AviatorBRZ
Familiar Face
- Messages
- 53
- Location
- Brazil
Hi, this is my newest acquisition, I wanna share some pictures of it and some of it's history.
The jacket is an spec. AN-6552 made by H.&L. Block, Issued to the U.S. Coast Guard, and belonged to Gale H. Weaner.
What most of you probably known, the AN-6552 spec was fabricated in a short period of time, only six months in 1943. What makes it a considerable rare jacket to find, specially in good condition. Some people say it could be rarest than M422 and M422a.
Some characteristics of the AN-6552 and from the from H.&L. Block contract are the unique design of the lining, the underarm vents stitched instead the metal ones and the US letters painted under the collar in yellow instead the white USN
About the jacket's original owner, I've found some info about his career.
Gale H. Weaner was an USCGR Aviator (Aviator Number #345), and retired in September 1979 as a Captain.
I also found that he was a member of the AOP (Ancient Order of the Pterodactyl - www.aoptero.org), I've already contacted them and I'm waiting some more info about his career or maybe a photo.
(IN THE FIRST REPLY THERE'S SOME PICTURES ABOUT WHAT I'VE FOUND)
USCGR CAPT Gale Howard Weaner (11/12/1919 - 03/06/2008)
U.S. Coast Guard Aviator Nº354
Nov 24, 1944 - Nov 12, 1979
Retired as a Captain
The jacket is a size 36 but from what I've discovered and proved by myself the AN-6552 jackets have had bigger measures, so this 36 jacket fits like an 38.
Leather: Amazing condition, specially considering it's a jacket from the early 40's. Leather is still very smooth and supple and have no rips, stains or cracking. Only minor superficial scuffs along the seams on the arms(Near cuffs and elbows), around the zipper region(Inside) and in other few insignificant small spots who doesn't deserv to be mentioned. The usual scuffs from an glently worn war-time jacket. Almost nothing in my oppinion for an 69 years old used jacket.
Cuffs/Waistband: The cuffs and waistband were replaced. They are dark brown in color and are in perfect condition. The waistband is the folded version. They used around 95% of the original holes to re-stitching both waistband and cuffs, an very professional job.
Lining: The lining appears to be made from a silk fabric in a dark brown color. It is mint and still have the original label/tag. However I've noted that there's no stitches over the lining from the aviator's name tag. I don't know if it was replaced or if maybe the name tag was stitched blank when the jacket was manufactured and then was marked with the aviator's name posteriorly. If it was replaced it is a perfect replica of the original lining design of the AN6552 and was a very professional job too.
Zipper: Zipper is the original, brass and black painted, TALON with the circular hole and it is in excellent condition. No missing tooth on the zipper band.
Buttons: Inside pocket, front pockets and collar have the original buttons. However there's one missing button in the collar, and another who is in the collar strap I'm pretty sure it was replaced.
Using a simple logical reasoning I think I can imagine why the buttons are missing. It's a small jacket (36 who fits like an 38) the original owner probably not was an tall man. Considering this fact you can presume he had an relativelly small neck in diameter. My bet is he probably had used a lot the jacket with the collar closed in the second button, and if he used a lot the jacket with the collar closed, I can presume it was used to fly. That also justify why, in some point, it was needed to replace the collar's fur. I'll talk about the collar fur below. Another thing that could prove this theory is the faded area in the leather name plate and some other areas. Looks like they was caused by an seatbelt.
Collar: The collar was replaced, and again a very professional job, pratically no holes visible in the re-stitching. It is a natural fur and have and unique medium gray color that I never saw in any G-1 jacket. I'm not an specialist in fur so I can't say for sure what kind of fur is that. But here's an interesting coincidence that I've found about this collar:
When i was researching for some information about the original owner of the jacket, the Capt. Gale H. Weaner, I've put his name on Google Images trying to find some photos of him but I couldn't find any. However I've discovered an coincidence who took me to believe that I've found why he choosed that fur's color and maybe from what kind of fur was made the collar.
Gale H. WEANER
When I've discovered that "weaner" is also a way to call seals(the marine animal), I made a quick research on weaners and to my surprise, I've found that a "weaner" have a very similarcolor of fur that the one who is in the collar.
It could be just an coincidence too. But as I said I never saw any jacket with this color of fur. I like to think that the Gale himself made those customizations, but I can't be sure of it yet. I'll try investigate about. It also could be an uncolored mouton collar, But it definitely looks like an weaner's fur or at least have the same color.
(*THERE'S A COMPARISON PICTURE IN THE FIRST REPLY)
I've contacted the two previous owners of this jacket and both told me that they have never changed anything in the jacket. Considering that the original owner passed away in 2008, I believe there's no much more previous owners. So the probability that the Gale had made the customizations is higher.
PS. I think it could prove that, yes, AN-6552 jackets was issued to aviators. At least U.S.C.G. Aviators.
Here's the pictures. (I recommend open each picture in a new tab to see the bigger version)
The jacket is an spec. AN-6552 made by H.&L. Block, Issued to the U.S. Coast Guard, and belonged to Gale H. Weaner.
What most of you probably known, the AN-6552 spec was fabricated in a short period of time, only six months in 1943. What makes it a considerable rare jacket to find, specially in good condition. Some people say it could be rarest than M422 and M422a.
Some characteristics of the AN-6552 and from the from H.&L. Block contract are the unique design of the lining, the underarm vents stitched instead the metal ones and the US letters painted under the collar in yellow instead the white USN
About the jacket's original owner, I've found some info about his career.
Gale H. Weaner was an USCGR Aviator (Aviator Number #345), and retired in September 1979 as a Captain.
I also found that he was a member of the AOP (Ancient Order of the Pterodactyl - www.aoptero.org), I've already contacted them and I'm waiting some more info about his career or maybe a photo.
(IN THE FIRST REPLY THERE'S SOME PICTURES ABOUT WHAT I'VE FOUND)
USCGR CAPT Gale Howard Weaner (11/12/1919 - 03/06/2008)
U.S. Coast Guard Aviator Nº354
Nov 24, 1944 - Nov 12, 1979
Retired as a Captain
The jacket is a size 36 but from what I've discovered and proved by myself the AN-6552 jackets have had bigger measures, so this 36 jacket fits like an 38.
Leather: Amazing condition, specially considering it's a jacket from the early 40's. Leather is still very smooth and supple and have no rips, stains or cracking. Only minor superficial scuffs along the seams on the arms(Near cuffs and elbows), around the zipper region(Inside) and in other few insignificant small spots who doesn't deserv to be mentioned. The usual scuffs from an glently worn war-time jacket. Almost nothing in my oppinion for an 69 years old used jacket.
Cuffs/Waistband: The cuffs and waistband were replaced. They are dark brown in color and are in perfect condition. The waistband is the folded version. They used around 95% of the original holes to re-stitching both waistband and cuffs, an very professional job.
Lining: The lining appears to be made from a silk fabric in a dark brown color. It is mint and still have the original label/tag. However I've noted that there's no stitches over the lining from the aviator's name tag. I don't know if it was replaced or if maybe the name tag was stitched blank when the jacket was manufactured and then was marked with the aviator's name posteriorly. If it was replaced it is a perfect replica of the original lining design of the AN6552 and was a very professional job too.
Zipper: Zipper is the original, brass and black painted, TALON with the circular hole and it is in excellent condition. No missing tooth on the zipper band.
Buttons: Inside pocket, front pockets and collar have the original buttons. However there's one missing button in the collar, and another who is in the collar strap I'm pretty sure it was replaced.
Using a simple logical reasoning I think I can imagine why the buttons are missing. It's a small jacket (36 who fits like an 38) the original owner probably not was an tall man. Considering this fact you can presume he had an relativelly small neck in diameter. My bet is he probably had used a lot the jacket with the collar closed in the second button, and if he used a lot the jacket with the collar closed, I can presume it was used to fly. That also justify why, in some point, it was needed to replace the collar's fur. I'll talk about the collar fur below. Another thing that could prove this theory is the faded area in the leather name plate and some other areas. Looks like they was caused by an seatbelt.
Collar: The collar was replaced, and again a very professional job, pratically no holes visible in the re-stitching. It is a natural fur and have and unique medium gray color that I never saw in any G-1 jacket. I'm not an specialist in fur so I can't say for sure what kind of fur is that. But here's an interesting coincidence that I've found about this collar:
When i was researching for some information about the original owner of the jacket, the Capt. Gale H. Weaner, I've put his name on Google Images trying to find some photos of him but I couldn't find any. However I've discovered an coincidence who took me to believe that I've found why he choosed that fur's color and maybe from what kind of fur was made the collar.
Gale H. WEANER
When I've discovered that "weaner" is also a way to call seals(the marine animal), I made a quick research on weaners and to my surprise, I've found that a "weaner" have a very similarcolor of fur that the one who is in the collar.
It could be just an coincidence too. But as I said I never saw any jacket with this color of fur. I like to think that the Gale himself made those customizations, but I can't be sure of it yet. I'll try investigate about. It also could be an uncolored mouton collar, But it definitely looks like an weaner's fur or at least have the same color.
(*THERE'S A COMPARISON PICTURE IN THE FIRST REPLY)
I've contacted the two previous owners of this jacket and both told me that they have never changed anything in the jacket. Considering that the original owner passed away in 2008, I believe there's no much more previous owners. So the probability that the Gale had made the customizations is higher.
PS. I think it could prove that, yes, AN-6552 jackets was issued to aviators. At least U.S.C.G. Aviators.
Here's the pictures. (I recommend open each picture in a new tab to see the bigger version)
Real AN-6552 are rare to find. If I was second handing a real G-1, I'd probably would be replacing knits and collar too, as previous owners of your jacket did.
