, this casual style was solidified by the youth who unconsciously made it fashionable, which was further inspired by Hollywood; silver-screen icons such as Brando and Dean and a host of other heart-throb stars could be seen attired in a classic white tee shirt.  Like flying jackets and jeans, the white tee shirt has secured its place in the classic-clothing wardrobe forever.

Over the years, the tee shirt has gradually evolved from its original ancestor in terms of cut, construction and quality, but it is only the original, white, military tee shirt of the late 1930s – 1940s that we identify with as markedly distinctive and more flattering than those typically encountered these many decades later.

This U. S. Navy WWII Tee Shirt we offer was copied from a new-old-stock vintage example, stitch-for-stitch.  Even the nomenclature stamp in the neck with U. S. Navy contract number is reproduced exactly from the vintage example.  Crafted from a fine- quality “slub yarn” cotton, they are constructed as per the original in terms of cut, seam style and color shade.  The neck opening, for example, is the correct style, which is slightly bigger than most modern-day tee shirts and has no ribbing; rather, the neck is opening is simply taped in the same fabric as the shirt.  The sleeves are of the true shorter, quarter-sleeve length of that era, which is much more flattering than so-called short sleeves we see today that hang down to your elbow.  The shoulders are correctly proportionate to most body types relevant to chest measures and don’t droop over onto your arms as typically seen in tee shirts of the current era.  And the torso is slim but also not gripping, and is long enough to be comfortably tucked in and not come out, yet also not long enough to be considered a dress as is the case with too many tee shirts on the market today.  Although we refer to the shade of this shirt as "white,” actually it is an off-white color as per the original; we have matched everything exactly.

The original tee shirts were made on loop-wheel, “body-size” looms which yield a shirt with no side seams, thus weaving a perfect tube.  To do this requires special looms that are only used by specialist manufacturers these days; subsequently, the looms are hard to source and expensive to produce garments on because you need one loom for each size you want made - but it's the proper way to make a vintage-style tee shirt, and it's the only way they were made for the U. S. military in the 1930's- ‘40's.

The expertise for making such a garment is largely only found in one place in the world these days - Japan.  The Japanese have become renowned as world experts in vintage-style garment manufacture and home of body-size construction, being able to produce super-accurate, vintage-quality fabrics.  Needless to say, we were only interested in producing the very best that could be achieved, so our U. S. Navy Tee Shirts are made in Japan.

For those who appreciate the fine details and quality of a vintage garment and, therefore, the absolute authenticity of a high-end reproduction, the Eastman U. S. Navy Tee Shirt is sure to delight.  This is the definitive, classic, white tee shirt of all time.

Available in sizes 36 - 44.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from Japan

The A-1 sweater was designated as a Mechanic’s item even though it proved to be very popular with aircrew, largely due to its pullover design and great warmth (the lighter type C-2 zipper-front cardigan being the official aircrew knit garment). As per usual, this very, very rare item of WWII wearing apparel has been copied to a super-high standard of quality and authenticity. Particularly noteworthy is the intricate rib-and-rack weave found on the cuffs and waistband of the original examples that has been expertly copied on our sweater, along with the heavy-weight wool construction. Made from 100% worsted-wool yarns in the original light olive drab color, this is the perfect sweater to wear with your USAAF flying jacket, especially the A-2 or, better yet, fully outfitted as a master aviation crew chief mechanic with our D-1 Jacket. However, the practical design, great warmth and smart looks and color (earth tone) of this sweater cannot be overstated - it looks absolutely unique and fabulous worn just by itself with khakis or jeans and a thin black or white turtleneck layered underneath. You'll be amazed at how good you look in this sweater and how warm and versatile it is for nearly any climate, look or application. A classic in every way, and one not to be found elsewhere!

Available in sizes 36 – 48.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

In homage to one of the greatest fighter units of all time, we are proud to offer the 352nd Fighter Group “Blue Noser” A-2 Flight Jacket. After interviewing several members of the 352nd, we were able to examine their original A-2 Jackets, which were famously modified with interior canvas pockets. One jacket, in particular, worn by 2nd Lt. Carleton “Bud” Fuhrman, was made by the Monarch Mfg. Co., thus we decided to produce this jacket type and copy the pocket details found in Bud’s jacket in this special reproduction of a 352nd A-2 Jacket.

As the air war in Europe escalated, Allied air missions were flying deeper into enemy territory.  Because of this, pilots were becoming more at risk to being shot down and captured; accordingly, an increasing array of innovative escape and evasion survival equipment was being issued to them. Stowage was limited within the flying clothing for the ever-increasing equipment issues, thus the pilots had their A-2 Jackets modified by adding two extra inside pockets. The inside pockets are what is known as “rigger modifications:” Occasionally, certain flying clothing needed to be modified to better suit the wearer and his needs and the parachute shop where the parachute riggers worked was the place; riggers used sewing machines to repair various parachute equipment – hence “rigger modification.”

Made to the highest degree of authenticity, we have reproduced the 352nd Monarch A-2 using our premium-grade WarHorse® horsehide. We use the same quality Olive Drab canvas as was used on Bud’s jacket; as you will see from the detailed images, the pocket stitching goes right through both the lining and leather shell, just as it does on Bud’s original A-2.

These pockets are purely utilitarian and not meant as fashion as you will see from the detailed ‘Close-Up’ images on the page link on this web site.  Further identifying the uniqueness of this special A-2 model, every jacket is stenciled in the back of the lining with correct wartime flight jacket stencil of the ‘352nd FTR GRP.’ This is the only A-2 Jacket we offer with interior pockets, made the way it was really done for actual combat operations in the Big League of aerial warfare in WWII. No other model is available with optional interior pockets and no other style of pockets is available.

This product is officially endorsed by the 352nd Fighter Group Pilots’ Association. Special thanks go to 352nd veterans: Robert ‘Punchy’ Powell and Carlton ‘Bud’ Fuhrman. Thanks are also extended to Mark Hamel, 352nd Ftr. Gp. historian: this special A-2 project is a testament to their invaluable help.

This A-2 Jacket is custom order only.  Sizes available: 36-48 regular.  Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from England