AVI Leather B-3 Review

[flyincowboy]

Haha you have to pull the strap back along the collar and then you can snap the dot , because of this( guess its been made on purpose.).. you have no hanging collar straps.and believe me its pretty usefull.... unless you like to be whipped (in the face)

 

[leper-colony]

I may have found the first bit of 'fault' with the jacket, but I'm not sure if it's just this jacket or B-3s in general. See, the snap on the underside of the right hand collar has the outer strap running on top of it, so it cannot be snapped down to the chest. How is this solved on original B-3s?

The snap becomes available if you fold it back on itself and slip it into the keepers on the collar. that's the design.

 

[Greg Gale]

A-haa, thanks a lot for the clarification!

 

[Greg Gale]

OK, I've been trying to find improvement points about the jacket.

1) There's that missing snap from the top of the right collar, we've already covered that.

2) People also pointed out that the pocket is too high and too steeply angled. I agree, but I don't mind this too much, it's quite useful for modern smartphones.

3) I started having the feeling that the collar was not wide enough. I just can't spread it as wide as I saw in some pictures. Then I took a photo and compared with originals and it's quite accurate actually. Maybe I've been watching too much screens from Masters of the Air, and we all know the ELC collar syndrome? There's probably also the factor that the collar of broken in jackets are more 'pressed down'

 

[flyincowboy]

Hi GREG don't worry about the collar it looks the right shape to me. Have you ever tried to wear the jacket with the collar up ? and the straps tied together? It fits!
They are different from the pattern used by each maker..Get away from the carpet collar syndrome you will see in master of the air.
Same for the front pocket which is pretty usefull holding a smartphone Quite sure you will enjoy your B3 during the cold days collar up or snapped to the jacket.

 

[Greg Gale]

Yes, it works pretty well strapped up!

 

[FreddyF9]

It appears generic, mine is the same and looking at pics of other mfgs it's the same, I presume you only get around it by folding the strap flat against the under side of the collar

Yup, that’s the reason!
The only contracts that don’t apply to that rule are the ones from 1937, as they didn’t have a snap down collar. They had an extra buckle on the chest to keep the collar in place.

 

[FreddyF9]

In all fairness @Greg Gale, your B-3’s collar looks excellent!
I’m not really a big fan of Eastman’s large collars on B-3s

 

[CBI]

lets face it, looking at WW2 photos , these details are all over the map. all sorts of collar sizes and all sorts of pocket sizes .............. and don't forget about rigger/field modifications

 

[Greg Gale]

More flight testing

 

[flyincowboy]

This B17 cockpit look smaller !

 

[Chandler]

This B17 cockpit look smaller !

Actually...

 

[Smithy]

More flight testing

View attachment 134291View attachment 134293

Love it Greg!

 

[Enigma1938]

OK, I've been trying to find improvement points about the jacket.

1) There's that missing snap from the top of the right collar, we've already covered that.

2) People also pointed out that the pocket is too high and too steeply angled. I agree, but I don't mind this too much, it's quite useful for modern smartphones.

3) I started having the feeling that the collar was not wide enough. I just can't spread it as wide as I saw in some pictures. Then I took a photo and compared with originals and it's quite accurate actually. Maybe I've been watching too much screens from Masters of the Air, and we all know the ELC collar syndrome? There's probably also the factor that the collar of broken in jackets are more 'pressed down'

View attachment 134281

I have a few points more to add:

4) there's a leather strap sewn on the back of the left zipper half which originals hadn't.

5) the pocket is lined with some kind of fabric, I think originals were plain leather.

6) the sheepskin lacks the acrylic coating, but thats for purists and can be added "DIY"

 

[Dumpster D]

unless you like to be whipped (in the face)

 

[flyincowboy]

I have a few points more to add:

4) there's a leather strap sewn on the back of the left zipper half which originals hadn't.

got a picture?

 

[Enigma1938]

got a picture?

 

[flyincowboy]

Ah ok the strap is there to reinforce the zipper tape... seen this modification on used B3 when they had a zipper change! shaved sheepskin is so fragile and sometimes it was hard to use te same thread and adjust the sewing machine to get the same stitches.

 

[Enigma1938]

Ah ok the strap is there to reinforce the zipper tape... seen this modification on used B3 when they had a zipper change! shaved sheepskin is so fragile and sometimes it was hard to use te same thread and adjust the sewing machine to get the same stitches.

Interesting, now it's on you providing a pic

 

[flyincowboy]

it will be done have to check on my hard disk.