ANJ-4 jackets

[rocketeer]

My Aero B-3 is maybe 5 years old now (maybe 6, can't remember). Anyway, I wear it carelessly, throw it on the floor all the time, and except for a little abrasion to the finish around the inside of the wrists (where they sometimes rub against the buckles at the waist of the jacket), it still looks almost brand new!
How the hell did those guys manage to beat their jackets up so much in only 50 missions?

Ahh, but will you still have it in another 50 years so you can post pics..........if there is still a Fedora Lounge, or even an internet

 

[Big J]

Ahh, but will you still have it in another 50 years so you can post pics..........if there is still a Fedora Lounge, or even an internet

Well, if I'm still here, I'll post pics.

 

[Plumbline]

I also think the tanning methods and quality of the US shearling was different to the British sheepskin used in the Irvins vs the B-3 / ANJ-4 / M445 etc.

I am sure someone has researched this better than I but I seldom see the "sheepskin rot" issue with vintage Irvins ( perhaps it's tanning / perhaps its climatic / perhaps it's storage / perhaps it was the original shearling spec. ) ..... I see Irvins which are torn and ripped ... but very very seldom do I see them totally dried up with the shearling flaking and rotting so much that you can tear it like tissue paper .... as I have seen with some USAAF shearling jackets. Interestingly Canadian jackets and Australian jackets equally seem to have faired better than USAAF jackets as well.

Whatever the reason ..... repro's made from modern sheepskin seem to fair much better ..... but then they aren't 70 odd years old.

 

[Stearmen]

I also think the tanning methods and quality of the US shearling was different to the British sheepskin used in the Irvins vs the B-3 / ANJ-4 / M445 etc.

I am sure someone has researched this better than I but I seldom see the "sheepskin rot" issue with vintage Irvins ( perhaps it's tanning / perhaps its climatic / perhaps it's storage / perhaps it was the original shearling spec. ) ..... I see Irvins which are torn and ripped ... but very very seldom do I see them totally dried up with the shearling flaking and rotting so much that you can tear it like tissue paper .... as I have seen with some USAAF shearling jackets. Interestingly Canadian jackets and Australian jackets equally seem to have faired better than USAAF jackets as well.

Whatever the reason ..... repro's made from modern sheepskin seem to fair much better ..... but then they aren't 70 odd years old.

The US Air Corp shearling jackets were coated with a clear lacquer, that is why they flake so bad! Conversly, I have held many pre war USN goat skin shearling jackets you could wear right now. They were not lacquered.

 

[Plumbline]

Agreed Stearman .. and it explains the flaking. Although the Irvins were also coated with acrylic topcoat and they don't seem to have suffered at all. In addition, it doesn't explain the deterioration of the sheepskin.

 

[zoran]

Here is a photograph of my new Lost Worlds ANJ-4 doing its job.

I couldn't be happier with the jacket.

 

[zoran]

What is the exact weight of the Lost Worlds Anj4 in regular size 40 or 42?I loved the jacket thanks to the photo on the bike.
best wishes my friend.I am expecting your comments.

 

[zoran]

Here is a photograph of my new Lost Worlds ANJ-4 doing its job.
Great jacket.Lost Worlds Anj4.It looks very tough.I can't see the weight of the jacket on this photo.Best

I couldn't be happier with the jacket.

 

[Milesdeathescape]

I've had my eastman for 8 years and it's not been in any way fragile at all ... and easilly on a par with any shearling jacket. Granted it won't have the abrasion resistance of a FQHH jacket but the normal wear points are FQHH overlayed and I havn't noticed any considerable wear on mine at all. My two Aero's showed a little wear on the cuff area after about 5 years but nothing that could be attributed to a "flaw" just a little bit of character.

Some early Eastmans showed flaking of the topcoat ( Acrylic) on the sheepskin but the sheepskin beneath was still strong and ntact ..... originals can show the dreaded "American Shearling Rot" problem which is a problem of many original wartime US shearling jackets mostly attributable to poor storage ....... I believe both Aero and Eastman currently use British Sheepskin and as such you should be fine.

No issues with mine and no sign of wear after 8 winters ....... looking forward to the next 50

What would be considered proper storage procedure? A nice box?

 

[Otter]

Flat in the bottom of your wardrobe, add some nice cedar mothballs or cedar oil for safety.

 

[s4rmark]

I bought the eastman storage system for my jackets and in it I put cedar balls and some off cuts of lengths of cedar shiplap wood .

 

[dubpynchon]

Or use a garment bag which should keep the moths away.

 

[Sloan1874]

I picked up some zippered duvet bags from Ikea, they do a fine job and cost buttons. I just rotate the jackets in and out of them as the seasons dictate. At the moment, my LHB, Bootlegger and Irvin are in use, the Anj-4 will pulled out for airing at the end of next month.

 

[Milesdeathescape]

I picked up some zippered duvet bags from Ikea, they do a fine job and cost buttons. I just rotate the jackets in and out of them as the seasons dictate. At the moment, my LHB, Bootlegger and Irvin are in use, the Anj-4 will pulled out for airing at the end of next month.

Superb, the LHB is really cool. I have my motorcycle leather out for the tail end of fall here in Norway. It's an AMI I got in Camden London that features a removable zip in body liner. It's an ok quality piece but looks nice with all the customizations I added, full sleeve spikes and pins, with a little painting checkers and spiderwebs I did on the inside of the zip sleeves. Looks super 80s Mod Rocker.

 

[Deacon211]

There are fully enclosed whole closet garment bags available on Amazon, which are awesome for all your clothes that need protecting.

I bought some foam pipe insulation to place over my hangars for "shoulders" so the jackets don't start to get misshapen.

I also use lavender essential oil with scent diffuser sticks. I read lavender is as good as if not better than Cedar for moths...you just need a good concentration.


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[devilish]

https://www.marrkt.com/uk/mkt-bb-174-42.html
Not an ANJ-4 but in the ball park and a rare beast. Throwing it in hear for anyone who may be on the lookout for a nice shearling.

 

[Sloan1874]

Beautiful stuff. Though that price tag...

 

[John Lever]

Beautiful stuff. Though that price tag...

That's my old jacket I bought when the few closed in 2015. Paid 350 gbp for it.....sold it on ebay last year for about 650.
I know it's mine because it is totally unique. Look at the arm reinforcements, they are sewn into the shoulder seam. The factory either made a mistake or it was a prototype.
I remember the silver spots on the back where the tailor marked out for the waist straps.
There's a thread here somewhere.

 

[Sloan1874]

That makes the price tag even harder to take!

 

[John Lever]

I doubt many if any people outside of our circle have heard of the Few, for the money they will go for Ralph Lauren.