Are The Real McCoy fighter jackets really worth the price tag?

[Fturk]

Only those that have owned or tried on a McCoy shearling jacket need respond coz it’ll be first hand experience. If you think it isn’t worth the money without trying on or owning one then I’m afraid your judgement may be clouded coz affordability may be an issue for you.

 

[Kermit3D]

Hi and welcome ! you ask the same question 3 times on 3 different posts...

B-3 Neck

I’ve worn both types of collars and the Mouton Navy collars are more tolerable to wear and don’t chaff as much as shearling collars . Me too, but maybe my G-1 is so old that the mouton isn't quite as soft as when new.

www.vintageleatherjackets.org

G-1: Any to avoid? Any contracts desirable?

Hi Folks, and happy new year to most of you. I recently posted an idea of turning one of my M422A's into an ANJ-3, and was rightly convinced that's not a good idea. So, I'm going to move them on to a collector who can treat them properly. I need something I can wear daily, and when reviewing...

www.vintageleatherjackets.org

It’s a good fit but arms are a bit restrictive - am hoping this will loosen up after a short time.

... the first question to ask yourself : do you really need to move your arms ?
Stop moving your arms, and your problems will disappear.

 

[ausreenactor]

Some builds won't suit a RM or BR fit...

 

[Kermit3D]

I have never owned a Real McCoy jacket myself. But based on the opinions of the members here, it is a very good jacket manufacturer that makes replica flight suits accurate to originals. The quality of the materials seems to be excellent.
In my opinion their jackets are too expensive and you can find as good or better for much less : Goodwear Leather (in my opinion the best, especially for a B-6), Eastman Leather, and Aero leather, depending on the type of jacket you are looking for.

As for the restriction on arm movement, it's hard to say. It seems to me that the B-6 is considered a comfortable jacket...

Do you have any pictures of you wearing the jacket so we can get an idea of the fit ?

 

[Kermit3D]

There is also this :

FiveStar Leather Repro USAAF Type B-6 DWG. NO. 39H 4825 A.C.CONTRACT NO. 42-5110-P

FiveStar Leather Repro USAAF Type B-6 DWG. NO. 39H 4825 A.C. CONTRACT NO. 42-5110-P BEACON, N.Y. We at FiveStar Leather Reproduced this rare Type B-6 Jacket from an Original Jacket, so most of the materials like its Sheepskin Leather in proper color and thickness from inside and outside is...

www.fivestarleather.us

It's probably a little less accurate, the quality of the materials won't be as good (but still decent)... but the price is divided by 7 compared to the Real McCoy

 

[Pilot]

Living in Japan and Korea for most part of the year, I confirm The Real McCoys jackets are worth their price… especially their nylons/cotton and fleece jackets.
They have a high resale value and if larger size ( 42/44) dont sit for ever in sales pages.
They are still 100% made in Japan ( unlike the other Jap. maker ).
They are very faithful repros of the original ( except their Irvin and recent B-3‘s) .
Plus they dont use glue to assemble… unlike many other makers… Using glue makes repairs and knit/zipper replacing a headache.
I can only recommend.

 

[MikeyB-17]

Don’t forget what you have there is a pretty accurate reproduction of a 1930’s military issue flight jacket, using 1930’s technology. A polyacrylate lacquer coating designed to keep out dirt and rain, but not to last for many years-if it wore out, they went to the Quartermaster and got another one. That having been said, unless you’re subjecting it to the sort of wear it would have faced whilst flying missions during the war, it should have a good few years in it. I have an Aero B-3 which I bought over 15 years ago which is showing no signs of cracking or crazing. It’s pretty flexible stuff and I wouldn’t worry too much about it’s longevity. If you’re in the UK you’re only going to wear it for a few months of the year.
Are they worth the money? Probably not, but the Japanese companies cater to a market which seems to be happy to fork out whatever they’re charging, and they’ve been doing that for years. It’s become a contentious issue here in recent times, mainly because ELC have started to go the same way, and have hiked up their prices substantially to catch the same market. Some think of this as shameless profiteering, others just regard it as capitalism in action and don’t blame them for charging what they can get away with, others seem to think that if you’re not paying thousands for your jackets, you must be buying crap. McCoys jackets are very, very good, but probably not worth what they cost-but at least with flight jackets you are paying for quality, not just a brand name.

 

[ausreenactor]

What do you mean? It doesn’t fit me?

If you can't move your arms a bigger size might be better.

 

[Brettafett]

McCoys are not 'the best in the business', this is marketing/ retail speak and more pricey does not equate to better.
Doesn't make them 'not one of the best', each high end maker has their own interpretation of each design, based on the originals they copy their patterns and details from, and not everyone uses the same sources for materials.
I dont think this will loosen up much wearing in. Its the cut of their jacket. No amount of stretching or wearing is going to change that.
In an ideal world you'd be able to try on a few different jackets and go with what fits/ feels best.
Cant go wrong with ELC (or Aero). Want the 'real' best of the best? Put a deposit down on a GW. He'll custom make it to fit you and it'll have all the authentic details you could wish for.
Welcome btw

 

[MikeyB-17]

I meant to say that the restrictive arms don’t sound right-this was an outer garment designed to be worn over a system of layers, not to fit like a second skin. A few fit pics would help (do us a favour, don’t select thumbnails if you do-use full pics, a lot of us have trouble viewing thumbnails) Where did you get it? Do you have an option to return it for a bigger size? It’s true the arms will loosen up a bit, but not a lot. Never owned a B-6 myself, but the many who have generally report how comfortable they are. If it isn’t, something is amiss.

