Discussion: “A Better Fighting Garment…” - A Beginner’s Guide to the US Navy’s WWII-era and later Intermediate Flight Jackets

[Sideslip]

Very excited, looking forward to it!

 

[Lord Flashheart]

As mentioned we'd like to keep this thread as a focus for discussion but Jan and I have now posted up "A Better Fighting Garment" 2.0 here

“A Better Fighting Garment…” 2.0 - A Revised Guide to the U.S. Navy's Intermediate Leather Flight Jackets

PREFACE In December 2021 Jan, Wei and I posted a thread entitled “A Better Fighting Garment…” - A Beginner’s Guide to the US Navy’s WWII-era and later Intermediate Flight Jackets. We wanted to fill a gap in the knowledge base on the forum and the thread was written as a “Beginners Guide”. We...

www.vintageleatherjackets.org

 

[mulceber]

And it's now all posted. Phil and I might do some light editing to the content in the next day or so, but all the analysis, contract data, and photos are there.

 

[Spitfireace]

Great stuff! A real labour of love. I appreciate all the work that has gone into this. I notice there are no examples of a Ralph Edwards 7823 C contract DSA-1-9366. If you are still taking submissions I would humbly submit mine, but I need to take some good detail photos first.

 

[mulceber]

Sure! Send them along and we’ll get them in there. If you can get them in the next day or so, that would be best - that way I can edit them in among the already-existing photos and not mess up the flow of the posts.

 

[Spitfireace]

I'll pm them to you?

 

[mulceber]

I'll pm them to you?

Perfect.

 

[mulceber]

@Spitfireace's 7823C is now posted (post #78). If anyone else has jackets to add, now's the time, as we can still edit them into their proper place in the thread instead of tacking them on the end.

 

[Spitfireace]

A question. Where is this pinned to?

 

[mulceber]

The discussion thread isn't pinned at all anymore. The new BFG thread is pinned in Vintage.

 

[Spitfireace]

Ya I meant the BFG. Ok it wasn't obvious to me. Something like this shouldn't be hard to find. Especially for newbies.

 

[Spitfireace]

Maybe if there was a category like pinned. Or am I being obtuse?

 

[Spitfireace]

Sorry probably nit picking.

 

[mulceber]

No worries - it’ll be at the top of the page on the Vintage sub-forum.

 

[Spitfireace]

Ya I see yes. I just meant like a separate category on the left that is a things that should be a reference are. A reference category.

 

[Spitfireace]

That would be a question for the Modulators of this site.

 

[Spitfireace]

References and guides are so much better than being blind. Making mistakes.

 

[Spitfireace]

Duh ya. I just meant easier references.

 

[ZuZu]

Two things about the new discussion thread-

1- The spec sheet for the M422 vs the M422a just adds the use of linen to the threads (silk and linen) used in the jackets. There is no mention of cotton anywhere. Are we using the experience of 2 current M422a repro makers (John Chapman and Dave Sheeley) as the basis for the view that cotton was used in that they have determined cotton was the thread used in jackets they have taken apart? Not arguing with this at all just wondering why the discrepancy in the specs and real life. Is it like the A-2 spec for a silk lining? Just dropped? Any ideas?

2. Are we sure there are 7823Ds made with pressed cowhide? I think that came with the 'E's!

 

[mulceber]

Are we using the experience of 2 current M422a repro makers (John Chapman and Dave Sheeley) as the basis for the view that cotton was used in that they have determined cotton was the thread used in jackets they have taken apart?

Those are the sources I'm aware of. That being said, Dave has said elsewhere that silk thread looks noticeably different from cotton because it's more shiny. So it's not as if they're making this claim just on the basis of jackets where they've taken the garment apart and tested the threads. @Maverickson can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think someone with a practiced eye can tell cotton from silk just by taking a close look at the jacket.

2. Are we sure there are 7823Ds made with pressed cowhide? I think that came with the 'E's!

Could very well be the case (and if so, we'd be happy to correct that error) - I'm not as well-versed in the later G-1s and I don't think I worked on that section. My impression was that impressed cowhide came in at around the same time as dynal collars, but that could be wrong. Does anyone else have an answer on this one?