1941 "M1941" "M41" "Parsons" Field Jacket Sizing Guide: Database Comparing Vintage and Reproduction ("Repro") Jackets

[vintagewool]

Add your pre-shrunk jacket's actual measurements to this thread.

The descriptions and repro-sizings of these field jackets are a mess, so this thread is intended as a resource to restore sanity.

There are 3 important points about the actual WWII 1941 field jackets, gleaned from the technical manual, TM 10-265, WWII U.S. Army (USA) military specification (" mil-spec"):

1.The "LONGS" are 1.5in longer in the "Body" (it does not mention longer sleeves).

2.The design is for the outside jacket with plaits closed to measure 7in over the person's breast circumference (a proxy of "ease" or "roominess"--except the outside measurement omits subtraction of the jacket's thickness), or a pit-to-pit (one-side) measurement of 3.5in more than a tight fit. This meant that salvage parties could determine the nominal "tag" size when the tag was missing. It also means that one can use actual measurements of reproductions to translate them into the WWII language of sizes.

3.One can infer intended uses and combinations by the amount of over-sizing (+X inches) cut into designs, with a 40in-chest soldier hypothetically being issued the same nominal size of "40" in all of these items (including speculated intents from actual inches):
More garrison than combat by late-WWII USA standards:
+3 = 43 Service coat (looks like a dress suit's jacket).
+5 = 45 Overcoat (looks like a greatcoat but no cape).
Combat:
+7 = 47 1941 field jacket ("M41" "Parsons").
+9 = 49 Mackinaw.


1941 Field Jackets Database:

Outside Measurements:
CHEST: Armpit to armpit ("pit to pit").
LENGTH: Bottom of collar at back center to bottom of hem.
SLEEVE: Shoulder seam to bottom of cuff.
SHOULDER: End of left shoulder seam to end of right shoulder seam.
(SLEEVE, MIL-SPEC, TM 10-265: Bottom of collar at back center to bottom of cuff, at topside of sleeve when topside of sleeve is laid with a 1in plait at the shoulder.)

Consider that the different people reporting measurements might be measuring or rounding differently.

CHEST_____LENGTH_____SLEEVE_____SHOULDER_____TAG__________JACKET _____________________25______________________R(most)______At the Front (ATF) "M1941" [not including "M41" "Summer"?]. __________27.5_______26______________________M(36-40)_____At the Front (ATF) "M41" "Summer" [ATF lists M as 38-40]. 23________26_________24_________19___________38L__________Vintage? [shrunk?] customized. 23.5______27.5_______26_________19___________38L__________Vintage? [un-shrunk?]. 23.5______26.88(7/8)_________________________40___________TM 10-265 WWII USA mil-spec [sizes 36-38 are shorter]. 24.5______27.25______________________________42___________TM 10-265 WWII USA mil-spec [sizes 42-50 length = 27.25in]. 24________27_________25_________20___________42R__________Vintage Sigmund Eisner Co. 20B [URL words mis-match]. 26________27_________________________________46___________Repro "redlion159" eBay seller. 26________27.5_______24______________________46___________Mil-Tec (wool[-blend?] lining, left zipper). 28________29_________25______________________46R__________Mil-Tec (polyester lining). 27___________________24______________________48R(XL)______Repro "claysmilitary" eBay seller.


https://www.atthefront.com/Top-quality-reproduction-WWII-Field-Jacket-p/usujm41.htm
https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/248149-atf-summer-m1941-jacket-review/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/235431130210
https://www.raregearusa.com/collect...age-us-army-field-jacket-m-1941-m41-1940s-ww2
https://www.atthefront.com/category-s/57.htm
https://blog.atthefront.com/HR/clothing-sizes-tm-10-265.pdf
https://blog.atthefront.com/how-to-determine-uniform-sizes/
https://www.raregearusa.com/products/copy-of-field-jacket-m-1941-m41-1940s-size-small-with-patches
https://www.ebay.com/itm/166737605742
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/sturm-mil-tec-m-1941-size-46.46587/
eBay: US Army M-41 Field jacket size 46 REPRODUCTION jacket
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302397444324

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Add your pre-shrunk jacket's actual measurements to this thread.

The descriptions and repro-sizings of these field jackets are a mess, so this thread is intended as a resource to restore sanity.

There are 3 important points about the actual WWII 1941 field jackets, gleaned from the technical manual, TM 10-265, WWII U.S. Army (USA) military specification (" mil-spec"):

1.The "LONGS" are 1.5in longer in the "Body" (it does not mention longer sleeves).

2.The design is for the outside jacket with plaits closed to measure 7in over the person's breast circumference (a proxy of "ease" or "roominess"--except the outside measurement omits subtraction of the jacket's thickness), or a pit-to-pit (one-side) measurement of 3.5in more than a tight fit. This meant that salvage parties could determine the nominal "tag" size when the tag was missing. It also means that one can use actual measurements of reproductions to translate them into the WWII language of sizes.

3.One can infer intended uses and combinations by the amount of over-sizing (+X inches) cut into designs, with a 40in-chest soldier hypothetically being issued the same nominal size of "40" in all of these items (including speculated intents from actual inches):
More garrison than combat by late-WWII USA standards:
+3 = 43 Service coat (looks like a dress suit's jacket).
+5 = 45 Overcoat (looks like a greatcoat but no cape).
Combat:
+7 = 47 1941 field jacket ("M41" "Parsons").
+9 = 49 Mackinaw.


1941 Field Jackets Database:

Outside Measurements:
CHEST: Armpit to armpit ("pit to pit").
LENGTH: Bottom of collar at back to bottom of hem.
SLEEVE: Shoulder seam to bottom of cuff.
SHOULDER: End of left shoulder seam to end of right shoulder seam.
(SLEEVE, MIL-SPEC, TM 10-265: Bottom of collar at back to bottom of cuff, at topside of sleeve when topside of sleeve is laid with a 1in plait.)

