Buzz Rickson 1945 nylon B15-B flight jacket

[PADDY]

Pure vintage nylon flight jacket to take you into the Jet Jockey age of late 40's/early 50's. Just got my Buzz Rickson B-15B and I never thought I'd say I'd go for anything nylon that wasn't on a broad's legs, but "It's not, and I am..!"

This has the feel of a heavy duty workhorse that would take you through a tour of Korea and back! Forget your Alphas and mall jackets when you think of this kind of jacket, it's not for the faint hearted.

Essentially I am a vintage leather flight jacket kinda guy, but...a man is allowed to make a slip once in a while.

Signing out as a surrogate Chuck Yeager!

PS: If you are thinking about getting this type of jacket, it's definitely not for the summer, as it is very heavy, warm nylon, it is not a lighter weight L2 model.

Tally-ho..!!

 

[PADDY]

An orginal B15-B (just to compare)

An original photo of the nylon B15-B

 

[Rundquist]

The cloth (gabardine) jacket that I really like is the B-10 which came between the A-2 and the B-15. Nice jacket. Cheers

 

[Bogie1943]

It's nice to see another WWII enthusiast around these parts. I am a big fan of the AAF, and collect just about anything in regards to it. I am a reinactor myself, doing everything from Airbourne, to Army Rangers, to Army Air Force, which is my fav. I spent last night designing the art I want painted on my A-2 from Flightsuits, just to dress it up a bit.:cool2:

 

[Michaelson]

I own one of these original B-15's that belonged to my grandfather, who wore it all through the Korean War. he was Army Corp. of Engineers attached to the Air Force, and built the air fields in Korea for the USAF along the coast before the Chinese came out of China.
I wore it through Jr. and Sr. High School, and on rare occasion since. Comfortable, warm jacket, and looks as good as ever. The printed patch on the shoulder is faded now, but still easy to read. It has the exact same emblem as in the vintage photo above, and the words under the flying star is U. S. Air Force. I've only had the knit cuffs replaced once in all these years. They used to make good jackets then, even in nylon! One of the interesting points of the B-15 was the two inside pockets that are heavily lined with a rough cotton material that allows carry of a Colt 45 for either left or right handed shooters. Mine is probably an earlier version than the one even shown above, as mine has the original brown seal fur collar rather than the dyed green type you see depicted here. (not exactly PC now, but it was a regularily used collar material in the 40's on these type flight jackets. ) Regards. Michaelson

 

[BellyTank]

An original photo of the nylon B15-B

That jacket's a later B-15D Paddy, Sage green rather than OD with the nylon tape O2 tab and nylon fur collar.
The last of the type.
B
T

 

[ronbo]

You're very right. I crossed over (from my B-3 leather bomber jackets) to the nylon with my B-15C blue Buzz Rickson and it is simply AWESOME. Much more comfortable as a daily wearer and just as warm. The larger sizes have seemed to be no longer found at Buzz Rickson which is SAD as I am a 46. I would LOVE to find a B-15C in OD that is a 46 or 48 to go with my original OD flight trousers of that era. Cheers -Ronbo