Color variation on USN flight jackets...Question(s)....

[chancerider]

...This is a newbie question for sure...and I tried using the forum search tool to see if this was already covered somewhere, but came up empty. Question is; While I know that most USN G-1, (I'll use that term generically to cover all incarnations of the jacket design) were some variant of a dark brown, I have seen photos of G-1's where the color looks to be more light russet, more akin to a traditional A-2 coloring. Did USN jackets of this shading really exist or is it a trick of the lighting in the photographs? An example of what I'm talking about can be seen here; http://www.lostworldsinc.com/G-1_Flight ... _VMJ-1.htm

I know the above example is an old jacket so fading, etc.. may account for the color, but I have also seen newer G-1's that look to be russet...and not cheap copies or knockoffs, but the actual article. Anyway, I'm sure you-all get what I am asking. Old pros here may roll their eyes at the question, but hey...you gotta learn somehow and I, for one, am not afraid to ask the dumb questions! Thanks in advance for any informed guidance an info.

Best,

Rick

 

[a2jacketpatches]

The lighting in that photo brightens things up a bit but no trick, that's the color of many I've seen. And I had a civied m422 about that color as well but it had developed even lighter highlights over the years.

 

[devilish]

The color in that photo is mostly because of the use of flash i think. However like most leather products the USN flight jackets did vary in shade. I've had a couple that were a sort of milk chocolate shade and have seen some M 422's that had a reddish hue to them. So a lighter russet color may be out there.

 

[dilbert]

The G-1's could vary in color over time, depending on the manufacturer, much like the WW II A-2's. I was issued a Ralph Edwards G-1 in 1967 in Pensacola. The goatskin color is lighter than G-1's of other manufacturers, more of a milk chocolate color, and the mutton collar is a pronounced russet, unlike jackets issued before and after which had the dark brown mutton. I don't recall ever being that aware of the differences in jackets when I was flying, the jacket was simply a item of flight gear issue like our flight suits or boots that we took for granted. I'm happy to say that after all the years (I'm 69 now) the jacket still fits fine and looks great. They wore like iron and, unless really abused, last forever.

I think the other earlier comments are correct, the reddish color of the leather in the photos is a factor of the lighting more than anything. I never saw a really reddish jacket when I was flying.

 

[galvestonokie]

I totally agree with Dilbert. as USMC helicopter aircrew during the VN war, i was never issued a leather flight jacket. at that time (1967-70), i appreciated the coolness of the leather flight jacket, having grown up in a family of WWII USN and USAAC aviators. i saw a few patched G-1 jackets (mostly Korean War vintage), mostly with current or past combat squadrons, but most were unpatched. and most seemed to be just plain dark brown. and, the collar color i remember was darker than dark brown to black. since, after leaving the Training Command, i served in a RAG squadron for UH-1E, then a combat tour, followed by another year in a different training squadron, most G-1s i saw were pretty new.

i did obtain a WEP jacket in Vietnam (traded 2 fifths of whiskey--different story) and was very happy as these were warmer than the G-1s at altitude (and definitely warmer than a field jacket). when i first started combat flying, i wore a USMC issued field jacket as that was all we had. and, winters in SE Asia, either onshore or at sea, were cold, especially with the doors removed. i hated flying with a field jacket as they were bulky, didn't accomodate a gunner's belt and make athletic movement in the back of a Huey gunship difficult.

as most of us know, the leather parts are pretty tough, although some seem are splotched with white paint, either from painting USMC rocks or Navy buildings or the garage. it seems kind of strange that many show up with white paint--maybe a mystery of life.

IMHO, the best historical record for all things USN flight jacket is Roger Moore's site, and should answer most questions about the G-1 evolution. enjoy!

http://moorecustom.com/jackets

Bob