Sheeley's Aviators Clothing Co. 55J15 G-1

[Maverickson]

Hi All,

Recently & only after many weeks of work I finished up developing another make of USN flight jackets. In this case, the Aviators Clothing Co 55J14 model G-1 jacket complete. As USN flight jackets go this make jacket is beyond rare and difficult at best to find an original in a true Large size. To familiarize myself with this remarkable design I utilized some 5 original jackets that I have accumulated over the past 14 years of collecting to come up with my patterns.

Please see here https://www.ebay.com/itm/113782291542 for examples and explanations.

Cheers, Dave

 

[Dany McDonald]

Hi Dave,

Wish I truly new all the details of this AC 55J14 to really appreciate the meticulousness of your work.

Excellent work.

Dany

 

[mulceber]

Great to see some of Aero’s later work! It looks beautiful.

 

[warguy]

That is a gorgeous looking jacket! I have an original size 36 in my collection. It is nice to see the finer details represented in your work (like the darkened zip and style and color of the USN on the collar). Very nice work.

 

[Maverickson]

That is a gorgeous looking jacket!

Of all the USN jacket's designs that I have handled this one ranks among the most unique. It's overall design accentuates this jacket's drape and ultimately the folds created by the panel configurations and pocket placement to give it that look. It takes studying a particular design & observing many jackets from a given maker and in different sizes to fully grasp a given design.

Furthermore, the only maker that I have seen that truly centers both the front and back panels as close to a 50/50 at the side seam junction as one can get. All other earlier models close in design (AN model Arnoff, B&T and L.W.Foster to include the W&G 35805) only have their side panel fall "in the vicinity" to the underarm and not quite 50% front panel and 50% back panel by design.

That attention to detail took some thinking on behalf of those that created this particular design. Something and one of the many fine points of this design that I pass along with my builds.

Cheers, Dave

 

[B-Man2]

Dave
Another jacket that’s a testament to your skill and brilliance as quality jacket maker and an artisan . Looks friggin awesome!

 

[Brettafett]

Looks gorgeous Dave, nice job.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Superb Dave. Another Navy reproduction which anyone ordering can be confident will be spot on for accuracy and attention to the little details. A fine looking jacket indeed.

 

[Maverickson]

Hi All,


My original Aviators Clothing G-1 and model for those same 55J14 jackets I reproduce going forward. One of the hand full of these same 55J14 series G-1's I will have utilized to derive my patterns for this build. After some 14 years of collecting, this size 44 I've come up with is both the nicest and largest I've seen to date. Not to mention, it fits me.

Now making it possible for me to accurately recreate any and all sizes from this rarely seen USN fight jacket.

Note the hour glass shaped leading edge on the action back panel.

Among other innovations, by design this jacket most closely follows a 50/50 ratio or nearly symmetrical between the front and back panels as compared to any and all USN flight jacket makers.

The Aviators Clothing Co. USN stencil is completely unique to this maker.

Late 1940's blackened brass Conmar zip assembly.

Besides wearing this jacket on the occasion about all that I will be doing to this one is changing out the cuffs. As they are well beyond repair. See the replacement cuffs that will soon be attached. I had those knits made for my 55J14 reproduction builds.

Thank you Markus!

Cheers, Dave

 

[mulceber]

Looks like a near-perfect match on the knits, Dave. Looking forward to seeing the first repro based on this jacket.

 

[B-Man2]

Outstanding Dave !
Another classic jacket for sure

 

[Maverickson]

Hi All,

Recently received some of the more consistently grainy hides I've ever seen to date. Just one of several superior hides I now have available. Perfect for any USN jacket I might reproduce. See them as compared to my original Aviators Clothing Co jacket.

Not to mention, these hides are super sized which allows me to build a jacket in any conceivable size.

As seen from the tannery with no finish work.

Cheers, Dave

 

[leper-colony]

OMG, that's a lovely hide!

 

[CombatWombat]

Oh jeez....... that's the nicest looking USN jacket I've seen..... looks like I may have to see about buying one of these once they get into production