Anything and Everything A-1

[zoomer]

What's the insignia on the seal one? Japanese Naval Aviation? ( :roll: Ha!)

 

[bseal]

The high pocket / Navy versions:

 

[SteveN]

The high pocket / Navy versions

I always wondered about high pockets vs. low pockets in the A-1. Any evidence to back up the Navy/Army theory?

Cheers,
- SteveN

 

[bseal]

Aside from the fact that Navy pilots have been spotted in high pocket A-1s, I'll let Zoomer handle this one.

 

[zoomer]

Go upthread and look at Cmdr. Dresel and Lieut. Burke and then get back to me.

I'm more interested in hard evidence that the Navy jackets were green.

 

[Chris217]

Zoomer, isn't there a picture in Hell Bent for leather of a Navy pilot wearing a green A-1?

 

[SteveN]

Go upthread and look at Cmdr. Dresel and Lieut. Burke and then get back to me.

OK, so it's more circumstantial evidence: we've seen at two Navy pilots wearing high-pocket A-1's. I was wondering if there were any Navy specifications for high pockets, or a large number of sightings that we could take as 'proof' the Navy spec was high-pocket.

Regards,
- SteveN

 

[zoomer]

On the last board there was a pic of a whole squadron of Navy pilots with highpockets (in front of biplanes). Does anybody have that handy?

I've never seen the color pic in HBFL. But that would say something, souldn't it.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Zoomer, isn't there a picture in Hell Bent for leather of a Navy pilot wearing a green A-1?

Thats a green cord cloth jacket 37J sump'm or orther

 

[Simon Debrux]

High breast pockets galore

I think this is the picture you were referring to...

...and what a cheerful looking bunch they were!

Simon

 

[zoomer]

Eek. They look like they've just had their budget cut.

More Highpockets - with Patrol Squadron 4 in Hawaii sometime in the '30s.
Some of these guys look like they're not even in uniform except for their leathers.

L-R: Floyd Gibbons, ???, John McCain, Danny Glover, Beeker, Ben Gazzara, ???, Adm. Douglas MacArthur, Barney Frank, ???, ???, ???

 

[Atticus]

Do you suppose those two guys (fifth from the left and first from the right) just really like to wear goggles?

AF

 

[zoomer]

Note also the nonbuttoning, baseball-type collar on these and the Navy jackets in the last photo.
Note too - the waistbands are quite deep in comparison with the Army jacket.

As to the civvy look of some of the men - could this have been some public relations flight where VP-4 put press people in jackets and gave 'em rides?
I was joshing about the names, but Floyd Gibbons really was a news commentator and WW1 correspondent, and really did have a patch on his left eye (lost at Belleau Wood).

 

[hacker]

Do you suppose those two guys (fifth from the left and first from the right) just really like to wear goggles?

AF

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[johnny english]

I like that Evisu Seal A1
Anyone know from whence they can be purchased ?

 

[Chandler]

I like that Gibbons is wearin 2-toned wingtips... something tells me he's not on Uncle Sam's payroll right then.

Chandler

 

[zoomer]

I like that Evisu Seal A1
Anyone know from whence they can be purchased ?

Probably some website that is written in Japanese, accepts only yen, and will not ship outside the confines of glorious Chrysanthemum Empire. Hope you take a sparely cut size 36.

 

[asiamiles]

I like that Evisu Seal A1
Anyone know from whence they can be purchased ?

These were made several years ago, so can only be found on the secondary market now.

 

[bseal]

Stuart at Lost Worlds, would be your contact for an exact reproduction of that jacket.

 

[John Lever]

Stuart at Lost Worlds, would be your contact for an exact reproduction of that jacket.

He can make them for $1100. for LW customers only . Keep you posted on exact specs.
According to Stuart, he never made an Irvin for Evisu...
Update. LW can make these in their russet HH and ' E' shaped pockets but no longer have the buttons, only Bakelite ones.