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

[Chandler]

The GF M-422A from GW arrived. (Actually several days ago, but I've been quail hunting.) I'll post full photos of it in the Reproduction section later, but here's a comparison of John's NXs. 416 vs my N0s 416A showing the difference in the stitching he mentioned.View attachment 76127

I just looked at my AN-6552, '50s Monarch G-1, and Flight Suits Ersatz AN-J -- the 2 authentic jackets are sewn like your original M-422a and the FS is sewn like the GW.

Looks to me that the sewing was up to whoever was manning the machine.

 

[tda003]

According to John, the reason for the change after the NOs 416A was to make it easier for the machine operators to make the seams with that change.

Here's a pic of the arm gussets of the 2 jackets. As you can see, other than that 1 seam, they are the same.

 

[FlyWright]

Star Sportswear 55J14, courtesy of @Jorgeenriqueaguilera
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Star Sportswear 55J14, courtesy of @Jorgeenriqueaguilera
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As I'm a brand new member, and only just today found this forum, I wanted to express how incredible this feed is and very much appreciate the amazing research that must have been involved in chronicling the navy flight jacket! Thanks!

 

[ausreenactor]

As I'm a brand new member, and only just today found this forum, I wanted to express how incredible this feed is and very much appreciate the amazing research that must have been involved in chronicling the navy flight jacket! Thanks!

G'day and Welcome good Sir!

 

[FlyWright]

Guys !
PLEASE! …. PLEASE! …… PLEASE! … Do what ever is necessary to turn the information in this thread into a permanent resource “Sticky” or some other type of permanent resource document. The information here is too valuable to let fade away over time into the VLJ thread archives.
Thank you all for this impressive research and photographs .
MODS …… Please make this happen .

Not sure how to post properly but wanted to mention that I didn't see Willis & Geiger listed in the 55J14 section as a manufacturer. I have an example of one in my collection. For what it's worth.

 

[mulceber]

Very possibly - I think there are a couple obscure contracts here and there that we missed. Willis & Geiger gives me pause though, both because I was under the impression that their AN-J-3A was their last intermediate flight jacket contract, and also because more recently they have made repros of military flight jackets available to the public. So this might be an original we missed, but it could also be a modern-day repro. We'd love to see it though, because it's possible we missed something.

 

[FlyWright]

Very possibly - I think there are a couple obscure contracts here and there that we missed. Willis & Geiger gives me pause though, both because I was under the impression that their AN-J-3A was their last intermediate flight jacket contract, and also because more recently they have made repros of military flight jackets available to the public. So this might be an original we missed, but it could also be a modern-day repro. We'd love to see it though, because it's possible we missed something.

Would be happy to send some pics...just have to figure out how to do it. Yes, I'm very familiar with the W&G repros as well. This has a name tag and painted squadron patch...very vintage. Do I attach the photos to this exchange?

 

[FlyWright]

Would be happy to send some pics...just have to figure out how to do it. Yes, I'm very familiar with the W&G repros as well. This has a name tag and painted squadron patch...very vintage. Do I attach the photos to this exchange?

 

[mulceber]

Sure, you can just post them in the thread. There's a button at the top of the console that looks like a landscape shot that allows you to post photos.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Please do post some details of your W&G that'd be great. As we wrote this we came across a couple of jackets that weren't in the contract lists as we were aware of and there could well be more.

 

[FlyWright]

Well, here are some photos of the W&G 55J14. It's from a pilot who flew the converted b-24 which was fitted with a single tail. They were called Privateers and were submarine hunters. I researched this pilot and the Dpt. of the Navy sent me his files. He was decorated for disabling/sinking a german U-Boat. According to conventional thinking, the date of the 55J14 manufacturing does not compute with WWII. It might be possible that the pilot was issued a new or additional jacket after the end of the war? I don't know. Could it be possible W&G got the contract earlier than other manufacturers? A mystery. Also, this jacket does not have a pencil pocket!

