Czech Wing Commander's Irvin

[Andrew]

Many Irvins from the 1930s were veg tanned and either hand dyed or more normally spray finished. As the War progressed the faster chrome tanning process was generally used with a polyacrilate spray finish. Most late War Irvins were made from recycled flying trousers as sheepskin was in short supply.

.... and as a result you often see similar blowouts and cracks occuring in the thinner skins of later War Irvins.

 

[horseback leader]

Andrew,

That jacket is stunning, utterly fabulous condition. It fits you perfectly as well. Is the hide equally supple all over or are there some stiffer spots from age?

Dan

 

[RCSignals]

Fantastic jacket.
The providence of it is a reminder of how many people, displaced by the German machine, fought them for the allies, only to end up with their countries in lock down by the Soviets for many years. Sad. Czechs, Poles, and others.

 

[Roughwear]

Andrew,

That jacket is stunning, utterly fabulous condition. It fits you perfectly as well. Is the hide equally supple all over or are there some stiffer spots from age?

Dan

Dan, I have just spotted your question! The hide is supple all over, but the density of the fleece varies, being a little thinner on the sleeves than on the body. The back of the jacket is slightly less supple than the front, but there is no rot or weak areas. Hopefully it will get the odd outing this autumn/winter.

 

[philip.ed]

Out of interest, is this jacket a perfect fit? The Irvin was designed so that the body was short enough for comfotable wear in the cockpit, and the sleeves so that, when the pilot's hand was on the control column, the cuffs just reached the end of the arms. Consequently, the length of the sleeves would usually be slightly longer, no?

It's a perfect fit in a fashionable sense (and looks great) but interestingly, would we expect to see a pilot comfortably wearing a jacket during the war that 'fitted' him this well? (With all the associated practicalities in mind?)

 

[Roughwear]

Ben, if you look at Wartime photos there was a considerable variety of sleeves lengths. The ideal length was when the cuff ended at the knuckles. Almost all of my Irvins have sleeves which end there or near the finger tips. This Links jacket is a good fit to wear over a shirt, but the sleeves would be a little short to fly a Hurricane. As I don't have one, i'm not bothered! :lol:

 

[John Lever]

Andrew, I understand from a knowledgeable mutual friend that all originals have very long arms, some thing repro makers seem to miss.

 

[asiamiles]

Andrew, I understand from a knowledgeable mutual friend that all originals have very long arms, some thing repro makers seem to miss.

Though it's more important for them to do wearable jackets. If no one buys them because they think the arms are too long, they will soon go out of business. I think Irvins are very forgiving jackets and actually look better when oversized, which is often how originals were worn, partly because they needed to be big enough to over uniform and is some cases because they were 'passed on'. Andrew's latest fits fine but looks a little short with jeans.

 

[rich]

Andrew's latest fits fine but looks a little short with jeans.

I think the hands-on-hips pose is lifting Andrew's shoulders, and making the jacket look shorter than it is? Personally, I'd be
pleased if the arms on my ELC Irvin were and inch shorter, and the body an inch longer! (But if I was at 20,000' over Essen,
it might be the last thing on my mind )

 

[philip.ed]

This Links jacket is a good fit to wear over a shirt, but the sleeves would be a little short to fly a Hurricane. As I don't have one, i'm not bothered! :lol:

Exactly my thoughts, Andrew. I find it interesting to compare wartime sizing (if indeed one can desribe wartime sizing!) with more modern trends of fit.
The most poignant photo of an Irvin for me is the one of Killy Kilmartin (I think I spelt his name right) wearing an Irvin with the sleeve's rolled up. It looks almost fashionable, but it's clear that if he wore it in the cockpit, it could be desribed as a 'good fit'.

 

[Roughwear]

Below is the picture which I think you are referring to. The IAC jacket worn by Kilmartin is probably at least one size too big for him, whilst Stratton's jacket is a more practical fit. But there was no correct fit then as now!

 

[rich]

Some sleeve lengths - don't think these would be practical today.

 

[Roughwear]

One thing in their favour is that long sleeves keep my hands warm in winter, when I forget to wear gloves! :lol:

 

[Roughwear]

The Czech Wing Commander's Irvin is up for sale to help fund another project.

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=10619

 

[CBI]

what other project would be worth letting this baby go?

 

[Roughwear]

All will be revealed in due course John.

 

[CBI]

Oh of course! Can't wait!

 

[RCSignals]

All will be revealed in due course John.

Tease

 

[Roughwear]

The new project is a mint, and I mean mint Irvin Air Chute Irvin, dated 1933, which I bought from a UK collector earlier today. Pictures to follow shortly.

 

[flyboy]

The new project is a mint, and I mean mint Irvin Air Chute Irvin, dated 1933, which I bought from a UK collector earlier today. Pictures to follow shortly.

Even more tease!