Amelia Earhart Flight Jacket Reproduction - The Aviatrix

[Skyhawk]

Some interesting facts I discovered in the Earhart papers:

Her suede leather jacket was made by our old pals at Abercrombie & Fitch. Not saying that they made the other jacket but the pocket stitching is identical and the tan knits.... interesting:

This next bit of evidence is very compelling. It proves that she was wearing the jacket 3 days before she disappeared.

This was taken at Lae, New Guinea June 29th 1937.

Regards,
Jay

 

[Changeling]

All very interesting. Soon you will probably know for sure who made that leather jacket, a good thread, following the history trail of Amelia`s flying jacket.

 

[B-Man2]

This is some really fascinating historical information. A&F that’s a bit of a surprise considering we never really think of them when talking about vintage flight jackets.
Great research Jay..

 

[Bombing IP]

Back then Abercrombie and Fitch was a veritable wonderland for sports , expedition and Safaris .They even had a sighting in range in the basement so you could test guns . Now its nothing more than a company similar to the Gap shame !.


Jeff

 

[Skyhawk]

This is some really fascinating historical information. A&F that’s a bit of a surprise considering we never really think of them when talking about vintage flight jackets.
Great research Jay..

A&F does have a connection with vintage flight jackets. They handled some of the Willis & Geiger AN-J-3 jackets during WWII. I think they rebranded the surplus jackets with their labels or had them made for them, as I recall.

 

[zoomer]

Jay, your "Aviator/Aviatrix" model is very similar in configuration to what you'd get if you made a leather Navy 37J1, but cut it on the cloth design.

My avatar is a photoshop conception of what such a garment might look like, altho mine shows a button-thru collar. Either with this or the zip-up collar, I think it could be quite handsome.

 

[Skyhawk]

Updates:
The new version of the Aviatrix will be in my hands next week. This will include all the details we know of up to this point. New SAT label, updated correct zipper pull, and new pocket shape.

The Museum Jacket:


Sorry to say that the jacket is not at that museum. They said they have a photo of it only. They referred me to the 99's Women Of Flight Museum in OK. The manager said that she thinks they may have it. I have contacted them and I am waiting for a response.......

Given the different knits and buttons, and possibly color, I'm thinking that it may have been one of her 99's friends that owned this particular jacket. Made by the same MFG but a little different options.

Having found the photographic evidence of her wearing the jacket in New Guinea 3 days before she disappeared, it would be a very slim possibility that this is the same jacket.

-Jay

 

[ausreenactor]

My Squadron flies to PNG this weekend for High Density Altitude (HDA) training. We will have a crew positioned at Lae for any potential maintenance half way to the Highlands.

 

[Skyhawk]

My Squadron flies to PNG this weekend for High Density Altitude (HDA) training. We will have a crew positioned at Lae for any potential maintenance half way to the Highlands.

Wow cool!
That is the last place Amelia was seen. Lae. It would be interesting to see it.

 

[ausreenactor]

Wow cool!
That is the last place Amelia was seen. Lae. It would be interesting to see it.

I have only been to Port Moresby (twice) and Mt. Hagen in the Highlands. We went in last year after the earthquakes. It was the only deployment where everyone in the street thanked us for our help and to a person gave us a wave, a look, a nod of the head or a hand shake. It was all sincere thanks for us being there. The Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and Afghanistan had the locals confecting their appreciation, when it happened. The people of Australia, the United States and the Allied forces in the Pacific all owe a debt of gratitude to the 'Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels' and their descendants.

Beautiful country. Almost as many shades of green in the vegetation as Vietnam!

 

[Technonut2112]

Sorry to say that the jacket is not at that museum. They said they have a photo of it only. They referred me to the 99's Women Of Flight Museum in OK. The manager said that she thinks they may have it.

Hmmmm... The date of the blog showing the pic of the jacket that the author had taken was July 13th, 2012. Obviously the jacket was there at that time:

Amelia Earhart's flight jacket. I can't believe I got to see this! Pinch me!