 

[Brettafett]

Ahh, the ELC gents will look after you for sure!
Good call.

Edit: Just be careful. Visiting ELC in person is likely to result in massive impact to the credit card.
B-6 is great, but you must try the ladies B-15 Enjoy

 

[mulceber]

but you must try the ladies B-15

Seconded - the B-17 women's jacket is very cool. A bit tough to come by, since I don't think Eastman keeps them in regular stock, but @Nnatalie looks like a badass WASP in hers.

Visiting Eastman is worth a try, especially if you're in the UK, but if the problem is shoulders, I'm not sure they'll be able to help you: their customization doesn't go much beyond adding length to the sleeves/back. I'm not sure they'd make a "38 but with the shoulders of a 36." Failing them, you really should talk to John Chapman of Good Wear Leather. Nobody does USAAF jackets better:

 

[Kermit3D]

Good decision !
If it doesn't fit, don't insist.

Check out this post. I've posted some period photos that illustrate how well the B-6 fits women.

https://www.vintageleatherjackets.o...earing-at-the-moment.262/page-712#post-331934

 

[Micawber]

I think a personal visit to ELC or Aero is your best option.

 

[Nnatalie]

Bought it directly from McCoy. No other sizes left. I know what the problem is. My shoulders are 14”. The size 38 is too broad for a female form.

I’m about a UK 8 and can sympathize with the difficulty in fitting! Even when you want something loose-fitting, you don’t want to look/feel like a little kid wearing their dad’s jacket. And a jacket isn’t like an oversized sweater that will just drape like a blanket—jackets, especially the thicker shearling ones, have stiffness and shape. Fitting all the lumps and bumps of a woman’s body is tricky enough with garments intended for women—add in trying to fit something originally intended for a suffering body type, and it’s all the more frustrating sometimes.

 

[mulceber]

I prefer an oversized boxy fit. I like the B6 but don’t think it’s worth £3k when I can buy for one third of the price from a Uk factory.

That's fair, and I don't think you'd find many here who disagree with you. RMC make nice jackets, but if it's not a fit, it's not worth it. The question is what maker will offer the best fit. Hopefully Eastman will be able to help you out.

 

[VeraVoulik]

Got a Monarch A2 from RMcCoy and, since this morning, a D1. Both fits very nicely, I'm usually Uk 8/10.

Quality is very very nice, better than most ELC and Aero I've seen.

You will have this crackling effects on most ELC sheepskins too.

I desperate now to find a good fitting Irvin in any brand as my ELC are too oversized.

 

[Kermit3D]

I prefer an oversized boxy fit. I like the B6 but don’t think it’s worth £3k when I can buy for one third of the price from a Uk factory.

Going to Eastman Leather is a great thing. It's a huge advantage to be able to try the jackets on before you buy. But as mulceber says, ELC won't make you a custom jacket. They can only tailor the body and sleeve length (inseparably) from the standard sizes.

For a true custom B-6 you have to go to Goodwear Leather. It's not much more expensive than Eastman Leather, but it's better in every way (in my opinion).
John Chapman (Goodwear's boss, he also makes the jackets) will do everything he can to help you get the perfect size jacket.
The only drawback is the waiting time... expect at least a year or more.

I myself have a B-6 "Goodwear" waiting to be manufactured.

 

[mulceber]

Going to Eastman Leather is a great thing. It's a huge advantage to be able to try the jackets on before you buy. But as mulceber says, ELC won't make you a custom jacket. They can only tailor the body and sleeve length (inseparably) from the standard sizes.

For a true custom B-6 you have to go to Goodwear Leather. It's not much more expensive than Eastman Leather, but it's better in every way (in my opinion).
John Chapman (Goodwear's boss, he also makes the jackets) will do everything he can to help you get the perfect size jacket.
The only drawback is the waiting time... expect at least a year or more.

I myself have a B-6 "Goodwear" waiting to be manufactured.

Absolutely. When in doubt, go for the best.

 

[Kermit3D]

I had never noticed the straps on the sides of the B-6 jacket from RMC.
This would suggest that it is an Arnoff contat (Aero Leather contracts have zippers and it seems to me that Poughkeepsie does too).

In addition to the side zippers, the B-6 Arnoff is easily recognized by this reinforcing leather patch at the bottom of the main zipper. It sticks out on the fleece whereas it does not on the B-6 Aero Leather.

On the B-6 RMC, there are both the straps and the leather reinforcement patch on the zipper that does not protrude onto the fleece... which is inconsistent.

Not so accurate the B-6 Real McCoy...

Edit: I was wrong, the Poughkeepsie also has straps on the sides