Another Erich Hartmann flight jacket

[Garylafortuna]

Thank you Burt and thank you CBI. It certainly is a cool looking jacket all right. Got to love that red piping. I suspected before the purchase that it wasn't a Luftwaffe jacket, but the price was good ( 155.00 GBP ). I'll try to wear it as often as possible, but summer is almost upon us so it will probably hang in the already overstuffed closet until the leaves start to fall again. Only a few short years ago I would never have suspected that I'd be wearing leather flight jackets on a rotating basis. Sheesh.

 

[Garylafortuna]

Rory, jacket was purchased only today so it may take a week or so to wing its way across the pond and into my hot little hands.
With the new format, posting photos is much easier than it used to be. Now it is simply a matter of click and drag. Thank you for the comment.

 

[Rory Schultz]

Click and drag? From where? Oh yes, I have a new jacket coming also. It is one of those German 1930's double breasted moto jacket. I started discovering items not featured in our own ebay, so I started going to the foreign ebay ones finding some awesome stuff. I also found some other web sites featuring items that were linked to sellers using ebay from their country. I normally would not find their web sites going through our search engine...… so I started nosing around foreign ones. I just got a Kriegsmarine Admiral auto pennant to go with my Luftwaffe General's pennant.

 

[Garylafortuna]

First of all I move the photos from the eBay site to my I Photo gallery, then when I want to post here, hit the 'insert image' icon and a window will open that says 'Drop Image'. Then I drag the image from my Photo gallery and paste it in here. This is the first time I've done this. Please excuse my computer terminology.
Hope you will be able to show your stuff Rory. Took me years to figure out this posting photos enigma.

 

[Rory Schultz]

" Doink " That's the sound when the bean in my head just hit the side!

 

[Rory Schultz]

Here is my latest jacket that I just purchased from a collector in Ireland. I went thru the jacket with UV lights and my scope and it passed with flying colors. The shoulder boards are WW2 period that came with it and it passed the UV test and scope as well. Under the scope I could see that the jacket had sewn in shoulder boards that had been cut off. The collector informed me he made no modifications to it and purchased it in Germany over 15 years ago as it is. I checked the coat all over and it had all the tell tale signs of having been worn by a pilot with the abrasions to the shoulders and backs from harnesses and the backside of the arms especially the left arm. There was only one set of decorations loop that you could tell was used for an Iron Cross so I placed one of mine temporarily in it for the pic. There were no other decoration loops found. There is a hint of some stitch work holes near a button hole but no clue what that was for. I need to replenish the oils in the leather, it is bordering on cracking and re affirm the buttons so that they are firm to wear plus remove the Luftwaffe stuff. I am considering wearing this one in the fall on my motorcycle. I paid only 279. Euros for it. It fit me perfectly! I have a matching set of leather jodhpurs already to wear with it. Now I have the matching set...the single breast zipper jacket and this double breasted one.

 

[B-Man2]

Here is my latest jacket that I just purchased from a collector in Ireland. I went thru the jacket with UV lights and my scope and it passed with flying colors. The shoulder boards are WW2 period that came with it and it passed the UV test and scope as well. Under the scope I could see that the jacket had sewn in shoulder boards that had been cut off. The collector informed me he made no modifications to it and purchased it in Germany over 15 years ago as it is. I checked the coat all over and it had all the tell tale signs of having been worn by a pilot with the abrasions to the shoulders and backs from harnesses and the backside of the arms especially the left arm. There was only one set of decorations loop that you could tell was used for an Iron Cross so I placed one of mine temporarily in it for the pic. There were no other decoration loops found. There is a hint of some stitch work holes near a button hole but no clue what that was for. I need to replenish the oils in the leather, it is bordering on cracking and re affirm the buttons so that they are firm to wear plus remove the Luftwaffe stuff. I am considering wearing this one in the fall on my motorcycle. I paid only 279. Euros for it. It fit me perfectly! I have a matching set of leather jodhpurs already to wear with it. Now I have the matching set...the single breast zipper jacket and this double breasted one.

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That’s a pretty cool piece of history you have.
Can you see who made the zips?
Cheers

 

[Rory Schultz]

Both jackets say ZIPP. The only other writing says D.R.P.Nurenburg

 

[Rory Schultz]

I forgot to mention gary that your jacket was the very high end motor jacket. Very expensive in their day.

 

[Garylafortuna]

Thanks for that information Rory. If it doesn't arrive soon, I'll be too old to wear it. But I remain optimistic.
Your jacket is an absolute jewel. Kudos.

 

[Rory Schultz]

Greetings Gents,

Here is my newest jacket and riding pants that arrived today. I paid 300 Euros for the set. They are 1930's to 40's German Motorcycle set. The jacket fits me but the pants are too small in the waist since I have gotten such a fat gut. I could not pass up a deal on such a collectable item. You would not believe how heavy this jacket is with its winter insulation. I have never come across one so thick as this one.. I noticed that this jacket is similar to Hans Marseilles jacket, the difference is the bottom pockets on mine. His were horizonal openings while mine are vertical angle. Has the same type closure strap as his. Well that's what it looks like to me from the photos but I may be wrong. I am losing it in my old man disease! lol

 

[Rory Schultz]

I just contacted the lady that I bought this set from about if she knew its history. She told me she got it 10 to 15 years ago from a very old guy who rode around on a dkw nz 350 until he was too old. She said he was forced as a teen to work at the Focke-Wolf factory in Germany and when he was returning to his country from there in 1945 he found it and the motorcycle in an abandoned bombed out house. She said that is all she remembers because he died soon after the purchases. I asked about the motorcycle but she said her husband restored it and sold it already. Damn! Shit on a dead dog's butt! Some people have all the luck! Just misssssssssssed it by that much......

 

[B-Man2]

I just contacted the lady that I bought this set from about if she knew its history. She told me she got it 10 to 15 years ago from a very old guy who rode around on a dkw nz 350 until he was too old. She said he was forced as a teen to work at the Focke-Wolf factory in Germany and when he was returning to his country from there in 1945 he found it and the motorcycle in an abandoned bombed out house. She said that is all she remembers because he died soon after the purchases. I asked about the motorcycle but she said her husband restored it and sold it already. Damn! Shit on a dead dog's butt! Some people have all the luck! Just misssssssssssed it by that much......

Great back story to go with the suit.

 

[Pilot]

Evian ( France... yes! where the famous water comes from) ... flee market find...
Minty cond. hardly worn... very rare large ( 46”-48”) size ...even too large for me (44”+) ....very grainy so called “ Hartmann” jacket.
No story behind... Just a lucky find...
never saw one in that size and quality of make...

 

[Pilot]

Very,grainy and large size...rare.

 

[Pilot]

Love this - wish someone would duplicate!!!

Here is the requested duplicate...

 

[Rory Schultz]

Hold the fort! Are you saying there is Reich Defense Jackets being reproduced?

 

[Rory Schultz]

This is so weird.....I was actually writing my comments and questions here and it posted at another location on the site. Pilot, the questions I was asking you about your Hartmann is at another part of the forum.

 

[Pilot]

Hold the fort! Are you saying there is Reich Defense Jackets being reproduced?

Yes confirmed!...Zips and buttons...NOS....Pattern-cut...the latest last version...not wired/heated anymore...

 

[Pilot]

This is so weird.....I was actually writing my comments and questions here and it posted at another location on the site. Pilot, the questions I was asking you about your Hartmann is at another part of the forum.

Sorry what was your other question?
sorry, but you text so much about a lot of things ... difficult for me to follow and or understand what’s meant....