ID these USN jackets 1932

[dinomartino1]

Men of the the Naval Reserve Air Squadron based at Floyd Bennett Field, New York and regular navy station keepers ready to fly to Cleveland, Ohio to take part in the air races, 1932.

If you at the guys with the zip jackets in the back row they appear to have stand collars and they seem to be bigger than the ones at the bottom but maybe thats the angle of the photo that makes them look different to the ones below.
If you at the guys with the zip jackets in the front row the third and fourth from the left and last on the right [hard to tell if that is even leather]t the collars are different with one button loop.
The guy fifth from the left on the front row may have a jacket with a regular collar.
You can't see the button loops on zip jackets on the back row but they have similarities with this jacket being worn by stunt pilot Frank Clarke in 1933
Too hard for my tired old man eyes.

 

[B-Man2]

View attachment 122651


Men of the the Naval Reserve Air Squadron based at Floyd Bennett Field, New York and regular navy station keepers ready to fly to Cleveland, Ohio to take part in the air races, 1932.

If you at the guys with the zip jackets in the back row they appear to have stand collars and they seem to be bigger than the ones at the bottom but maybe thats the angle of the photo that makes them look different to the ones below.
If you at the guys with the zip jackets in the front row the third and fourth from the left and last on the righ [hard to tell if that is even leather]t the collars are different with one button loop.
The guy fifth from the left on the front row may have a jacket with a regular collar.
You can't see the button loops on zip jackets on the back row but they have similarities with this jacket being worn by stunt pilot Frank Clarke in 1933
Too hard for my tired old man eyes.

View attachment 122655

An A-1 with a zipper ?

 

[JonnyCrow]

An A-1 with a zipper ?

My thoughts exactly Burt

 

[B-Man2]

If you have an A-1 you know what a pain buttoning and unbuttoning up the jacket can be . I always thought a zipper made more sense . Of course zippers weren’t really perfected when the A-1 first appeared on the scene were they ?

 

[Chandler]

An A-1 with a zipper ?

Maybe it was custom-made for him (Clarke, that is)?

 

[JonnyCrow]

Maybe it was custom-made for him (Clarke, that is)?

Not according to Dinos above photo, look how many zippered A1 jackets on the group shot

 

[Micawber]

View attachment 122651


Men of the the Naval Reserve Air Squadron based at Floyd Bennett Field, New York and regular navy station keepers ready to fly to Cleveland, Ohio to take part in the air races, 1932.

If you at the guys with the zip jackets in the back row they appear to have stand collars and they seem to be bigger than the ones at the bottom but maybe thats the angle of the photo that makes them look different to the ones below.
If you at the guys with the zip jackets in the front row the third and fourth from the left and last on the righ [hard to tell if that is even leather]t the collars are different with one button loop.
The guy fifth from the left on the front row may have a jacket with a regular collar.
You can't see the button loops on zip jackets on the back row but they have similarities with this jacket being worn by stunt pilot Frank Clarke in 1933
Too hard for my tired old man eyes.

View attachment 122655

The length of those cuffs too! Fascinating photos Dino.

 

[JonnyCrow]

Maybe it was custom-made for him (Clarke, that is)?

Lots of zippers

 

[Silver Surfer]

zippers began real usage on shoes at the beginning of the 20th century, so it is entirely possible that some a-1s were made with zippers. they could have been civies or jackets that I am not familiar with. looks as though there are 4-5, maybe more different styles of jackets in the pic. another day at school

 

[JonnyCrow]

I count 9 zippered jackets

 

[Chandler]

Lots of zippers View attachment 122707

Doesn't mean they're not custom.

 

[JonnyCrow]

Doesn't mean they're not custom.

True,

 

[JonnyCrow]

Doesn't mean they're not custom.

Guessing they all liked the idea of zippers then

 

[dinomartino1]

Possibly the reservists just bought their own jackets, the zip ones collars do not look all the same to me.

 

[B-Man2]

If anyone has the time or the interest :
We now have a new jacket to research. It’s a little like the Goldsmith A-2 that we spent so much time discussing and researching .
BTW ( What ever happened to that?)
A zippered A-1 …. Funny that after all this time that it’s just come to light and that Dino found some great photos of them .
Well done Dino !

 

[B-Man2]

View attachment 122651


Men of the the Naval Reserve Air Squadron based at Floyd Bennett Field, New York and regular navy station keepers ready to fly to Cleveland, Ohio to take part in the air races, 1932.

If you at the guys with the zip jackets in the back row they appear to have stand collars and they seem to be bigger than the ones at the bottom but maybe thats the angle of the photo that makes them look different to the ones below.
If you at the guys with the zip jackets in the front row the third and fourth from the left and last on the righ [hard to tell if that is even leather]t the collars are different with one button loop.
The guy fifth from the left on the front row may have a jacket with a regular collar.
You can't see the button loops on zip jackets on the back row but they have similarities with this jacket being worn by stunt pilot Frank Clarke in 1933
Too hard for my tired old man eyes.

View attachment 122655

Dino
Any thoughts about starting a thread on your newly discovered zippered A-1 jacket? It might motivate some to start a little research project on the jacket which in turn might get the attention of a couple of jacket manufacturers around here.

 

[dinomartino1]

Dino
Any thoughts about starting a thread on your newly discovered zippered A-1 jacket? It might motivate some to start a little research project on the jacket which in turn might get the attention of a couple of jacket manufacturers around here.

If somebody wants to start one it's fine with me, my own non expert opinion is that they are a mix of private purchase zip jackets, though I will probably be proved wrong.

 

[Silver Surfer]

the game's afoot, Watson.

 

[JonnyCrow]

Dino
Any thoughts about starting a thread on your newly discovered zippered A-1 jacket? It might motivate some to start a little research project on the jacket which in turn might get the attention of a couple of jacket manufacturers around here.

Wouldn't it be nice to see one cloned for real Burt, imagine discovering a original haha

 

[JonnyCrow]

If somebody wants to start one it's fine with me, my own non expert opinion is that they are a mix of private purchase zip jackets, though I will probably be proved wrong.

The Japanese make one for 3000 dollars? Haha

Attractions Horsehide A-1 Zip Jacket - Black

Like so many of our favorite brands, Attractions was born from an appreciation of vintage clothing. Originally founded in 2006, Attractions began as a vintage reseller, importing pieces from the United States and UK before starting their own production in 2011. Their experience in the vintage...

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