What jacket(s) are you wearing at the moment?

[B-Man2]

Original Dubow
View attachment 86920

Another beauty WZ…. Love the knits on this one.

 

[Kermit3D]

hum... ok I cheat, the picture is not from today. Outside it's raining cats and dogs as you say. In French we say : "it rains halberds" or "it's raining ropes". Which doesn't make much more sense. We also say more vulgarly "it's raining like a cow that's pissing", which I find much more readable than this story of cats and dogs.... anyway !

Not so long ago I took out the A-2 Dubow (BK)

 

[JonnyCrow]

I'm curious as to where the notion that 55j14s are prone to red rot comes from! I own 3 original Star made 55j14s right now and they are made with beautiful indestructible goatskin. I've collected jackets since '76; I handled most of the G-1 types JC had when he made his CD ROM and I didn't notice any red rot on any Navy jackets, much less 55j14s. I owned one of the Pritzker G-1s on the CD which did have some finish wear which could possibly be mistaken for red rot but the underlying leather was fine. In my experience the 1940s and '50s goatskin with which M422s thru 7823s are made with is incredible unageing, almost magical goatskin.

It would be good to know which contracts are prone to red rot. I owned 2 Spiewak A-2s back in my youth which didn't have red rot (and given my obsessive nature thank God I didn't know about their predeliction to this!) so I guess ignorance is bliss!

Many antique original jackets and leather products I've owned I've never seen this, only on more later leather stuff

 

[JonnyCrow]

5) celsius this morning before the doggy walk 5 star B3 SEAL/ MID BROWN bought this jacket last year and its was worn a handfull of time kept me warm during the ballad. love the craftsmanship and the leather. really like this jacket !View attachment 86905

Morning Fred, looks cold, touched minus 1 here at 6am walking the dogs, colder than a witches tit haha, nice dog by the way

 

[Cyril]

We have a huge P-3 and A7 wing here in Jacksonville at NAS JAX . I’m going to have to start checking all of the Good Will and used clothing places. I’d bet there’s a couple of G-1s just waiting to be found.

hope you find some!
The pilot's WEP nylon jacket was also sold with the same patches at the time...didn't go to me.
but I wouldn't have minded finding the pilot's previous jacket either

 

[Sideslip]

Great, let your son not change his mind and fulfill his dream, especially since he probably often flies with you.
My children were going to follow my way but eventually changed their minds. Although maybe it's for the best now, who knows. However, I'm a little sorry about it.

I know what you mean, so I try to enjoy the time with him. I gradually realised and accepted that each will have their own arc in life, even if it is not the one I might have imagined for them; all we can do is try to help, guide and support them.

We can study and train and qualify for all sorts of things but there does not seem to be any training to be a parent, it is all on the job training and sometimes it feels like an ultramarathon .

 

[Cyril]

Speaking of P-3 activity

View attachment 86921View attachment 86922

Some information i found on the pilot:

CDR Russell G. Gilmore, USN (*1923-2000)​

"Russ, an East Greenwich resident since 1965, served in the Navy from 1944 to 1969. During his flying career he landed on 21 different carriers; he also served on the USS Wasp for two years and USS Lake Champlain for one year. He flew F8F Bearcats with fighter squadron VF-19, and later transitioned to jets on assignment with VX-2"

honored in the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame

 

[D97x7]

This is what I've been waiting for

 

[flyincowboy]

Stunning jacket and perfect weather wish that it will be a little bit more cold!

 

[mulceber]

The GW Horween is looking particularly scrumptious at the airport today:

 

[saucerfiend]

The GW Horween is looking particularly scrumptious at the airport today:
View attachment 87087

Damn! That is just perfect vintage-type graining!

 

[Chandler]

The GW Horween is looking particularly scrumptious at the airport today:

Eh -- Horween. Whadda they know?

Where you headed?

 

[mulceber]

Eh -- Horween. Whadda they know?

Where you headed?

Back to Michigan.

 

[bseal]

Stole Mulceber’s A-2. Or maybe it was Nick’s….

 

[ES335]

Stole Mulceber’s A-2. Or maybe it was Nick’s….

View attachment 87177

Fellas... Do NOT take these jackets off... lol

 

[coolhandluke]

GW Doniger...

 

[Brettafett]

YES!!!

 

[Sideslip]

Off the top of my head, I think Dave Sheeley has mentioned it a couple times. I know for sure he's pointed to individual 55J14 contracts that are prone to it (e.g. Aviators Clothing Co.). That said, the 55J14 contracts were issued over several years to a bunch of different manufacturers in different cities, so it’s unlikely every contract was prone to red rot. Could just be that a few contracts had it, and it was enough to give the 55J14s a reputation among restorers.

What is "red rot"? I can kind of guess, but what does it look like?

 

[B-Man2]

What is "red rot"? I can kind of guess, but what does it look like?

Here’s a photo of it . It’s on the shoulder

 

[Sideslip]

Gorgeous. What leather knit combo is that?

Italian HH, same source as ELC with a mid-brown knit. Note that this jacket is aged, but very subtly. It is very light, leather is thin and easy to wear and really growing on me. TBH, as it was not made for me, I kind of think of it as an issue jacket.