Consider that the different people reporting measurements might be measuring or rounding differently.

CHEST_____LENGTH_____SLEEVE_____SHOULDER_____TAG__________JACKET _____________________25______________________R(most)______At the Front (ATF) "M1941" [not including "M41" "Summer"?]. __________27.5_______26______________________M(36-40)_____At the Front (ATF) "M41" "Summer" [ATF lists M as 38-40]. 23________26_________24_________19___________38L__________Vintage? [shrunk?] customized. 23.5______27.5_______26_________19___________38L__________Vintage? [un-shrunk?]. 23.5______26.88(7/8)_________________________40___________TM 10-265 WWII USA mil-spec [sizes 36-38 are shorter]. 24.5______27.25______________________________42___________TM 10-265 WWII USA mil-spec [sizes 42-50 length = 27.25in]. 24________27_________25_________20___________42R__________Vintage Sigmund Eisner Co. 20B [URL words mis-match]. 26________27_________________________________46___________Repro "redlion159" eBay seller. 26________27.5_______24______________________46___________Mil-Tec (wool[-blend?] lining, left zipper). 28________29_________25______________________46R__________Mil-Tec (polyester lining). 27___________________24______________________48R(XL)______Repro "claysmilitary" eBay seller.


https://www.atthefront.com/Top-quality-reproduction-WWII-Field-Jacket-p/usujm41.htm
https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/248149-atf-summer-m1941-jacket-review/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/235431130210
https://www.raregearusa.com/collect...age-us-army-field-jacket-m-1941-m41-1940s-ww2
https://www.atthefront.com/category-s/57.htm
https://blog.atthefront.com/HR/clothing-sizes-tm-10-265.pdf
https://blog.atthefront.com/how-to-determine-uniform-sizes/
https://www.raregearusa.com/products/copy-of-field-jacket-m-1941-m41-1940s-size-small-with-patches
https://www.ebay.com/itm/166737605742
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/sturm-mil-tec-m-1941-size-46.46587/
eBay: US Army M-41 Field jacket size 46 REPRODUCTION jacket
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302397444324

Might just be me but very confusing.
You go first.

 

[Vito2390]

Add your pre-shrunk jacket's actual measurements to this thread.

The descriptions and repro-sizings of these field jackets are a mess, so this thread is intended as a resource to restore sanity.

There are 3 important points about the actual WWII 1941 field jackets, gleaned from the technical manual, TM 10-265, WWII U.S. Army (USA) military specification (" mil-spec"):

1.The "LONGS" are 1.5in longer in the "Body" (it does not mention longer sleeves).

2.The design is for the outside jacket with plaits closed to measure 7in over the person's breast circumference (a proxy of "ease" or "roominess"--except the outside measurement omits subtraction of the jacket's thickness), or a pit-to-pit (one-side) measurement of 3.5in more than a tight fit. This meant that salvage parties could determine the nominal "tag" size when the tag was missing. It also means that one can use actual measurements of reproductions to translate them into the WWII language of sizes.

3.One can infer intended uses and combinations by the amount of over-sizing (+X inches) cut into designs, with a 40in-chest soldier hypothetically being issued the same nominal size of "40" in all of these items (including speculated intents from actual inches):
More garrison than combat by late-WWII USA standards:
+3 = 43 Service coat (looks like a dress suit's jacket).
+5 = 45 Overcoat (looks like a greatcoat but no cape).
Combat:
+7 = 47 1941 field jacket ("M41" "Parsons").
+9 = 49 Mackinaw.


1941 Field Jackets Database:

Outside Measurements:
CHEST: Armpit to armpit ("pit to pit").
LENGTH: Bottom of collar at back center to bottom of hem.
SLEEVE: Shoulder seam to bottom of cuff.
SHOULDER: End of left shoulder seam to end of right shoulder seam.
(SLEEVE, MIL-SPEC, TM 10-265: Bottom of collar at back center to bottom of cuff, at topside of sleeve when topside of sleeve is laid with a 1in plait at the shoulder.)

Consider that the different people reporting measurements might be measuring or rounding differently.

CHEST_____LENGTH_____SLEEVE_____SHOULDER_____TAG__________JACKET _____________________25______________________R(most)______At the Front (ATF) "M1941" [not including "M41" "Summer"?]. __________27.5_______26______________________M(36-40)_____At the Front (ATF) "M41" "Summer" [ATF lists M as 38-40]. 23________26_________24_________19___________38L__________Vintage? [shrunk?] customized. 23.5______27.5_______26_________19___________38L__________Vintage? [un-shrunk?]. 23.5______26.88(7/8)_________________________40___________TM 10-265 WWII USA mil-spec [sizes 36-38 are shorter]. 24.5______27.25______________________________42___________TM 10-265 WWII USA mil-spec [sizes 42-50 length = 27.25in]. 24________27_________25_________20___________42R__________Vintage Sigmund Eisner Co. 20B [URL words mis-match]. 26________27_________________________________46___________Repro "redlion159" eBay seller. 26________27.5_______24______________________46___________Mil-Tec (wool[-blend?] lining, left zipper). 28________29_________25______________________46R__________Mil-Tec (polyester lining). 27___________________24______________________48R(XL)______Repro "claysmilitary" eBay seller.


For those trying to get a handle on the sizing of the 1941 M1941 Parsons Field Jacket, I've found that the best way to navigate the differences between vintage and repro versions is to check out detailed guides and compare measurements. A great resource for further insights on various military jackets and their sizing is available at the nursing essays online service. This can help you make a more informed decision and ensure a proper fit.

Thanks for the guide!