Need help identifying a jacket from... A painting

[Elgin]

I know this request might seem silly but I've always adored Norman Rockwell's "Saying Grace" painting (1951), and I'm kow wondering what kind of jacket exactly is the soldier on the left wearing? It looks like some kind of flight jacket—but I'm far from an expert on the subject, and I'd rather let real connoisseurs help me with that one.
Here's a closer look at it :

And the full (beautiful) piece of art:

 

[warguy]

He is not a soldier, looks like a civilian factory worker of some kind. I dont believe that to be a military jacket.

 

[B-Man2]

Hi
Not trying to be arrogant with you but this is a near impossible request.
Here’s a couple of definites that I can help you with.
1. The subject in the photo is definitely not a soldier.
2. The jacket is definitely not a military jacket.
Other than that it’s anyones guess what it could be.

 

[JonnyCrow]

Plus the numbered cap badge/disc could be some form of transport worker, those jackets and many like them were issued work wear even postal winter jackets and civilian municipal had fur/wool collars, newspaper looks like the New York times

 

[Chandler]

Rockwell posed his compositions with models and used photographs as guides when painting, so I imagine there's a photo version of this somewhere that could add some info... or muddy it more.

But I agree with the observation that this is probably just a typical civilian work jacket of the day.

 

[Chandler]

Here's a first search find. A little fuzzy, but I imagine there's more out there.

ARTICLE: Norman Rockwell’s American Dream / What Is An American? – Making Curriculum Pop

 

[JonnyCrow]

A old o

ne of mine, rayon, red satin lining mouton collar made by a American company called Sport Jack

 

[JonnyCrow]

 

[Nickb123]

Not the first time there’s been a quest to determine the jacket in a Rockwell painting. Several years back everyone was onto this one:

 

[Micawber]

Rockwell posed his compositions with models and used photographs as guides when painting, so I imagine there's a photo version of this somewhere that could add some info... or muddy it more.

But I agree with the observation that this is probably just a typical civilian work jacket of the day.

Yep, very photo realistic and popular with the masses as a result.

 

[Chandler]

Not the first time there’s been a quest to determine the jacket in a Rockwell painting. Several years back everyone was onto this one:

View attachment 85667

I remember seeing this one as a kid and wondering if it was supposed to be leather or cloth -- I also think there's a live model composition pic of this out there.

I also wondered how Abe Lincoln got a flight jacket.