ALL REPRO R.A.F. Irvin type jackets

[Spitfire]

Looking good and warm, Alan...is it new?

 

[Smithy]

Looking toasty Alan. I can only dream of Irvin weather here at the moment, another bloody 40 Celsius day on the cards tomorrow!

I have a 1950s Chinese MiG-15 helmet as well Alan. My sister bought it at a militaria auction for me back home a few years back (thoughtful soul that she is ).

Enjoy the cold temps and bear a thought for us poor buggers sweltering in these more tropical climes!

 

[Capesofwrath]

Good looking jacket. I'm only across a small stretch of historic sea but the weather is very different here. The jet stream has been hosing us for months and trying to blow our houses down.

 

[Smithy]

Good looking jacket. I'm only across a small stretch of historic sea but the weather is very different here. The jet stream has been hosing us for months and trying to blow our houses down.

If you're in England Capes I can understand that. It's been all over the news here about the massive amount of rain and storms you guys have been getting.

Hope you're not too soggy.

 

[Capesofwrath]

Thanks smithy. A couple of miles inland from Cardigan Bay actually. We're used to rain and wind but I have been fearing for the roof a few times. The power network was uprated around here a couple of years ago and touch wood no blackouts. Five years ago we would have been using candles with these storms.

 

[Worf]

Been GREAT Irvin weather here as well. 3 Degrees Farenheit this morning.... brutal.

Worf

 

[alsendk]

After 17 minutes, and onward, some ...for me, quite thick and furry looking Irvin jackets is to be seen on this clip, more paddy and teddy bear like, than I expected them to be really.

Søren, it´s still my original jacket I am showing on my pic, but I had the opportunity to try on a good jazzfriend`s nineteen fourty one Irvin when playing jazz in Prague this xmas. It was a rather battered Irvin though, and a tad too small for me, but comparing these two, my ALC jacket obviously have a thicker shearling, but I honestly thought the design would be much more different, execpt for the zippers of course. The chestnut colour was very much alike, and I actually ended up being more happy about my AlC than ever before, and watching these Irvin jackets in this film clip, shows some fairly thick cushioned Irvins too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs9bWEYt9qY

 

[Deacon211]

So,

I was about to pull the trigger on an ELC BoB Irvin.

Has this "broken grain" hide been cause to have them fall out of favor with anyone?

In other words, has Eastman's Irvin lost its mojo?

Deacon

 

[hippomaintenance]

Hi Deacon,
I have an early Eastman BoB Irvin which is really nice plus two broken grain jackets. The broken grain jackets after a couple of coats of Pecards look just like old originals. When straight out of the box however they feel really weird and like they are made of cardboard. I personally think they are still the best out there as do a lot of people who have originals. Aces High Irvins are causing quite a stir at the moment but I personally think they are too teddy bear like and the colour is too dark for me. There are many experts on this site who will tell you that as the WWII Irvins were made by numerous different contractors and so there was a fair amount of variation and these people really know their stuff. If you go back a few pages there is a picture of Duggie Clift, the jacket he is wearing is identical to my broken grain Eastmans.
I hope my bit of input has helped you.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Deacon211]

It has hippo, it has!

I think I understand completely what you are referring to. I have had an ELC B-6 for 14 years now and it was stiff as a board when I first got it. Even my ELC G-1 was stiffer than my issue G-1 jacket.

Having paged through the last dozen or so pages of this and the previous Irvin thread, I had begun to pick up a sense that people were unhappy with the newer Eastman Irvins. I'm glad that doesn't seem to the the case!

Thanks!

Deacon

Edit: Put my order in for a 1938 pattern with Chaz. Which means that the temperature in North America will immediately soar above 70 degrees...no need to thank me. ;-)

Thanks for the help.

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[hippomaintenance]

Hi Deacon,

So is Chaz at Eastman or have you gone for another maker?

Dave.

 

[Deacon211]

Oops! Sorry, I assume that his name is somewhat ubiquitous. LOL.

Chaz is the face of History Preservation Associates here in the states. So, yes, I did in fact go with ELC based on your recommendation and my past experience with them.

