B1 and B2 Caps

[AIRCRAFTMECH]

I wanted a B-2 Cap to go with my B3 so I started by making a B1, it came out pretty well so I made a B2. What do yall think?

 

[rocketeer]

Looks pretty good. A lot of people make them from old flying trousers as they are only really used for posing on mannequins(The flying trousers/pants) Some on here will hate me for putting that but would you really wear a pair?

 

[bn1966]

Fantastic!!! Love em! Great caps!

 

[Dumpster Diver]

LOOKS GRRREAT!!! Fantastic Job...what did you use for the Green material BTW...and please tell me its not something original or vintage!!! (NOOOO)

Where did you take your patterns from!


As for Rocketeer!!! ACK!!! Blasphemer!!! Seize the heretic!!!


(naw I know its sad but true, and I cant stop it)

Try to NEVER recycle Vintage Flight Trousers to make a hat in this day and age!!! youre not trying to give me anxiety are you!!!

DO you have any idea how much Material is OUT THERE to use that will do Just the same!!! Well do you!!! AUGH!!!

infact you could EASILY source NOS vintage material if you really Look hard! not cheap but its out there.


some places make Repro B-1s cheap with the in-correct wool Serge, and other Places blend the Fabric like the Original Cotton-wool blend on a B-1 summer Flying cap. Those are about 80 bucks from Mash online.

The secret is simple..if it works it works. no one will ever be the wiser Except you.

Either way, Ive got an original Theatre made b-1 The quartermaster must have made for a guy, it was cut from a Rangoon style Khaki Dress shirt and honestly that would wear well with a set of pinks.

Try using Scout shirts or Just go to the thrift and pick up anything material-wise that has a military quality to it.

Ive found Plenty of material suitable to pass off as legit substitute for vintage Flight pants to cut up and recycle.

you have to think outside the box and get creative.

I wear my vintage A-11 Trousers out once in a blue moon when its real cold out in the winter.

Works for me.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

One thing I notice is that youve made the Brim out of a Modern day Baseball hat to my eye.

If you would need the original Brim pattern I could make you one. I have an original NOS B-1 made by the zip-a-bag Corp.

Not sure what the original was made out of but its stiff like bakelite and has an unusual Molded peak to it, If you look at the fit on an original Made b-1 its Very small and Pulls back, you had to really break em in at first, they were supposed to fit Right tight and not fly off.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

The only other thing About the well made originals I notice are the pannel seams inside are all Surged together with a surging machine.

Wish I had one of those machines.

that B-2 really suits the Jacket youre wearing!!! nice.

 

[rocketeer]

'A haa' Mr Dumpster!
So you wear the original trousers , good for you at least yours get used. I know of no one that has these who has ever worn them as in our climate they look a bit odd, unless riding an old pre war motorcycle on a winter run. Most get cut up to repair B3s or D1s, which do get worn. I bought a non usable pair for £10 to recycle the buckles and zip pullers. Otherwise what real use are they? Same with Irvin trousers, unless a collector will pay good money for them and it also looks odd with re enactors wearing 70 year old clothing when it should look new(ish)
You say there may be New Old Stock out there, the only source I know would be Eastmans or Aero etc, or whoever supplies them. And then would the supplier sell you one fleece to make a hat from when Aero want 100 fleeces?
But good on you for sticking to principals
Seeya, J.

 

[Edward]

Can't be many of the trousers left, either for the Irvin suit or to match the B3, I've heard of so many over the years being cut up for repair. I suppose it's almost inevitable if nobody wants them (I'm reminded of the time a vintage hearse which had carried Churchill, if memory serves, ended up in a banger race in the UK. The vintage/ classic car magazines circled the wagons to condemn it - and all 'vintage' banger racing - but when the folks running the race were asked, they had tried for months to findsomeone who would buy and restore it, and nobody wanted it....). It's well seen that there's no real market for repros of the trews (I think last I looked only Aviation Leathercraft were donig Irvin trousers, and they were afar from accurate repro to match their standard jacket). Still, I couldn't bring myself to cut them up if I found a pair that were intact and not badly damaged.... [huh]

Back on topic, I know nothing about the B1 cap, but I do own an ELC B2. The B2 looks great. Surprisingly practical hat in Winter weather; the only drawback I've ever had with mine was that the bill sometimes catches the wind if you're not careful, and that can lift it off the head when the flaps aren't down.

