Black RAF Irvin

[John Lever]

If it is black and not dark brown, this is a rare one -
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :middle:uk

 

[Hawkeye]

damn John you beat me to it. Something tells me I've seen this jacket before, those painted initials on the back look really familiar, either from here or the RAF re-enactors forum. I really like the look of the black fleeced Irvins, has a bit of a kanal-jacket feeling to it. I wonder if you made a special request to Eastman if they would make one up?

 

[shanghai joe]

damn John you beat me to it. Something tells me I've seen this jacket before, those painted initials on the back look really familiar, either from here or the RAF re-enactors forum. I really like the look of the black fleeced Irvins, has a bit of a kanal-jacket feeling to it. I wonder if you made a special request to Eastman if they would make one up?

is it a race????

nice to see you posting hawkeye..........how's you pp claim goin' ?

keep us updated...........

 

[John Lever]

damn John you beat me to it. Something tells me I've seen this jacket before, those painted initials on the back look really familiar, either from here or the RAF re-enactors forum. I really like the look of the black fleeced Irvins, has a bit of a kanal-jacket feeling to it. I wonder if you made a special request to Eastman if they would make one up?

No they no longer make any variants whatsoever. Aero would probably do one though.

 

[Roughwear]

This one sold for a large amount to the current seller last year. It is certainly unusual and should do well. I prefer the more conventional shades of honey and copper to this and wont be bidding.

 

[tamoko]

It is not PM for "Pow Mia" ?

 

[shanghai joe]

It is not PM for "Pow Mia" ?

prisoner of war/missing in action????

 

[Anonymous]

It is not PM for "Pow Mia" ?

I doubt it. POW/MIA isn't really a term that was used widely by the Brits, certainly not in those days. I think it's more likely to be pilots initials, though don't know why he'd add them since identifying a black irvin amongst all the other blondies couldn't have been very difficult.

 

[havocpaul]

I remember bidding on it myself last year, PM are my initials too! It went for around £1000 if I recall?

 

[shanghai joe]

It is not PM for "Pow Mia" ?

I doubt it. POW/MIA isn't really a term that was used widely by the Brits, certainly not in those days. I think it's more likely to be pilots initials, though don't know why he'd add them since identifying a black irvin amongst all the other blondies couldn't have been very difficult.

possession is 9/10th of the law.........??

 

[shanghai joe]

I remember bidding on it myself last year, PM are my initials too! It went for around £1000 if I recall?

do you recall conditon of cuffs, as seller hasn'r pix em!

 

[tamoko]

.

 

[Roughwear]

Here are a couple of pics from the 2007 auction. The cuffs seem to be ok.

 

[Anonymous]

PM is typical marking for prisoner.
Pilots initials are typical painted on the front not back of the jacket.

Really? PM is not typically associated with Prisoner in the UK or USA.
All Irvin I've seen with art or names have them on the back or on the back of the collar. I've seen one (very dubious) Irvin with art on the front breast. Makes a lot of sense, really, if you think they'd be hanging with the back on view.

 

[shanghai joe]

Here are a couple of pics from the 2007 auction. The cuffs seem to be ok.

thanks Andrew- I remember that one now!

 

[Roughwear]

PM is typical marking for prisoner.
Pilots initials are typical painted on the front not back of the jacket.

Really? PM is not typically associated with Prisoner in the UK or USA.
All Irvin I've seen with art or names have them on the back or on the back of the collar. I've seen one (very dubious) Irvin with art on the front breast. Makes a lot of sense, really, if you think they'd be hanging with the back on view.

PM is certainly the owner's initials-Peter M.........perhaps. I have also seen Irvins with the names painted on the collar, written on the main zip tape, written on the spec label and even hidden inside the sleeve zip.

 

[Andrew]

PM is typical marking for prisoner.
Pilots initials are typical painted on the front not back of the jacket.

I like it a lot but it sounds from those dimensions it's quite small.

It would also be a rare thing in a camp. Prisoners usually had anything of real use or value taken from them at the point of capture- particularly this type of thing. From all accounts I've read and talking to a friend who was in Sagan, the warmest clothing they had in Camp was a re-issued army greatcoat from the Red Cross.

I agree it's most probably the Pilots initials.

Here's a shot of ex-POW's arriving in the UK at War's end.

 

[Roughwear]

The jacket was possibly made by Robinson and Ensum as it has some of the features associated with them such as Lightning zips for all the sleeves as well as the main zip (most makers used Flash Fastner or Dot sleeve zips and Lightning main zips at this time), the arrangements of the underarm vent holes, light tan stitching and the use of black fleece. I used to own a jacket with this maker's name on it and several panels were black.

 

[asiamiles]

PM could be the initials of, say, a motorcyclist who owned the jacket after the war? Difficult to tell from the photos but the lettering looks a bit flasher than I might expect from an RAF pilot in the 40's.

 

[BONNIEGIRL4]

no likee