“A Better Fighting Garment…” 3.0 - The Guide to U.S. Navy Intermediate Leather Flight Jackets

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Star N383s-51863 Ex. No. 2:

 

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55J14 A. PRITZKER & SONS, INC. CONTRACT N383s-69537​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1949 and 1951
Comments on the leather or mouton: leather tanned such that it shows its base color as the leather ages
Liner: brown, frequently with a green cast that makes it seem more olive drab
Thread: dark brown
Zipper(s): blackened brass Conmar
Knits: muted brown single-ply rib-rack knits, unique in that the that, on this contract, the two different weaves take up a roughly equal portion of the knit.
General Comments:
Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• bottom knits proportionally equal between rack and rib weave
• Pritzker details:
  • narrow back with front panels wrapping back to meet the back panel.
  • leather tanned such that it shows its base color as the leather ages
• Three-point pocket flaps, although some begin to resemble the rectangular pocket flaps that are seen on Pritzker’s 7823 contract, and that would become standard for Navy jackets.
• Liner frequently seems to be olive drab
• White/silver USN stencil, occasionally with periods in between.

Pritzker 55-J-14 Ex. No. 1:

 

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Pritzker 55-J-14 Ex. No. 2:

 

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Pritzker 55-J-14 Ex. No. 2, continued:

 

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MIL-J-7823 [21-Nov-1951] “....the specifications were defective…”​

The MIL-J-7823 Specification superseded 55-J-14 on 21-Nov-1951. One amendment is known, dated 15-Jul-1952. To have tighter change control the drawings are included within the MIL-J-7823 Spec and any updates within the Spec. require a revision (or amendment) change. Until MIL-J-7823E AMEND #3 all 7823 jackets were made of chocolate brown goatskin.

From 1949 to 1956, L.W. Foster had successfully manufactured approximately 200,000 flying jackets for BuAer under a series of contracts which contained specifications the same as or very similar to the 1958 contracts. L.W. Foster "envisioned no difference" as to what would constitute an acceptable garment under the contracts now being given out by the Military Clothing and Textile Supply Agency (MCTSA) because, although a new procurement agency was involved, the contract was for the same jackets which it had previously made for the Navy. Due to late deliveries on two contracts, DA 36-243-QM(CTM)-2132 and DA 36-243-QM(CTM)-2134, they were terminated and appealed to the Board of Contract Appeals

L.W. Foster argued in court that the specification requirements for the type of seams for the joining of the knit to the leather and the rayon lining underneath did not accord with the best practices of the trade, were virtually impossible to perform without causing abrasions and cut leather, which would be scored as defects, and that the operation should be performed by another method. Another problem developed with regard to the method of sewing the pocket flap to the face of the jacket. The company argued that the method prescribed by the specifications was inconsistent with the contract diagram, was "practically impossible" to accomplish and could cause damage to the jacket. On top of this the quality assurance regime revealed scoring as major defects healed scars and healed briar scratches by an Inspector who did not know what these were and with mended knits scored as defects but which did not affect appearance or serviceability. These were not the only issues that led to the lawsuit.

In judgment, the six Judges held “There is no doubt, in the first place, that the specifications were defective. The record clearly reflects instances in which defendant's agents admitted as much. The Government later amended the specifications in question, incorporating many of the changes found necessary in the performance of this contract.” and found that the company knew that it could not produce an acceptable flying jacket under the contract specifications, as written, at the time that it submitted its bid. But it had had five or six previous contracts with the Navy for the same type of jacket, with the same or very similar specifications, and in every case deviations were made and allowed as a matter of course — and had to be made for production to go on. The Judges concluded that the company had acted reasonably in assuming that the formal change from BuAer to MCTSA did not break the working relationship which had already been established.

MIL-J-7823 was replaced by MIL-J-7823A in November of 1958. From this point forward, the different G-1 contracts become much more uniform in their design and are quite difficult to distinguish without a spec label.

 

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The conversion to the Federal Catalog System began with the Army-Navy Munitions Board in 1949 and wasn’t completed until 1953. As the MIL-J-7823 was produced it transitioned to the new system and the contracts became more descriptive with CTM for Contract, DA for Defense Agency, QM for Quartermaster, etc. Nylon thread is used for the jacket and polypropylene thread for the buttons. All contracts are nylon lined.

 

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MIL-J-7823 L.W.FOSTER SPORTSWEAR CO., INC CONTRACT N383s-74471​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1951 and 1958
Cost of the Contract:
Comments on the leather or mouton:
Lining color: brown
Thread: light brown or medium brown
Zipper(s): brass Conmar “conmatic” zipper
Knits: muted brown single-ply rib-rack knits, although some are a bit warmer.
General Comments:

• This is the last Foster contract to be made in their first pattern, which they had used on contracts made under the AN-J-3A and 55-J-14 specifications (JC CD > USN > 7823 > Foster 1).

Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• L.W. Foster first pattern details:
  • The number one identifying detail is a line of stitching distinguishing the pencil pocket, similar to G&F’s early jackets. Both pockets are the same width, however. L.W. Foster is the only maker that did this.
  • Nicely scalloped pockets
  • Big in the shoulders, tight around the waist.
  • The back panel is much wider than earlier contractors
  • Small collar
  • Simple throat latch
• White block letter USN stencil, noticeably in a different font from Foster's previous contracts.

