The Abominable Snowman, The Unicorn, and The G-8 Flight Jacket, Do They Really Exist ?

[B-Man2]

For a number of years I’ve asked myself the same question . I now realize that I’ve had way to much free time on my hands, so I thought why not pose this question to the masses. So here’s the real question : Did the G-8 Flight Jacket ever really exist? This really isn’t a fair question to most of the newer guys on this forum because this was an issue that was discussed a few times back in the old days and the older guys on this forum already know the answer . So I thought I would raise the question again, as it’s been a while since we discussed this jacket and to be honest I thought we needed a little break from the continuous daily “What jacket are you wearing” posts . Just something a bit more thought provoking . So with this in mind, some of you may or may not have heard of the G-8 Flight Jacket . They pop up occasionally for sale on EBay with the sellers usually professing that they are original USN Naval Flight issued jackets from the 1920s, in mint condition . If you’ve never seen one, I’ll post a photo of it here

If you look closely you’ll see that the jacket has diamond cut patches on the rear elbow sections of the sleeves . I’ve seen these jackets made of goatskin and cowhide but never in Horsehide . That’s not to say that they don’t exist, but rather that I’ve just never seen one . Now some of you may look at this jacket and think “ Wait a minute, this isn’t a USN jacket from the 1920s , this is an Indy jacket “ Well oddly enough you wouldn’t be far from wrong because while there is no proof that there’s any connection between the two jackets, they are very similar in appearance . Here’s an Indy jacket for comparison .

With the exception of the diamond elbow patches, I’d say they are pretty close wouldn’t you ? Right up to the side pull adjusting straps. But according to the designers of the Indy jacket, that jacket was made specifically for the Indiana Jones character. Ok, well that’s good to know, but the question is still was the G-8 an original issued USN Flight jacket .
As I said in the beginning of this post, this topic was discussed in depth years ago and the consensus of opinion was that there are no photos of anyone wearing one of these jackets while in uniform and no records of this jacket having ever been awarded as a contract to any manufacturer. Most were in agreement that the G-8 was a hybrid or fantasy jacket of unknown design. Now at this point we have learned to “never say never” with regards to what we think we know about jackets . So here’s a challenge to the newer guys . If you can find any photos or additional info on this jacket , your place in the VLJ Hall of Fame will have been secured for life. A lot of you have been posting vintage photos never seen before and just maybe one of them might actually show a G-8 jacket .
Now there is one jacket which often gets confused with the G-8 . That’s the General Lucien Truscott jacket that he wore during his command days in WWII . If you’ve never seen it here’s a photo

it’s a close look alike but it’s not a G-8 . So here’s the challenge to the Newbies . Do some research and scrutinized some photos and see if you can overturn the opinions of the “old farts” like me and a few others regarding this jacket. If you can come up with some new information that would be great . If you can come up with a period photo of a USN flyer wearing one, that would be outstanding . If you come up with a photo of a Unicorn or Big Foot…………. You da man !!

 

[Nickb123]

Well, my theory is it’s a fictitious marketing name. G-2= next logical designation after G-1. G-8=take the 4’s out of the M44 series and add 4+4=8. Lol.

That said, I remember myself and @zoomer I believe, years ago, both seeing a rather odd image of one of these, or variation of, on a WWII airman, so the search is warranted.

 

[Chandler]

Pulp Fiction.

Coincidence? Just sayin'.

 

[917_k]

Talking of G-8, I’d like to know why the ‘WEP’ jacket is often referred to as a G-8? (WEP jacket as in the 1950s-1970s nylon USN flight jacket). G-8 doesn’t appear to be a Navy designation.

 

[John Lever]

I have a copy of that General jacket.
I heard that Lord Lucan was once seen wearing a G8 jacket while out riding Shergar

 

[blackrat2]

Haha very good Mr Lever

 

[John Lever]

Haha very good Mr Lever

I do try....

 

[Banzai]

I looked into this very question a number of years back...I wish I could find my sources, but the short of it is: no, this jacket never really existed.
It was suggested at one point that Stuart Clyman of Lost Worlds actually invented this. Either way, it is a notional idea of a mid-century Navy/barnstormer type jacket, as "real" as the Indy jacket that you contrasted it with.