 

[AIRCRAFTMECH]

Thanks, the pattern came from looking at pictures and making paper patterns for the B1 then once I knew it could be done, made the sheepskin. The material was leftover from a few years ago-Not vintage! The sheepskin was left over from upholstering aircraft seats, man what a pain shearing it down was. The brim was designed after a modern baseball cap that I like, it's filled with a leather blank to give it shape, the B2 I had to buy a bag of scraps and cut it out based on the B1.

LOOKS GRRREAT!!! Fantastic Job...what did you use for the Green material BTW...and please tell me its not something original or vintage!!! (NOOOO)

Where did you take your patterns from!


As for Rocketeer!!! ACK!!! Blasphemer!!! Seize the heretic!!!


(naw I know its sad but true, and I cant stop it)

Try to NEVER recycle Vintage Flight Trousers to make a hat in this day and age!!! youre not trying to give me anxiety are you!!!

DO you have any idea how much Material is OUT THERE to use that will do Just the same!!! Well do you!!! AUGH!!!

infact you could EASILY source NOS vintage material if you really Look hard! not cheap but its out there.


some places make Repro B-1s cheap with the in-correct wool Serge, and other Places blend the Fabric like the Original Cotton-wool blend on a B-1 summer Flying cap. Those are about 80 bucks from Mash online.

The secret is simple..if it works it works. no one will ever be the wiser Except you.

Either way, Ive got an original Theatre made b-1 The quartermaster must have made for a guy, it was cut from a Rangoon style Khaki Dress shirt and honestly that would wear well with a set of pinks.

Try using Scout shirts or Just go to the thrift and pick up anything material-wise that has a military quality to it.

Ive found Plenty of material suitable to pass off as legit substitute for vintage Flight pants to cut up and recycle.

you have to think outside the box and get creative.

I wear my vintage A-11 Trousers out once in a blue moon when its real cold out in the winter.

Works for me.

 

[AIRCRAFTMECH]

The B1 came out a year or so before the B2. Only hats to officially be called a flight cap. After all this my wife got me an ELC B2 for Christmas and I wear all three all the time.

Can't be many of the trousers left, either for the Irvin suit or to match the B3, I've heard of so many over the years being cut up for repair. I suppose it's almost inevitable if nobody wants them (I'm reminded of the time a vintage hearse which had carried Churchill, if memory serves, ended up in a banger race in the UK. The vintage/ classic car magazines circled the wagons to condemn it - and all 'vintage' banger racing - but when the folks running the race were asked, they had tried for months to findsomeone who would buy and restore it, and nobody wanted it....). It's well seen that there's no real market for repros of the trews (I think last I looked only Aviation Leathercraft were donig Irvin trousers, and they were afar from accurate repro to match their standard jacket). Still, I couldn't bring myself to cut them up if I found a pair that were intact and not badly damaged.... [huh]

Back on topic, I know nothing about the B1 cap, but I do own an ELC B2. The B2 looks great. Surprisingly practical hat in Winter weather; the only drawback I've ever had with mine was that the bill sometimes catches the wind if you're not careful, and that can lift it off the head when the flaps aren't down.

 

[mihai]

Looks pretty good. A lot of people make them from old flying trousers as they are only really used for posing on mannequins(The flying trousers/pants) Some on here will hate me for putting that but would you really wear a pair?

I wear also vintage flying trousers. A-11, D1-A, D1-B, USN sheepskin ones. Of course during the winters.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

All I can say is dont let me Catch you Cutting up a pair Of Irvin Trousers..I put weeks into Restoring A pair of those.