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Army Nomex Flight Jackets

FtrPlt

Active Member
Thought I'd move the discussion to a standalone thread. Here is the original thread:
http://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11621

Discussion started regarding the US Army winter flight jacket. Arising from that discussion was noting the early issues (~1974) of the winter flight jacket did not share the velcro pocket flaps seen on the later Flight/CVC versions nor did it have the velcro slit across the upper back to access the tanker extraction harness.

I did some trolling around eBay and discovered the early version of the lightweight flyers jacket also had pockets without the velcro flap. Seems the early jackets had velcro within the pocket slits. Here's an example of the lightweight jacket without pocket flaps:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-GI-NOMEX-...269?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e6714b555

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From a safety standpoint, I'm curious how long this pocket style remained in use as it would clearly present a snag hazard in an emergency egress situation.
 

Rutger

Well-Known Member
Like you said it would seem that the two types of army flyer's jackets were there first, the winter weight version later to be adopted by the ground forces, either before or after the introduction of the back-slit. The reasoning of pocketflaps sounds logical/practical.

Now the summer weight doesn't have the back-slit for grabbing the harness at all, therefore I presume them not to be part of the Combat Vehicle Crew ensemble, but does anyone know if they were actually issued to ground combat forces, or were they only ever issued to flying personnel?

Also, the CVC jacket was made in desert tan as well (which looks very good btw), but i've never seen the summer version in tan, did anyone?
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
I've never seen the lightweight version with any name other than Jacket, Flyers, Lightweight. Clearly the cold weather version had a name change which, IMO, was probably reflective of the dual-use role it played.

During Desert Storm/Desert Shield I never saw the tan jackets. We only had the green ones.
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
Checked some of my old flight school photos. My original lightweight jacket (circa 1984) did not haved the pocket flaps but did have the black velcro nameplate. Pretty interesting. I never noticed the difference. More prominent on my later jacket was the lack of the black velcro and the need to use embroidered tapes.
 

jonnyboy

Member
Hi guys,

I keep coming back to the idea of buying one of these jackets as I think they're great looking, and I can't believe how inexpensive they are!

Could anyone give me an idea of how they fit size-wise? i.e. is a medium like a 40-42, and a large a 42-44?

Thanks,

Jon
 

Rutger

Well-Known Member
yup, that's right. If you feel ok in a 42-44 CWU or a 44 A2, the CVC large-regular and large-long may both be good, though long probably the preferable one. If you're a size 44 or up the xlarge-long and xlarge-regular may become the better choice.
I have experienced that sizes and cut/drape vary considerably, I got comfy large and unwearable large (too small), even if they ought be the same. Likewise for XL ( but then too large).
So be prepared to find one nominally right, yet not feeling well. Well, they by far have both the best quality:cost ratio and overall practicality of any flight jacket I know. And fire resistant too :D .
 

Peter Graham

Well-Known Member
jonnyboy said:
I keep coming back to the idea of buying one of these jackets as I think they're great looking, and I can't believe how inexpensive they are!
I've been thinking the same thing. I looked at one in a vintage shop in Manchester earlier this year. Really nice quality jacket. Wish I'd bought it.
 

jonnyboy

Member
Thanks Rutger. Sounds like a large regular would be the best size for me.

I like the simple, understated style of these jackets - they seem to be a cross between a tanker style jacket and an MA-1.

I've never had much luck with nylon flight jackets. I love the look of them, but not me in them. This might just be the one!

Peter, which vintage shop was it in Manchester? I'm from Manchester originally, but don't get back more than once or twice a year. There used to be loads of vintage clothes and militaria shops (particularly in the northern quarter), but I'm not sure if they're all still there now. I used to go into Manchester most weekends when I was at college, and buy old leather jackets and records!

Cheers,

Jon
 

Peter Graham

Well-Known Member
Jonny, I can't remember the name of the shop but it was in Oldham St. There's loads of vintage shops there. It's mostly studenty stuff they sell but I did spot a few Nam era jungle jackets and the Nomex jacket. All cheap but I was over on a spur of the moment weekend for a gig in the academy and I had no spare cash.
 

derleicaman

Member
I have a couple of these jackets and I agree they are a great value. You can usually find them on ebay for an even better price, around $25, if you look a little harder. They do seem to be a bit on the short side, so a long would be good for most of us. I take a 46 in a GW A-2, and the XL Long fits me well. Later versions had pocket flaps. They are usually well made, although I have one where the pocket velcro is coming off.

If I'm not mistaken, years ago there was a batch of very shoddily made ones by Isratex. There was a sort of mini-scandel about this. I believe they were being made in Puerto Rico. I think the govt. ended up prosecuting them. I would watch out for anything made by this company.
 

derleicaman

Member
A quick google search revealed the following news story from 1998.

A Brooklyn-based clothing company and four of its top officials have been charged with defrauding the Pentagon of millions of dollars by using defective cloth in coveralls and combat uniforms, law enforcement officials said yesterday.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said the company, Isratex Inc., rigged inspections to make Defense Department inspectors think they were examining random samples of new clothing when they were actually seeing the same small batch of properly made goods over and over.

Isratex had $30 million in contracts with the Defense Department to manufacture clothing for the armed services. Prosecutors said the rigged inspections took place at a subsidiary in Puerto Rico that made uniforms and other military clothing.

They said an inspector who wanted to examine a lot ready for shipment would choose at random the numbers on the boxes that he wished to see. ''He would then wait in a conference room and they would bring him the boxes with those numbers,'' said Seth L. Marvin, an assistant United States attorney in Brooklyn.
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But the inspectors were shown boxes that had quickly been spray-painted with the requested numbers and that contained garments that would pass the inspection, Mr. Marvin said.

''The actual production lots manufactured by Isratex of Puerto Rico Inc.,'' as the subsidiary was known, ''consisted mainly of items that were manufactured with defective cloth and with inferior workmanship,'' said a statement from the office of Zachary W. Carter, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

Mr. Marvin declined to say how the fraud was discovered or how much of the $30 million worth of clothing had actually been produced, delivered and paid for. But he said Defense Department officials had estimated that the agency had lost $10 million.
 

Rutger

Well-Known Member
Assuming the original bid from Isratex was an honest competitive offer, I wonder how many corners you have to cut to make an extra profit of 10M$ with a contract that's worth 30M$.
Nice background though, even if I know I got at least one Isratex CWU and two Isratex CVC jackets.
Just went through the pile, they were made by Carter, Alpha, Isratex, and Creative Apparel, and maybe more.
 

Peter Graham

Well-Known Member
Just scored an 80's cold weather jacket for £21, brand new, and it's not Isratex. Looking forward to it as a good winter beater.
 

FtrPlt

Active Member
Good week on eBay. Picked up two unissued Army nomex jackets -- both size Large/Long. One for $26 (lightweight flyers), delivered; the second for $35 (Cold Weather).
 
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