Interesting Irvin Publication

[philip.ed]

Apparently from 1939:

 

[Roughwear]

This advert was first used two years earlier in Flight Magazine. It was apparently aimed at civilian flyers rather than the RAF as the AM had had several contracts already with IAC.

 

[Grant]

Ben,
Thanks for posting. Can't wait for cold weather here in NYC so I can break out the Irvins.

 

[philip.ed]

Andrew, were there civillian versions of the Irvin made in war-time then? If so, did they differ from the ones issued to the RAF boys (and girls...) ?

 

[Roughwear]

Ben, most of the adverts similar to the one you posted date from 1937 to 1941. They specifically mention that IAC supplies the RAF, so my guess is they supplied the civilain market too as these adverts appear to target the private plane owner. From the pics in the adverts they seem to be the same as the RAF issued ones. They may have had a different label or no label, but as I have never seen one which can be proved to be civi issue I can't be 100% certain. I suspect that some of the Irvins sold on Ebay as RAF issue never saw combat as they were civilian issue.

 

[John Lever]

Ben,
Thanks for posting. Can't wait for cold weather here in NYC so I can break out the Irvins.

Only 4 deg. C at 8 A.M. Friday morning. Not long now ...

 

[Roughwear]

John, it's certainly colder in the evenings now and ideal for an Irvin.It may well be Irvin weather at the October Duxford Air show.

 

[philip.ed]

Thanks for the reply Andrew. It certainly is getting colder. I think an Irvin over a t-shirt would be fine in the colder mornings of these autumn months...

 

[flyboy]

We ARE some very odd persons - longing for the summer to be over, low temperatures, wind and even rain and snow. Anything to get the Irvin out of the closet!

 

[John Lever]

We ARE some very odd persons - longing for the summer to be over, low temperatures, wind and even rain and snow. Anything to get the Irvin out of the closet!

Soren,
You are lucky to have decent jacket weather, good long winters with snow and ice. Usually our winters are very wet and cool rather than very cold and dry. Last winter was an exception being the coldest for 30 years.

 

[asiamiles]

Ben, most of the adverts similar to the one you posted date from 1937 to 1941. They specifically mention that IAC supplies the RAF, so my guess is they supplied the civilain market too as these adverts appear to target the private plane owner. From the pics in the adverts they seem to be the same as the RAF issued ones. They may have had a different label or no label, but as I have never seen one which can be proved to be civi issue I can't be 100% certain. I suspect that some of the Irvins sold on Ebay as RAF issue never saw combat as they were civilian issue.

Would there have been many civilian flyers in Britain during WWII? Wouldn't most who could already fly have joined the RAF? So jackets initially purchased privately could then have become part of their uniform.

 

[deeb7]

Would there have been many civilian flyers in Britain during WWII?

I don't think the market was limited to civilian flyers ... just wanting to look like a flyer, and/or keep warm on the motorcycle, would be enough reason to purchase.

Nothing changes ...