• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

REAL OR CONTRIVED?

Maverickson

Well-Known Member
Hi All,

I've never been much of a Nazi flight jacket fan but this one piqued my interest http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... TQ:US:1123 . The hide on this jacket looks wonderful! In addition, I may be wrong but that Riri zipper looks like it would have come from an earlier time.

Were German's that advanced in to have come up with those materials and construction techniques to have made such a zipper assembly during WW-2?

Thanks, Dave
 

a2jacketpatches

Active Member
This seller rings a bell, Gary Eastman? In any event, this one looks like a beauty and just a guess, but the zip doesn't look that advanced. Lots of fake Luft Leather flying around but this seller rings a bell as completely legit. I've got so many email, Ebay, and forum member handles in my head that I just can't place this one but my instincts tell me this is not the dark side of the force.
 

John Lever

Moderator
Maverickson said:
Hi All,

I've never been much of a Nazi flight jacket fan but this one piqued my interest http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... TQ:US:1123 . The hide on this jacket looks wonderful! In addition, I may be wrong but that Riri zipper looks like it would have come from an earlier time.

Were German's that advanced in to have come up with those materials and construction techniques to have made such a zipper assembly during WW-2?

Thanks, Dave
They did use plastic zips and yes they were highly advanced technically. Think of the V1, V2 rockets and the V3 supergun designed to rain hundreds of supersonic artillary rounds per hour on London.
 

MikeyB-17

Well-Known Member
Aero did a repro Luftwaffe Kanal jacket years ago, a lightweight nylon job-with a plastic zip like that.
 

dmar836

Well-Known Member
I have never seen those zips so can't say. What I do know is that there are few real jackets in existence. By that I mean true documented examples. Many were private purchase or tailor made. For some reason the famous black leather "Hartmann" jacket had many more varieties than the fabric versions but I read somewhere that there were specs. in place. This makes the zip even less of a ringer. There are many of these jackets around but just storied to be true period German flight jackets. I would never consider one to be more valuable than a Hercules without provenance. In which case I doubt many of us could afford it.
JMO
Dave
 

TankBuster

Active Member
Looks like one of the late war issued leather flight jackets. This appears to be the the non heated version since I don't see the connector tabs. The jacket originally had the velvet collar which looks to have been replaced with the current leather one.

Regarding the plastic riri zips, late in the war, metal was tough to come by, so they started using plastic zips. The plastic zips were used on the later versions of this jacket.

Here is one from my collection with the earlier metal zips.

006.jpg
 

dmar836

Well-Known Member
Very nice! That sure looks like the same cut doesn't it.
Thanks for the first hand clarification.
Dave
 
Top