BUZZ RICKSON B2 FLIGHT JACKET

[Rufus]

[/IMG]

Hi, I'm a new board member.

My name is Rufus, I'm a comicbook artist in London,UK.

This morning I was lucky enough to have a Buzz rickson B2 arrive. it's lovely...and sadly I'll have to wait til Winter to enjoy...unless I start hanging out in meat lockers...

I've collected vintage jackets for about 15 years. i lost a lot of them a few years ago in a burglary, but have reamassed a small collection of Bucos, Hercules and USAAF jackets.

I found this board by chance and was pleased to discover there are other enthusiastic collectors.

I love the clothes, jackets, and other photos I've seen here.

I hope I can contribute in some small way.

I also hope the photo appears, this is my first attempt at posting an image, so please bear with the new guy!

kind regards,

Rufus

 

[Flieger]

Welcome to the Lounge, Rufus!

Wow! That's a beautiful B2. Congrats!

You know, yesterday we had snow in some parts of Sweden... You and your jacket are welcome to visit.

/Flieger

 

[Alan Eardley]

This morning I was lucky enough to have a Buzz rickson B2 arrive. it's lovely...and sadly I'll have to wait til Winter to enjoy...unless I start hanging out in meat lockers...


I hope I can contribute in some small way.


Rufus

Welcome, Rufus.

Do I recall you from the old VLJ forum?

Perhaps you could describe or show a photograph of the collar strap on your Buzz B-2. Original examples are rare and there is some argument as to whether the strap is fastened by a press-studs (snaps) or another method.

Thanks in advance

Alan

 

[Rufus]

Thank you Flieger, ( tak son mikket!...excuse my spelling!)

Sweden's a marvelous place!
If only I was smart enough to learn the language I'd move there!

I visited Stockholm, and a small town called Strangnas two years ago, beautiful... Mariefried was gorgeous...

If only the Swedish ruled the world...

I also loved te old swedish army bicycles everyone seemed to have!

all the best,

rufus

 

[Flieger]

Rufus, I understand your swedish perfectly... who cares about a few spelling errors.

I'm glad to hear that you have fond memories of Sweden. I live a bit further north then the places you visited but I can tell you that it only gets better, the further up you get. Military bicycles, yes! I've had a couple of those over the years and they where the best bikes a man could have. Unfortunetley, other people thought the same so I always got mine stolen. :rage:

"If only the Swedish ruled the world..."

We almost did... once.

Regards
/F

 

[jamespibworth@n]

Hi Rufus,
That’s a seriously cool jacket!:cool2:

James.

 

[Rufus]

Thank you james...It's a replacement for my stolen Irvin..

I wanted a new flight jacket, but wanted something a bit different.

I've picked up a japanese Mccoy's B10 as a lighter Winter jacket, but I wanted a real treat...so this B2 fitted the bill!

I've got a custom jacket being made by Aero right now... can't wait to see it!

They've also just repaired and relined an old Hercules jacket for me. They really do such a great job, and Amanda at Aero is very patient, with the more demanding customer (looks guiltily at floor...)

Kind regards,
rufus

 

[greyhound68]

Stunning jacket. Too bad about your Irvin. That is a bummer.

 

[Rufus]

Just received my old Sears Hercules Jacket back from Aero, who've relined it in Alpaca, and put a lovely new mouton collar, which replaces the cracked original.

They also very kindly restitched a few areas, and replaced the original label on the new lining!
Aero really do go out of their way, and have such an eye for detail. I'm very pleased with what they've done.

My apologies fo the slightly fuzzy photo, I'm still getting to grips with this digital camera!

Yours, R

[/IMG]ufus

[/IMG]

 

[Rufus]

Oh...and thank you, Greyhoung68.

Yes it's always horrible being burgled... I lost 2 Bucos, My Lost worlds Buco, and the Irvin, and some other jackets, alond with every photo I ever had...
I hope they enjoy them..

Still...must move forward! It's great to have an excuse to shop for new jackets!
Rufus

 

[John Lever]

Hi Rufus, I have the same jacket also the much heavier version made by Lost Worlds. The collar of my BR B2 has a slightly unpleasant smell, almost an animal kind of scent.
Have you noticed this ?
I like this pattern jacket so much that I plan to order a Werber B2 and Switlick Parachute B1 from The Few.
John

 

[Edward]

Hey hey... another new Lounger from this side of the Atlantic - good to see. (What books do you draw for, if you don't mind me asking? I was big into comics a long time ago, and I'm slowly rediscovering the form now - though nowadays I'm more inclined towards the graphic novel / collected editions form, givne the price of individual monthly issues has gone up so much in recent years).

