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M422, M422a and AN-J-3 contract value ,award /completion dates
- Thread starter Carl
- Start date
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
I'd thought of that too but the neatness in the way labels appear to have all been removed doesn't look like the work of the military although that would explain the regular size and shape of the stitch holes. Possibly removed by the manufacturers themselves? Some kind of deal struck to sell them off? Surplus?
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
Plenty have seen action
I understand Abercrombie and Fitch sold AN-J-3 jackets and put their own labels on them after having the military labels removed. Some have been identified as being made by Willis and Geiger.
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
We've had two or three Abercrobie & Fitch labelled AN-J-3's through our hands
The next one we find I'll look behind the label for a second set of stitch holes, their label was large enought to cover any old stitch holes.
I believe the first one I saw was one from Dave Hill's massive collection, that was an A&F labelled jacket with 8th AF insignia and provenance if I recall correctly, must have had insignia as Dave only collected decorated jackets.
zoomer
Well-Known Member
It was wartime, if that means anything (and in some ways that means everything).
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
Assuming that there were very little differences between the AN-J-3 and the AN-J3A and that the AN-J-3s were probably made by one of the known Navy Jacket makers, I wonder if anyone here has enough knowledge of the USN genre to ID the maker from a bunch of good close ups?
I ask as apparently there are two AN-J-3s in the Aero factory awaiting restoration, one of which was described to me as being at death's door. We'll fix it eventually :>) I could get pics of both
I ask as apparently there are two AN-J-3s in the Aero factory awaiting restoration, one of which was described to me as being at death's door. We'll fix it eventually :>) I could get pics of both
MikeyB-17
Well-Known Member
I gotta say this one fascinates me much more than the early A-2's as well. Somewhere there is an AN-J-3 with a label in it-in some shed, barn, house, warehouse-or shop. It could turn up at any time. As I've previously mentioned, Chas DeSipio claims to have seen one with a label I believe. Whose label it was I don't believe is recorded.
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
It occurs to me that there would be little point in removing a label if another bigger one was being fitted, unpicking is a fiddly job and one can easy snag a thread especially in a rayon lining, why not fit the new label and leave the old one untouched underneath?
When I was making hippy jackets in the 60s some of my jackets appeared in AmericanVogue with a different label, accredited to a NYC shop that we supplied, it turns out they were fitting their label over mine.
Anyone on VLJ got and A&F labelled jacke? A sensitive hand would be able to feel a second label under the A&F if it was there.
Wouldn't THAT be something? Stick another ZERO on the price
Dr H
Well-Known Member
Yes, I understand that Andrew, but all labels removed? No mistakes? No survivors slipping through the net? Has to be a first...
Dr H
Well-Known Member
I had an A&F and I examined the label carefully (no obvious label underneath).
STEVE S.
Well-Known Member
Something else to toss in the ring for thought is the penchant of the US military for destroying things, especially at the end of the war. We’ve all seen the newsreels of planes being pushed off of carriers & heard stories of holes being dug & trucks, motorcycles, gear etc. being buried. I had a long conversation a few yrs back with a Navy veteran who told me about the end of the war & that for awhile, his job was to take truckloads of leather flight jackets, cut them up with a razor knife & haul them off. He said many were turned in from guys mustering out but also said a lot of new unissued stock was included. Point being, there’s no telling how many AN-j-3’s that actually made it into military stock were simply destroyed.
I have one of the W&G produced jackets. I will see if I can get some pics extracted from my desktop & post them.
I have one of the W&G produced jackets. I will see if I can get some pics extracted from my desktop & post them.
Skip
Well-Known Member
Speaking of AN-J-3's in the war. The image below was sent to me by JC (Goodwear) when I purchased an Original off GW sale page about 3-4 years ago. Its the A2 fronted version that pops up from time to time from W&G. Pretty sure John said it was wartime photo, although from the image there's not much really to state the fact, unless someone can identify the squad patch on the fuselage of the aircraft, It looks like a taildragger, obviously a radial engined one, maybe P-47 with a drop tank, but can't be sure, and the cap is certainly WW2? Doesn't mean he wasn't dressing' up for a photo after the fact either.
I believe a few were getting around but have never found concrete evidence, I'm sure there are more images of such, just a matter of patience and they'll surface.
John had no details of who the chap was, that I'm aware of.
heres a link from GW sale page to the Jacket I purchased. John has a description of the AN-J and a little history
http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/sale_anj3_0001.html
I believe a few were getting around but have never found concrete evidence, I'm sure there are more images of such, just a matter of patience and they'll surface.
John had no details of who the chap was, that I'm aware of.
heres a link from GW sale page to the Jacket I purchased. John has a description of the AN-J and a little history
http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/sale_anj3_0001.html
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Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
I'd agree 100% with John that this label was fitted during production, not after.Check the stitching, thread is identical, the stitching is a tad wayward but even so it doesn't look aftermarket
Oddly the A&F labels I've come across in AN-J-3s were a little larger than that one?
Good theory re excess leather, that's known in the trade as "Cabbage" and is a cutter's bonus still in operation in some factories.
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Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
..............did it have a label, Grant?
falcon_ib
Well-Known Member
Insignia is the 66th Fighter Squadron of the 57th Fighter Group. Shown here on a P-40 but the the photo you posted above is probably of a P-47, most likely taken in early-mid 1944 judging by the Thunderbolt's camouflage paint. The squadron began flying P-47s in December 1943-January 1944 while in Italy.
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Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
falcon-ib
That's a very impressive spot from the evidence in the first pic. Kudos!
That's a very impressive spot from the evidence in the first pic. Kudos!