 

[Otter]

I have a copy of that General jacket.
I heard that Lord Lucan was once seen wearing a G8 jacket while out riding Shergar

No, he was wearing a G8 jacket made out of Shergar.

 

[Chandler]

It was suggested at one point that Stuart Clyman of Lost Worlds actually invented this.

Jacky Clyman and Jeff Cayman (confusing, I know) were (are?) the Avirex/Cockpit owners, Stuart Clurman is Lost Worlds.

But I think you're right that Avirex was the wizard behind the curtain of the G-8 myth.

 

[B-Man2]

Interestingly enough US Authentic AKA Flightjackets.com still buys into the myth and advertises them as a USN flight jacket.

G-8 Navy Leather Flight Jacket

Made in USA!Made of goatskin medium brown100% Bemberg rayon liningDouble gussets under each arm.Two large single entry pockets (double entry available at no extra charge).Diamond shape patches on the arms.Side panel with strap and tab.Zipper cuffs.Heavy duty #8 brass zipper and wing flap with...

www.flightjacket.com

 

[Banzai]

In the late 80s, Schott also manufactured a flight-style jacket that they called the G-8. It looked nothing like the Avirex (thanks Chandler) invention. It sported a phony/decoration Navy contract tag in it.

 

[Banzai]

Jacky Clyman and Jeff Cayman (confusing, I know) were (are?) the Avirex/Cockpit owners, Stuart Clurman is Lost Worlds.

But I think you're right that Avirex was the wizard behind the curtain of the G-8 myth.

Thanks for the clarification. It's all coming back now, through the cobwebs.

 

[Nickb123]

Jacky Clyman and Jeff Cayman (confusing, I know) were (are?) the Avirex/Cockpit owners, Stuart Clurman is Lost Worlds.

But I think you're right that Avirex was the wizard behind the curtain of the G-8 myth.

Stuart was affiliated in past with Willis & Geiger too, yes?

 

[Chandler]

Stuart was affiliated in past with Willis & Geiger too, yes?

According to one interview, yes. He supposedly broke away (or was broken away) because he complained the "new" W&G owners (Land's End?) didn't want to take his drive for perfection seriously.

 

[Juanito]

Jacky Clyman and Jeff Cayman (confusing, I know) were (are?) the Avirex/Cockpit owners, Stuart Clurman is Lost Worlds.

But I think you're right that Avirex was the wizard behind the curtain of the G-8 myth.

I would agree with that on the Avirex creation. I distinctly remember the G-8 in the Cockpit catalogue as early as 1985.

That said, and this is complete anecdotal commentary, I asked my grandfather about this as he enlisted in the Navy Reserves in the late 1920s as a way to put himself through Aeronautical Engineering school in Detroit and as a way to fly for free (he had been flying since about age 13). Having started to be interested in jackets in the early 1980s, then stumbling across The Cockpit/Avirex, I asked him about what they wore and the G-8 since I saw it in the catalog.

As a reservist (and likely since it was the depression) he was never formally issued personal flying gear--they all shared common gear. He said the jackets (the G-8 I showed him from the catalog) were very similar to what he could remember wearing (he was sharp as a tack, but 1985 was 50 years after he was actively flying) , and the photos of him during that time period on the early 1930s would bear this out, but there were certainly not the same. I would either guess locally procured or private purchase.

 

[B-Man2]

So I resurrected this thread because after all of this time I finally found an old ( not sure if it could be considered vintage) Avirex G-8 in a size 46 for cheap money. The jacket needs a little bit of restitching around the pockets but overall condition is good. I compared this jacket to a Indy Jacket that I have and the similarities are too close to be a coincidence. With the exception of the diamond elbow patches the two jackets look relatively the same . The G-8 is goatskin while the Indy is lamb skin. I’ll post some photos later today for your review and opinions .
Cheers

 

[CombatWombat]

So I resurrected this thread because after all of this time I finally found an old ( not sure if it could be considered vintage) Avirex G-8 in a size 46 for cheap money. The jacket needs a little bit of restitching around the pockets but overall condition is good. I compared this jacket to a Indy Jacket that I have and the similarities are too close to be a coincidence. With the exception of the diamond elbow patches the two jackets look relatively the same . The G-8 is goatskin while the Indy is lamb skin. I’ll post some photos later today for your review and opinions .
Cheers