Will post pics of course when it arrives to show the latest form of the jacket.

I think I'm pushing my luck hoping for some more Irvin weather here though....spring is already at least a month late!


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[hippomaintenance]

Hi Deacon,
Well I hope you will be pleased with it, I do love mine. I work at England's no1 touring theatre and last year an Actor named Joe McGann (well known in England) came out of the Stage door where I was waiting for a lift home. I was wearing my broken grain Eastman jacket and he raved about how great it looked and how it was identical to his original that was now sadly beaten up but still used for motorcycling. He had really thought it was an original Irvin but just in good condition. I get a real kick when people who own or have owned original Irvins say how great mine looks!
Anyway, after a little Picards I'm sure your new Eastman will be a stunner.

Best wishes,
Dave.

 

[Deacon211]

Thanks Dave.

Do you think it will need some right out of the box to soften it?

I've heard all the usual tales of not putting anything on your jacket....though to be fair, I've put all sorts of crap on my B-6 and I think it has been the better for it.

Deacon


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[hippomaintenance]

Well at first I was scared to put anything on the jacket in case it changed the colour. Then I tried Liquid Leather that I got from Eastman but that didn't waterproof the jacket and I found when I got caught in a rain shower it soaked up water like a sponge. So then I tried Picards antique leather dressing which softens the jacket, waterproofs it and makes it look really good. It also doesn't alter the colour which I was pleased about. Pecards also gives the jacket a sheen that makes it look like the old originals.
I really do believe that the Eastman BoB Irvin is the closest to the originals. I have virtually every BoB pilots biographies published plus all of Dilip Sarkars books of photos of pilots, plus almost every book published about the BoB. These books combined have hundreds of photos of Irvin jackets plus I know how meticulous Gary Eastman has been in his research. On top of this I recently bought an Eastman Irvin from a man who used to repair original ones as part of his job and even he said that Eastmans were virtually identical.
Anyway.......................I shall stop waffling on now!!!..............Pecards without a doubt. I'll look forward to seeing some pics once you get the jacket.

Cheers,
Dave.

 

[Deacon211]

Sweet! Should be coming on Thursday.

Thanks again for the help!


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[Spitfire]

I will not recommend any use of Pecards or any other stuff on a brand new jacket. Let it settle in. Use it. Misuse it!!! And then - after some years - you might want to add some Pecards. I only did it once on one of my Irvins.
After a tough hot water treatment of an Aero Irvin, in a successful attempt to get the "teddybear "fleece to curl up in the right way - the outside needed som treatment. It really helped. But besides that: Stay away from adding anything in the beginning. Just my 5 cents.
Good luck - and looking forward to some pics.

 

[Deacon211]

Thanks Spit.

I had heard both sides of that argument before, so I don't know what I will wind up doing. Back when I got my B-6 and it started looking pretty dry, I put everything on it to (I thought) keep the leather healthy including the dreaded Mink Oil.

14 years later my B-6 looks great, so I guess I didn't ruin it. But, after reading all the threads about whether or not to use various products on your jacket, I cringe to think I might have been ruining it all these years.

Still, it will probably outlive me!

Deacon



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[Smithy]

I will not recommend any use of Pecards or any other stuff on a brand new jacket. Let it settle in. Use it. Misuse it!!! And then - after some years - you might want to add some Pecards. I only did it once on one of my Irvins.
After a tough hot water treatment of an Aero Irvin, in a successful attempt to get the "teddybear "fleece to curl up in the right way - the outside needed som treatment. It really helped. But besides that: Stay away from adding anything in the beginning. Just my 5 cents.
Good luck - and looking forward to some pics.

Søren is right, don't use anything to begin with. Just wear the absolute buggery out of the thing. It really shouldn't need anything for many, many years. I've had my ELC since 2007 and it hasn't even had a sniff of any conditioners or dressings, and it won't for a long time to come.

 

[thor]

Here is the newly re-designed Irvin style flight jacket from FlightJacket.com (U.S.Authentic). While not in the ELC/The Few class of authentic Irvin jackets, it's a nice mid-range jacket that's currently on sale for $845US.
Also available without hand warmer pockets.