Lorenzo_l
Well-Known Member
That is one heck of a nice and rare jacket, Jan. Great find.
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Show us your US(A)AF Eye Candy
- Thread starter mulceber
- Start date
mulceber
Moderator
Yeah, the AN-J-3 was meant to be a jacket that would replace all Army and Navy flight jackets. The companies making it weren't really given a pattern, or even a detailed set of directions, they were just told to make jackets like they'd made before, but with changes to accommodate the demands of the Army and Navy.
Since Willis & Geiger (the likely maker of this jacket) had made Navy jackets in the past, but not AAF jackets, they basically took their M-422(A) design and made the changes that would let it meet the army's specification - leather collar, epaulets. I guess their version also involved an exterior storm flap. Every army version of this jacket that I've seen (4 of them) has also had the storm flap. Anyone who made the AN-J-3A, the Navy's version of this jacket had an interior wind flap instead. I guess it's possible some manufacturers made an Army version with the wind flap too, but I haven't seen any pictures of one.
At the end of the day though, the AAF decided to go with cloth jackets to save money (and possibly rivalry with the Navy - didn't want their pilots wearing basically the same thing as Navy pilots) and the B-10 was the result.
Since Willis & Geiger (the likely maker of this jacket) had made Navy jackets in the past, but not AAF jackets, they basically took their M-422(A) design and made the changes that would let it meet the army's specification - leather collar, epaulets. I guess their version also involved an exterior storm flap. Every army version of this jacket that I've seen (4 of them) has also had the storm flap. Anyone who made the AN-J-3A, the Navy's version of this jacket had an interior wind flap instead. I guess it's possible some manufacturers made an Army version with the wind flap too, but I haven't seen any pictures of one.
At the end of the day though, the AAF decided to go with cloth jackets to save money (and possibly rivalry with the Navy - didn't want their pilots wearing basically the same thing as Navy pilots) and the B-10 was the result.
Chandler
Well-Known Member
Isn't the AN-J-3a fitted with the mouton collar? I thought that's where the A came from?
My vintage Navy jacket appears to be an AN-J-3a and is near to identical to an M-422a, probably because of the reasons you state about companies just continuing with what they'd been making.
Be interesting to see a good history on how the whole AN concept came to be -- and then tanked.
My vintage Navy jacket appears to be an AN-J-3a and is near to identical to an M-422a, probably because of the reasons you state about companies just continuing with what they'd been making.
Be interesting to see a good history on how the whole AN concept came to be -- and then tanked.
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
No
Not just me. Phew....I’m as confused as you are, Couchy. The hat was made by Bronson.
mulceber
Moderator
Nah, the AN stands for Army Navy. I think the J is "joint" but I'm not sure. But yes, the AN-J-3A has a mouton collar. The idea was to have a common design (or similar enough design) that when the jackets were being made, they could be made into Army jackets or Navy jackets at a relatively late point in the construction process. At least, that's my understanding. What killed the whole project was probably some combination of the following:
- incompatibility of design requirements (the Army and Navy didn't want to compromise)
- cost of production - the army had more fliers than the Navy, and was looking to cut costs. Having a joint design cut costs to some extent, but not enough to make it worth it. Fabric was just a better alternative.
- rivalry between the branches - AAF didn't want to be wearing the same jackets as the Navy. Not enough to torpedo the AN-J-3 on its own, but when combined with the other two?
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
This is one that sits in a display case at the Wright Patterson AFB National Museum. What makes this jacket interesting is that you immediately see two things . One, that it’s a private purchase jacket as you can see from the two piece seamed back , and two, that’s it’s a Korean War vintage jacket . Since A2 jackets were no longer available for issue by the time of the Korean War , that obviously accounts for why the owner either had one made for himself in Korea, or purchased one on the retail market .
Chandler
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I was referring to the "a" suffix after the 3. Yeah, knew the AN designation.
Do you have a good source(s) for your info? Like to read up.
Chandler
Well-Known Member
Too bad you can't see the label.
Chandler
Well-Known Member
SOLD! Oh, wait -- lemme check with the wife...
mulceber
Moderator
Burt, I’ve seen a lot of that jacket (having written the United Sheeplined thread with you), and I’m always happy to see it again. It’s a beauty!
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the kind words Jan . Your original is pretty damn nice in its own right . So I hope you’ll put yours up here as well .
mulceber
Moderator
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Oops my bad !Already did, way back in the original post.
Silver Surfer
Well-Known Member
goes to show that there are some larger original a-2s around, in nice clean wearable condition.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
That’s true ... but I have to admit that they’ve gotten a lot harder to find then they were a few years ago . I’m guessing the bigger ones are at a premium and once someone buys one , after they’ve been searching for a while, they’re not in a rush to let it go anytime soon. .
Chandler
Well-Known Member
Sure, they're all in Burt's closet.
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