Southoftheborder
Well-Known Member
Those Aviation Leathercraft jackets are very well made. I tried on some of their Irvin style jackets down in Thruxton when I bought one of their aircrew jackets about twenty years ago. The thing is that they are in no way reproductions of genuine wartime Irvin jackets. Even though Mota Lita, the company that owns AL bought the rights to the Irvin name and makes a big fuss about them being the only genuine Irvin. Wartime jackets were made by many companies just as A 2 jackets were in the US, and all were slightly different. But these jackets aren't based on any particular pattern, and to the best of my knowledge Mota Lita didn't get any patterns when they bought the name and some of the machinery years ago.
They started off making them without pockets like originals but found people wanted then. So they now have pockets as standard and you have to special order one if you don't want them. Many companies sell sheepskin jackets loosely based on wartime ones of both the RAF and USAAF - just like the one you bought and sent back. But not many sell really good reproductions; and that is what those who want good copies pay for.
BTW if you want practicality Irvin jackets aren't very practical in the UK climate. I've owned a couple including a very nice older type pre broken hide Eastman Irvin, and the things are just too warm and bulky for all but the coldest days. I have D 1 and B6 copies now and they are very practical and have pockets. The D 1 is lighter weight and is a very stylish jacket. Check it out.
Lastly I think many people can regret going for something like the Aviation Leathercraft Irvin when they learn more about the history of the type. I've read quite a few posts on forums like this one of people who bought into the 'genuine Irvin' hype and regretted it later. All said how well made they were too...
But they bought also very well made but much better copies of wartime jackets later.
They started off making them without pockets like originals but found people wanted then. So they now have pockets as standard and you have to special order one if you don't want them. Many companies sell sheepskin jackets loosely based on wartime ones of both the RAF and USAAF - just like the one you bought and sent back. But not many sell really good reproductions; and that is what those who want good copies pay for.
BTW if you want practicality Irvin jackets aren't very practical in the UK climate. I've owned a couple including a very nice older type pre broken hide Eastman Irvin, and the things are just too warm and bulky for all but the coldest days. I have D 1 and B6 copies now and they are very practical and have pockets. The D 1 is lighter weight and is a very stylish jacket. Check it out.
Lastly I think many people can regret going for something like the Aviation Leathercraft Irvin when they learn more about the history of the type. I've read quite a few posts on forums like this one of people who bought into the 'genuine Irvin' hype and regretted it later. All said how well made they were too...
But they bought also very well made but much better copies of wartime jackets later.