That's a fantastic jacket.... I'm currently saving towards a "real" A2 (as opposed to a modern leather bomber jacket), from either Aero or Eastman (leaning to Aero at the minute), but I've taken a bit of a notion for the winterweight coat too.... I've always thought I'd look ridiculous in an Irvin (something about the huuuuuuge collars, wouldn't sit right on me, I think), and the anal retentive in me likes the idea of intermediate and winter weight jackets from the same airforce as a "set"... Sorta torn between the B2 and B3 (could never justify both!). The B2 might just have the edge right at the minute.... I love that front pocket, very classy. (Probably makes sense as well, as I'm likely to be looking at an earlier patter A2 as well). Are there any major differences between the B2 / B3 / Irvin, or are they all more or less the same barring minor design details like pockets and collar shape? Is the collar markedly different in size on the B3 / B2?

 

[Smithy]

Are there any major differences between the B2 / B3 / Irvin,

Lots and lots of differences, especially the British Irvin compared with the American B2/3.

 

[Edward]

Lots and lots of differences, especially the British Irvin compared with the American B2/3.

What kind of differences? It seems to me that the basic outline of the jackets are the same... B3 dispensed with the pocket on the front of the B2, adding two slash pockets instead and side adjusters instead of the front half belt. Irvin seems to be absent any exterior pockets? Also, Wartime Irvins seem to consist of more panels than the US jackets?

It's hard to tell from the photos I've seen, but the B2s & 3s to me seem to be a tiny bit less bulky than the Irvin, or is that an optical illusion created by the centred zip?

Gah.... made the mistake of looking at these on the Aero website and have now also discovered the D-1.... I'm gonig to need a new wardrobe at this rate (not to mention a second mortgage!).

 

[Smithy]

Hi Edward,

If you take for example an Irvin (doesn't matter which pattern) and a B-3 for example, they are different in cut, pattern, sheepskins, collar shape and fastenings. First pic is an original Irvin (one from Aswatland's fantastic Irvin collection), second is an original B-3. Although both are sheepskin flying jackets both are quite different.

 

[Edward]

Thanks, Smithy, I'm starting to see what you mean. Seems to me that the B3 is a neater cut in the body - the Irvin looks baggier in those photos? That would be an issue for me, were I ever to buy one - extra room for a sweater is great, but baggier jackets seem to conspire to make me look much bigger in the belly region, which I really don't need to do!

The B2 and B3.... the differences I can see between them are:

- cuffs look different (incl more protrusion of lining over the cuffs on the B3,
and round the bottom too)
- different map pocket design
- different waist fastening (half belt on the B2, side buckles on the B3)
- Is there a difference in the collar fastenings? The B3 obviously has those
straps to hold the collar in the up and closed position - is there something
simlilar (just hidden under the collar) on the B2?

I think I'm leaning in favour of the B2 as the design I prefer out of the two...

 

[Smithy]

Seems to me that the B3 is a neater cut in the body - the Irvin looks baggier in those photos?

Both are sheepskin jackets Edward so they are fairly bulky and not as svelte as something say as an A-2. But remember they were designed to keep aircrew warm in horrendously cold conditions.

I am in the process of ordering a 1940 Pattern Eastman Irvin (just emailed Gary yesterday) and I can't wait! Perfect for Norway as well

EDIT - Apologies Rufus, not trying to hijack your thread, just got carried away with the discussion!

 

[PADDY]

Or (to put cat amongst pidgeons) Irvin vs ANJ-4/M445a

 

[nightandthecity]

hey Paddy, isn't than an M445? The ancestor of the AN-J-4.

Push comes to shove and "BoB" pattern Irvin and the AN-J-4 are probably my all time favourite leather jackets.

I've always fancied the B2 since I first saw the one in Sweeting, but the big collar puts me off.

Edward, the B-3 is probably "baggier" in fit than the Irvin in that it has more of a blousony back. But really you will have to try a few different sheepskin models on to decide what you want, they really are all very different.

 

[Edward]

Gah..... you're all trying to ruin me financially now, aren't you???

An A2 is a definite, but I'm increasingly leaning towards one of the sheepskins for winter wear. There's something about the US jackets that sits easier with me.... I do like that one, Paddy - puts me in mind of a sheepskin counterpart to the G1 (probably the A2/G1 style pockets??). Where did the Anj fit in again? I also liked the look of the ground crew jacket (D1?) - one of those might eventually be a viable option if the aircrew sheepskins are too bulky for me. Was a time when there's no way I'd have worn one of thos,e but I'm increasingly attracted to something like that as an alternative to a civilian winterweight coat for more casual occasions. If only the price were lower - eep! I think I'm gonig to have to start watching eBay (but first the selling, the selling!!).