I'd love to see that mate.....my father had one when I was growing up as a kid (I distinctly remember the elbows!) But since I honestly had no idea what it was even called and looked around for one when I was a teenager.... couldn't find it and I ended up getting a Brill Bros G-1 since it was the closest jacket I could get at a disposal store .....he wore it as a "every job,every day" jacket and it never seemed to give up.... unfortunately he had a bigger chest ,shorter torso and shorter arms than me,so I knew I'd never fit into it.....good to know what brand and model it is

 

[London Cabbie]

For a number of years I’ve asked myself the same question . I now realize that I’ve had way to much free time on my hands, so I thought why not pose this question to the masses. So here’s the real question : Did the G-8 Flight Jacket ever really exist? This really isn’t a fair question to most of the newer guys on this forum because this was an issue that was discussed a few times back in the old days and the older guys on this forum already know the answer . So I thought I would raise the question again, as it’s been a while since we discussed this jacket and to be honest I thought we needed a little break from the continuous daily “What jacket are you wearing” posts . Just something a bit more thought provoking . So with this in mind, some of you may or may not have heard of the G-8 Flight Jacket . They pop up occasionally for sale on EBay with the sellers usually professing that they are original USN Naval Flight issued jackets from the 1920s, in mint condition . If you’ve never seen one, I’ll post a photo of it here
View attachment 67013If you look closely you’ll see that the jacket has diamond cut patches on the rear elbow sections of the sleeves . I’ve seen these jackets made of goatskin and cowhide but never in Horsehide . That’s not to say that they don’t exist, but rather that I’ve just never seen one . Now some of you may look at this jacket and think “ Wait a minute, this isn’t a USN jacket from the 1920s , this is an Indy jacket “ Well oddly enough you wouldn’t be far from wrong because while there is no proof that there’s any connection between the two jackets, they are very similar in appearance . Here’s an Indy jacket for comparison .
View attachment 67014With the exception of the diamond elbow patches, I’d say they are pretty close wouldn’t you ? Right up to the side pull adjusting straps. But according to the designers of the Indy jacket, that jacket was made specifically for the Indiana Jones character. Ok, well that’s good to know, but the question is still was the G-8 an original issued USN Flight jacket .
As I said in the beginning of this post, this topic was discussed in depth years ago and the consensus of opinion was that there are no photos of anyone wearing one of these jackets while in uniform and no records of this jacket having ever been awarded as a contract to any manufacturer. Most were in agreement that the G-8 was a hybrid or fantasy jacket of unknown design. Now at this point we have learned to “never say never” with regards to what we think we know about jackets . So here’s a challenge to the newer guys . If you can find any photos or additional info on this jacket , your place in the VLJ Hall of Fame will have been secured for life. A lot of you have been posting vintage photos never seen before and just maybe one of them might actually show a G-8 jacket .
Now there is one jacket which often gets confused with the G-8 . That’s the General Lucien Truscott jacket that he wore during his command days in WWII . If you’ve never seen it here’s a photo
View attachment 67017
it’s a close look alike but it’s not a G-8 . So here’s the challenge to the Newbies . Do some research and scrutinized some photos and see if you can overturn the opinions of the “old farts” like me and a few others regarding this jacket. If you can come up with some new information that would be great . If you can come up with a period photo of a USN flyer wearing one, that would be outstanding . If you come up with a photo of a Unicorn or Big Foot…………. You da man

Russet Indy looks good…

 

[B-Man2]

I'd love to see that mate.....my father had one when I was growing up as a kid (I distinctly remember the elbows!) But since I honestly had no idea what it was even called and looked around for one when I was a teenager.... couldn't find it and I ended up getting a Brill Bros G-1 since it was the closest jacket I could get at a disposal store .....he wore it as a "every job,every day" jacket and it never seemed to give up.... unfortunately he had a bigger chest ,shorter torso and shorter arms than me,so I knew I'd never fit into it.....good to know what brand and model it is

I’ll post some photos of it shortly and some comparison photos of it next to the Indy jacket so you guys can decide for yourself whether there was some cross over patterns in both jackets. Im thinking now that somebody “borrowed” some design ideas from somebody between the two jackets.