 

[Nickb123]

BEAUTIFUL jacket. Hard to tell but the label looks to be a more modern W&G civilian label added later.

The jacket itself is original. Pre-G-1, pre-55J: either an M-422a or an AN-6552.

 

[Maverickson]

Hi FlyWright,

Unfortunately, your jacket's pix are not descriptive enough to name your jacket without some degree of uncertainty. However, from what I am seeing I have a sneaking suspicion that this jacket is in fact not a W&G. From my perspective a non issue private purchase.

More than likely your jacket is a Monarch that was made late War. What I believe is Monarch's civilian version of their mil spec 288-28665 model jacket. To confirm please check out the positioning of the zip' connection point.

Then to confirm that the jacket is in fact a private purchase a better look at the jacket's wind flap would help. Also, you can check and see if all the mil spec requirements were met. Like if the left pocket is missing it's pencil pocket. In addition, the back of the collar should have something less than the required seven horizontal stitch tracks. As they cut some corners at the factory to make them more affordable for the private sector.

Another give away was where Monarch attached their civilian type labels. Check the lower left front portion of the lining to see if there once had been a label attached.

Some additional pix would go along way to solving this mystery. In any event & no mater what you have a great piece of history there!

Cheers, Dave

 

[mulceber]

Hi FlyWright,

Unfortunately, your jacket's pix are not descriptive enough to name your jacket without some degree of uncertainty. However, from what I am seeing I have a sneaking suspicion that this jacket is in fact not a W&G. From my perspective a non issue private purchase.

More than likely your jacket is a Monarch that was made late War. What I believe is Monarch's civilian version of their mil spec 288-28665 model jacket. To confirm please check out the positioning of the zip connection point.

View attachment 77411

Then to confirm that the jacket is in fact a private purchase a better look at the jacket's wind flap would help. Also, you can check and see if all the mil spec requirements were met. Like if the left pocket is missing it's pencil pocket. In addition, the back of the collar should have something less than the required seven horizontal stitch tracks. As they cut some corners at the factory to make them more affordable for the private sector.

View attachment 77409

Another give away was where Monarch attached their civilian type labels. Check the lower left front portion of the lining to see if there once had been a label attached.

View attachment 77410

Some additional pix would go along way to solving this mystery. In any event & no mater what you have a great piece of history there!

Cheers, Dave

Now THAT is a detailed response. Great insights!

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Who doesn't love a good mystery? That's really illuminating Dave - thank you. The sort of knowledge and helpfulness that this forum excels at. Great artwork too. A jacket with a very interesting history indeed.

 

[FlyWright]

Wow! Thanks all! Thanks Dave for the thorough analysis. I'll take a closer at the points you made and check back in. I do know that there is no pencil pocket so that may be a clue that it was a private purchase?!

 

[FlyWright]

Amazing Dave!
I think you nailed it. It seems to check all the boxes you have highlighted to confirm this a private purchase. Here are some pics to show the points you were making. Also, the hanging loop is not a leather strap but a fabric loop. Is that also a clue? What was the point you were making about the zip connection point? So appreciative for the expert analysis. Thank you very much for the help on this.

 

[mulceber]

Yep, I think that's the solution. Still a great jacket and a useful one to have in this thread, since it gives people an idea of what to look for in private purchase jackets.

 

[Nickb123]

Would the civilian Monarch still retain the USN stencil?

 

[Maverickson]

Hi,

No stencil.

Monarch had a long history of reproducing mil spec jackets for the private sector. Those private sector type look like the real McCoy at first glance.

Besides this late War USN AN-J-3A type I've also seen Monarch do civilian type AN-J-3 (leather collar) and their 1951 model G-1. Likewise they began doing the A-2 sometime during WW-2 and continued up until they closed their doors.

I'm still looking for any earlier model mil spec knock offs that Monarch might have done prior to WW-2.

Cheers, Dave