I can't imagine that the museum wouldn't know with certainty where it went....

 

[Smithy]

I can't imagine that the museum wouldn't know with certainty where it went....

Don't be so sure.

The IWM have probably either lost or misplaced the rudder from Werner Voss' Fokker F.I which was donated by Nesta Rhys Davids (the sister of Arthur the chap who shot down Voss). When you consider that this is an artefact from arguably the most famous dogfight in the history of aerial warfare it shouldn't come as a shock that museums do occasionally have not a clue about the location of some things!

 

[Technonut2112]

Don't be so sure.

The IWM have probably either lost or misplaced the rudder from Werner Voss' Fokker F.I which was donated by Nesta Rhys Davids (the sister of Arthur the chap who shot down Voss). When you consider that this is an artefact from arguably the most famous dogfight in the history of aerial warfare it shouldn't come as a shock that museums do occasionally have not a clue about the location of some things!

The museum in question is quite small with the collection held within the birthplace home. However, it is more than likely run by a much larger board of directors and / or other entities, which may be prone to one hand not knowing what the other is doing....

 

[Skyhawk]

Hmmmm... The date of the blog showing the pic of the jacket that the author had taken was July 13th, 2012. Obviously the jacket was there at that time:



I can't imagine that the museum wouldn't know with certainty where it went....

Yes I keep thinking back to that.

I haven't been able to reach the Archivist yet. She only works once a week. That would be the one who would know the most. From what the manager said, they didn't have the jacket, just a color picture of it.

To be continued.....

 

[Skyhawk]

I have talked with the 99's museum manager. She said the jacket is not on display there, however that have an extensive Earhart collection that is archived and it could possibly be stored away. They want a $20/hr fee to search the archives.

I doubt that they have it. I think if they had the jacket, they would know about it right away when I asked. I have a few more leads to follow up on so I will post an update later.

In regards to this discovered jacket, I don't think it is Amelia's but probably one of her friends in the 99's. I have discovered that the buttons on the original were 4-hole Horn buttons, and the buttons on the Museum jacket are domed 2 hole buttons. Also as we know, the knits are different. I also think that the rectangle stitching on the collar is slightly different.

Still I would like to know the MFG because I believe they are one and the same.

More to come......

 

[ausreenactor]

Searching fee? A passionate individual engages the museum and they come back with that? If I was working there I would be inclined to find out for myself. Probably being undertaken by an elderly volunteer if you initiated the process. Admire your approach to the pursuit. Good luck.

 

[zoomer]

Back then Abercrombie and Fitch was a veritable wonderland for sports , expedition and Safaris .They even had a sighting in range in the basement so you could test guns . Now its nothing more than a company similar to the Gap shame !.

They were real "Outfitters"...you could plan, equip, arm and book an expedition all under one roof.

Their Chicago store was known as von Lengerke & Antoine and had been a former competitor. Capone's mob was said to enjoy stopping in to give the latest bangsticks a tryout.

 

[Changeling]

Before her final record flight Earhart gave her private secretary two of her jackets and a third to the secretaries niece. Sometime later the nieces uncle donated some or all the jackets to a museum. The photo below shows what might be the museum jacket that looks similar to her well known flight jacket being worn in a photograph from 1935 with her husband. There are a lot of photos of her wearing her flight jacket while posing with her Electra plane in 1937 which clearly is a different jacket.

 

[Skyhawk]

Freakin' Fantastic man!

Yes that is the museum jacket. You can make out the lines on the waistband. No doubt the Capeskin version was lost on that final flight.

Regards,
Jay

 

[B-Man2]

Freakin' Fantastic man!

Yes that is the museum jacket. You can make out the lines on the waistband. No doubt the Capeskin version was lost on that final flight.

Regards,
Jay

I don’t know guys..... compare the color and length of the knits on the museum jacket to the photo . I’m guessing two different jackets.
Sorry