Skyhawk
Well-Known Member
We have a new unique flight jacket model in the works. Actually it has been a very long process which started about a year ago. Dr. H. from the forums approached me to make a custom reproduction of this jacket. I had seen the jacket before but never dove into the history or tried to research it. We made a few cool discoveries together that got the ball rolling. The project ended up falling through and the jacket was not made. I continued the research though however, because I discovered some monumental details on the jacket and I thought that I may want to make the model in the future. A few months later, a regular customer of mine who had been interested in this jacket as well, ordered one. That put this jacket in line in our queue and now we have reached it's place and have started constructing it.
While researching this jacket, it did not take long to ascertain that the jacket was a predecessor to the 37J1 Jacket. It was also clear that this jacket was made before the Specifications existed for the Contract 37J1. A true Test Jacket as some of the details were kept and used in the specs, and some were changed. Here are the different features not found on the other contract 37J1 jackets:
1. The pockets are Welted style pockets not Patch pockets - Every other contracted 37J1 has patch pockets.
2. 6 main buttons - All other contracts have 5.
3. No reinforcement on the collar snaps . The collar is also taller and the snaps are further up on the knit- All other contracts have the reinforcement tabs.
4. Single line of top stitching on pocket flaps, cuffs and waist - All other contracts have a double line.
Luckily in the period film "Hell Divers : 1931" Wallace Beery wears an original and we can identify a lot of features from his jacket in the film.
These features also help with identifying the maker of the jacket. At first we thought it may be SAT because it looked like the Button Holes were hand made. When we got higher res photos and reviewed the film, we found that the button holes are machined. In addition, SAT is not seen before 1930 as a major jacket maker and this jacket was made before 1927.
There was a maker in the 1920's that had the materials, know how, and means to make these jackets. In fact they were already a US government contractor providing flight helmets and leather fight clothing to the USAAC and the USN Department of Aeronautics. They even provided test jackets to the USAAC for the A-1 Test program and there is a great chance that they were one of the companies that won a contract.
This company was A.G. Spalding & Bros.
Adding to this theory is the fact that Spalding was producing similar jackets at the time for the civilian market. Some of these jackets had matching features such as:
1. Welted pockets
2. Single line 1/8" wide stitching on pocket flaps
3. Machined button holes
4. Angled pocket flaps
5. Seal colored wool knits
6. Capeskin Leather
I believe this is quite enough evidence to attribute this jacket to A.G Spalding. This is our label layout for the jacket. It would have not has a spec tag yet so we went with a layout seen on other such test clothing.
The liner will be chocolate brown not tan. It can be seen in the movie that the liner was much darker than tan on the jacket. There is evidence of tan cotton liners in later contracts but this jacket had a much darker shade of liner.
I will post photos of the completed jacket after it is finished.
Best Regards,
Jay
While researching this jacket, it did not take long to ascertain that the jacket was a predecessor to the 37J1 Jacket. It was also clear that this jacket was made before the Specifications existed for the Contract 37J1. A true Test Jacket as some of the details were kept and used in the specs, and some were changed. Here are the different features not found on the other contract 37J1 jackets:
1. The pockets are Welted style pockets not Patch pockets - Every other contracted 37J1 has patch pockets.
2. 6 main buttons - All other contracts have 5.
3. No reinforcement on the collar snaps . The collar is also taller and the snaps are further up on the knit- All other contracts have the reinforcement tabs.
4. Single line of top stitching on pocket flaps, cuffs and waist - All other contracts have a double line.
Luckily in the period film "Hell Divers : 1931" Wallace Beery wears an original and we can identify a lot of features from his jacket in the film.
These features also help with identifying the maker of the jacket. At first we thought it may be SAT because it looked like the Button Holes were hand made. When we got higher res photos and reviewed the film, we found that the button holes are machined. In addition, SAT is not seen before 1930 as a major jacket maker and this jacket was made before 1927.
There was a maker in the 1920's that had the materials, know how, and means to make these jackets. In fact they were already a US government contractor providing flight helmets and leather fight clothing to the USAAC and the USN Department of Aeronautics. They even provided test jackets to the USAAC for the A-1 Test program and there is a great chance that they were one of the companies that won a contract.
This company was A.G. Spalding & Bros.
Adding to this theory is the fact that Spalding was producing similar jackets at the time for the civilian market. Some of these jackets had matching features such as:
1. Welted pockets
2. Single line 1/8" wide stitching on pocket flaps
3. Machined button holes
4. Angled pocket flaps
5. Seal colored wool knits
6. Capeskin Leather
I believe this is quite enough evidence to attribute this jacket to A.G Spalding. This is our label layout for the jacket. It would have not has a spec tag yet so we went with a layout seen on other such test clothing.
The liner will be chocolate brown not tan. It can be seen in the movie that the liner was much darker than tan on the jacket. There is evidence of tan cotton liners in later contracts but this jacket had a much darker shade of liner.
I will post photos of the completed jacket after it is finished.
Best Regards,
Jay