Foster N383s-74471 Ex. No. 1:

 

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MIL-J-7823 MONARCH MFG. CO. CONTRACT N383s-80667​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1951 and 1958
Cost of the Contract:
Comments on the leather or mouton:
Lining color: purple or reddish brown
Thread: medium brown and light brown, even in the same jacket.
Zipper(s): blackened Conmar zipper, Conmar nickel, brass straight-pull Conmar
Knits: warm brown single-ply rib-rack knits
General Comments:
Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• Monarch details
  • Seam running down back of liner - Monarch is the only manufacturer to do this.
  • Wind flap ends about 1 inch short of bottom of jacket (GW)
  • Tall pockets with well-scalloped flaps
  • Front panels wrap around the back, where they are sewn under the panels of the bi-swing back.
• Inside pocket built into the leather facings, unlike earlier Monarchs.
• Single-stitched back-belt, much like other makers, but unlike Monarch’s earlier contracts.
• White/silver U.S.N. stencil

Monarch 7823 Ex. No. 1:

 

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Monarch 7823 Ex. No. 2:

 

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MIL-J-7823 WERBER SPORTSWEAR, INC. CONTRACT N383S-88886​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1951 and 1958
Cost of the Contract: unknown
Comments on the leather or mouton:
Lining color: brown with a reddish cast
Thread: dark or light brown
Zipper(s): Canadian-made Talon in a gunmetal color
Knits: warm brown single-ply rib-rack knits with maybe a hint of a purple undertone
General Comments:
Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• The number one identifying feature is a Talon zip that was made in Canada and is marked as such. Only Werbers had these.
• Noticeable scalloping on the pocket flaps
• Pockets are placed close to zip and are rather tall
• When lying flat, the half-belt panel runs the entire width of the back.
• Long sleeves & short torso.
• The leather facings inside the jacket are multi-piece.
• White block USN stencil

Werber G-1 Ex. No. 1:

 

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Werber G-1 Ex. No. 2:

 

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MIL-J-7823 A. PRITZKER & SONS, INC.CONTRACT N383S-319A​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1951 and 1958
Cost of the Contract: leather tanned such that it shows its base color as the leather ages
Comments on the leather or mouton:
Lining color: brown
Thread: medium brown
Zipper(s): blackened or nickel Conmar
Knits: brown single-ply rib-rack knits
General Comments:
Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• Pritzker details:
  • narrow back with front panels wrapping back to meet the back panel.
  • leather tanned such that it shows its base color as the leather ages
• Rectangular pocket flaps that curve along the bottom edge, as would become standard in later G-1 jackets. This is distinct from the more triangular pocket flaps seen on Pritzker’s 55-J-14 contract.
• White USN stencil

Pritzker 7823 Ex. No. 1:

 

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MIL-J-7823 J.A.DUBOW SPORTING GOODS CORP. CONTRACT N383S-4765A​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1951 and 1958
Cost of the Contract:
Comments on the leather or mouton: Frequently quite dark leather
Lining color: muted brown that fades to a more purplish hue
Thread: dark brown
Zipper(s): nickel Conmar zipper
Knits: rich dark brown single-ply rib-rack knits
General Comments:
Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• Dubow details:
  • Frequently quite dark leather
  • Lightly scalloped triangular pocket flaps, the corners of which frequently extend beyond the lateral edge of the pocket body.
  • Long body, and sleeves that are short, both relative to the jacket body and to the wearer.
  • narrow back with front panels wrapping back to be sewn under the back panel
  • widely-spaced pockets
  • White U.S.N. stencil

Dubow N383S-4765A Ex. No. 1:

 

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MIL-J-7823 J.A.DUBOW SPORTING GOODS CORP. CONTRACT N383S-4833A​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1951 and 1958
Cost of the Contract: unknown
Comments on the leather or mouton: Frequently quite dark leather
Lining color: brown
Thread: dark brown
Zipper(s): nickel Conmar zipper
Knits: rich dark brown single-ply rib-rack knits
General Comments:
Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• Dubow details:
  • Frequently quite dark leather
  • Lightly scalloped triangular pocket flaps, the corners of which frequently extend beyond the lateral edge of the pocket body.
  • Long body, and sleeves that are short, both relative to the jacket body and to the wearer.
  • narrow back with front panels wrapping back to be sewn under the back panel
  • widely-spaced pockets
  • White U.S.N. stencil (JC CD > USN > 7823 > Dubow)

Dubow N383S-4833A Ex. No. 1:

 

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MIL-J-7823 CAGLECO SPORTSWEAR CONTRACT N383s-9211A​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1951 and 1958
Cost of the Contract: unknown
Comments on the leather or mouton: mouton frequently seems to start near black and remain that way.
Lining color: charcoal
Thread: dark greenish
Zipper(s): blackened Conmar with nickel teeth
Knits: brown single-ply rib-rack knits with a purple cast
General Comments:
Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• Cagleco details:
  • Small shoulders
  • collars are large and splay out when worn
  • pockets are large and placed close to zip
  • angular windflap
  • high stitch count
• dark liner, more a charcoal color
• mouton frequently a dark shade
• White/silver USN stencil

Cagleco N383s-9211A Ex. No. 1:

 

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Cagleco N383s-9211A Ex. No. 1, continued:

Cagleco N383s-9211A Ex. No. 2:

 

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Cagleco N383s-9211A Ex. No. 2, continued:

 

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MIL-J-7823 CAGLECO SPORTSWEAR CONTRACT N383s-14722A​

Contract Dates: contract dates unknown, but awarded sometime between 1951 and 1958
Cost of the Contract:
Comments on the leather or mouton: mouton frequently seems to start near black and remain that way.
Lining color: charcoal
Thread: dark greenish
Zipper(s): blackened Conmar with nickel teeth
Knits: muted brown single-ply rib-rack knits
General Comments:
Identifying/Distinguishing Details:

• Cagleco details:
  • Small shoulders
  • collars are large and splay out when worn
  • pockets are large and placed close to zip
  • angular windflap
  • high stitch count
• dark liner, more a charcoal color
• mouton frequently a dark shade
• white/silver USN stencil

Cagleco N383s-14722A Ex. No. 1: