ALL ORIGINAL Irvin RAF type Jackets - Loving that Wolf in sheeps' clothing!

[aswatland]

The vent hole configuration varied. This one is from a 1938-9 Irvin Air Chute jacket. There are 9 vents here as opposed to the more usually seen 8.

 

[Paulgo253]

For me it's very timely that you post some vent hole pics Andrew as I thought there was a thread somewhere discussing the different configuration used by Irvin manufacturers. Searched everywhere and can't find anything so must've imagine it!.

I have a little summer restoration project with an early war two-panel jacket and would really like to know the manufacturer. Given the squarish collar and small collar rings I was leaning towards IAC and it seems to be quite well made. Here's a picture of the vent pattern which does seem to match some other IAC jackets I've seen, I think!

 

[shadowrider]

Thank you, fellas.
Would it be possible to see the inside side (the hairy part), where those vented triangles are?

 

[Doctor Damage]

Would it be possible to see the inside side (the hairy part), where those vented triangles are?

you got it sailor, but it'll cost you extra

 

[shadowrider]

you got it sailor, but it'll cost you extra

LOL! Just realized how wrong that sounded!

 

[Paulgo253]

Haha - here's one of the reverse of the vent of the jacket I posted earlier and a better one of the outside:

This might also be useful - a couple of shots of an old parted jacket which should give you an indication of how the vent panels are attached etc

 

[shadowrider]

Haha - here's one of the reverse of the vent of the jacket I posted earlier and a better one of the outside:

This might also be useful - a couple of shots of an old parted jacket which should give you an indication of how the vent panels are attached etc

Exactly what I needed. Thank you sir!

 

[thor]

For all of us Irvin jacket/Spitfire fans, I saw the movie "Dunkirk" yesterday and you're going to fall in love with the Supermarine Spitfire all over again after watching this film. The Tom Hardy character wears an Irvin (buried under straps and buckles and viewed mostly in extreme close-up shots but the collar and zip-sleeve details are obvious). The interior cockpit scenes are magnificent and really puts you in the "driver's seat". The movie itself is excellent and for us Spitfire fans, there's plenty of aerial action and gorgeous cinematography to renew the sense of awe and adoration for the greatest fighter plane in history!

 

[aswatland]

I recently acquired this all original 1939 Wareings Irvin. It has the Dot British zips, which work perfectly. It was made from a thinner fleece than many I have seen from this maker. I particularly like the tan seam tapes and collar back. There are no patches or ugly repairs and very little fleece loss in the usual places. Sadly the label is missing. It is a decent size being 24.5" pit to pit, so fits me fine.

 

[Sloan1874]

Wow! Amazing condition.

 

[aswatland]

Yes, the jacket is extremely well preserved and does not look as if the jacket was worn much in the War.

 

[Paulgo253]

After a ridiculously balmy October (even up North!) Irvin weather seems to be finally on the way next week, so I thought it opportune to introdue the latest addition to my very small collection of jackets - and hopefully get some information about who might have made it. I bough it in late spring as a bit of a fixer upper - but it turned out to be in better condition that I had originally thought with a lot less issues than I'd feared.

It's a far from prime example and has seen some action I would think, but is generally in very good order. It’s an early war two panel with a lovely coppery, close pile fleece. Far from mint condition - it’s generally very sound overall and study enough to be a good, wearable jacket, with care of course. It’s a good size too – I’m around a 42” chest and there’s loads of room, so I think it’s probably a size 6.

It did come with some issues. Although the original main zip is still present and sound, for some inexplicable reason the bucket collector was missing, which is very odd. I can’t work out if it’s be deliberately removed or lost somehow during use, along with the original slider. The remainder of the zip itself is in very good condition so I really wanted to avoid having to replace it, or at least one side anyway, if possible.

Fortunately, I had a bucket collector I could use from the lower part of a broken main zip which I’d kept when it was been replaced on another jacket. By trimming it to size I’ve managed to successfully graft this onto the bottom of the zip. Luckily no teeth were missing from the remaining part of the zip, otherwise there would have been issues getting it to work. It has to be handled with care, especially when starting off, but once it’s away it works fine and I’m happy to live with it like that for now. I’m using a replacement single trunnion runner with an original leather pull from a scrap pair of early war IAC Irvin trousers.

The skin is quite robust but the surface is cracked in places and a little tender around the shoulders so it benefited from a good feeding of Pecards which was transformational, particularly on the front of the jacket which has seen most wear and lost of a lot of the original surface colouring. The sleeves also have a bit of scuffing and is worn in places, but it all adds character. The sleeve zips are both original DOT double trunnion and work without issue. One has retained it’s original leather pull which I used as a template to produce a replacement for the other from some scrap Irvin trouser pockets.

The fleece has a nice thick pile with a leather hanging chain that was detached at one side and now re-stitched. The trimming to the cuffs and bottom of the jacket has the usual evidence of wear in places but is generally quite good. The jacket also has it’s original elastic strap attached to the back of the collar, although this is somewhat stretched, but otherwise in good condition.

I’m intrigued to identify the manufacturer and to narrow down to date for the jacket.as much as possible. Generally, to my eye the jacket seems to have been very well made, compared to my mid-war Links jackets for example, with neat stitching and seam taping and a leather hanging strap - which I know can sometimes be an indicator of a higher quality jacket. .It’s got a large, squarish collar with what I think are smaller collar rings and I’m wondering if it’s an IAC jacket. Many of the usual identifying clues are missing in their original form, such as the belt loops (which are not original (I replaced the belt from an scrap jacket of roughly the same age) and main zip slider and bucket stamp. The other potential clue is air vent hole configuration which seems quite distinctive and has 8 holes. This looks the same as some pics I’ve seen vents on IAC jackets, but could be Wareings I suppose. I've scoured examples but I'm not sufficiently expert to make a call!

Date wise, it seems to be an example of an early war Irvin, but how early? Both sleeve zips are original and are of the earlier DOT England double trunnion variety, potentially indicating a date of manufacture before late 1940 when I believe crown stamped AM zips began to be used. There’s also a lot of ‘redskin’ pinking present on the skin, evidence of the vegetable tanning process that I believe was only used early Irvin war jackets.

Here's some pics that might help:

Any thoughts chaps?! Thanks in advance!!

 

[Doctor Damage]

 

[aswatland]

Paul, Your jacket dates to 1939-40. It was made by on of the known makers as far as I can tell. There were many sub contractors who were used to fulfill contracts to IAC for example and it could be one of those. It is a nice jacket BTW and well done on your restoration work.

 

[Paulgo253]

It is a nice jacket BTW and well done on your restoration work.

Thanks Andrew, it's far from mint but I really love it and just needed a bit of TLC than restoration really. Still got a few little bits to finish but I hope to get some wear out of it soon as the cold weather advances! It's a shame about the way the replacement bucket collector lines up as I would've liked it to be deeper into the seam, but that seems to be the way it was and fitted. I really don't want to unpick all the original stitching and move the zip webbing unless I really have to. Here's a pic of the condition of the main zip when I obtained the jacket - really odd bit of damage!

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

That is a really nice jacket.

 

[Paulgo253]

Thanks Steve. it's far exceeded my expectations from when I bought it, very reasonably, as a fixer upper. There's a quite a bit of wear and it's certainly seen some life but I think it's been a very well made jacket

 

[Cooper A-2]

Thanks Andrew, it's far from mint but I really love it and just needed a bit of TLC than restoration really. Still got a few little bits to finish but I hope to get some wear out of it soon as the cold weather advances! It's a shame about the way the replacement bucket collector lines up as I would've liked it to be deeper into the seam, but that seems to be the way it was and fitted. I really don't want to unpick all the original stitching and move the zip webbing unless I really have to. Here's a pic of the condition of the main zip when I obtained the jacket - really odd bit of damage!

Bravo! well done repair job!

 

[Stand By]

Not an Irvin but Irvin-related and hopefully of interest, here's an item made by the Irving Airchute Company that I hadn't seen before:
http://www.germanmilitaria.com/OtherNations/photos/C060075.html

And next to them on the website are these and it's interesting to see the "Teddy" liner that I knew that aircrew wore but I'd never seen one before either. Looks toasty. Hopefully it was!
http://www.germanmilitaria.com/OtherNations/photos/C037577.html

 

[Cooper A-2]

Not an Irvin but Irvin-related and hopefully of interest, here's an item made by the Irving Airchute Company that I hadn't seen before:
http://www.germanmilitaria.com/OtherNations/photos/C060075.html

And next to them on the website are these and it's interesting to see the "Teddy" liner that I knew that aircrew wore but I'd never seen one before either. Looks toasty. Hopefully it was!
http://www.germanmilitaria.com/OtherNations/photos/C037577.html

Nice and very well made gear!