HPA Rep
Vendor
- Messages
- 855
- Location
- New Jersey
This is no fashion-colored MA-1 Flight Jacket, but the genuine, real deal worn by Northrop Aviation test pilots in the 1950’s & ‘60’s (Northrop’s official color was red and this showed up in a variety of forms and items dating back to the 1940’s).
Northrop’s red MA-1 jackets were made to the basic USAF specs. of the era and by a USAF contractor in a limited commercial production, the result being a Blazing-Red MA-1 Jacket that made their elite test pilots stand out, as seen in our vintage photo of the crew of an F-89H “Scorpion.”
This MA-1 is a true shade of red. It is not orange, or pink, or magenta, but Blazing Scarlett Red, outfitted with striking-looking black knit parts, making this not just a Northrop Aviation MA- 1, but also one suitable for alumni of Rutgers University and Haddonfield Memorial High School (go Scarlett Knights and Bulldogs!), as well as anyone looking for a rugged, slick-looking jacket in a brilliant color. It's produced to the usual exacting, rugged details that have made Buzz Rickson's the premier manufacturer of vintage-style USAF nylon jackets, most especially the MA-1.
https://www.historypreservation.com.../buzz-rickson-ma-1-flying-jacket-blazing-red/
Buzz Rickson's last produced this MA-1 in 2007 as a limited-edition item and those we had sold out quickly. Since then, customers have asked now and again when it might make a return, and I must admit I had a personal stake in seeing this happen since I foolishly did not get one for myself back in 2007, but this time I grabbed the first one to arrive in my size and have been enjoying it for about 6 weeks or so.
I plan on doing a proper shoot of fit pics for this item once holiday madness abates, but the fit is pretty consistent with the BR Lion Uniform MA-1 and their "D" Spec. MA-1 on our website, so I remain a size Med. My body measures are as follows: chest 40", waist 30", height 5' 9", shirt-sleeve measure 33", weight 150 lbs, and build is lean and athletic. For now, I'm posting fit pics of me wearing the Lion Uniform MA-1, which may be helpful.
Two notable TFL members, Stand By and ButteMT61, have expressed specific interest and questions toward this item on another post thread of mine entitled, "Eastman Leather Clothing A-1 Jacket .50 Cal. Collection - NEW Capeskin," and I've informed them that their questions would be addressed here with the hope of staying on topic, though their interest is sincerely appreciated.
ButteMT61 asked:
Can you give me more guidance on the red MA-1? I'm a 47/48 and tall. Would you recommend a 2XL or XL?
Are there other MA-1 or similar variants available in this size? I'd like to compare to some others...I dig the red and the story.
Butte, since Big J is comfortably wearing a vintage, trim fit in the BR MA-1 XXL and I believe his chest measure is about the same as yours, I would defer to the same size for you; certainly nothing smaller. You said you are tall, so I'd caution you that this is the true MA-1 design, thus it's short in the body length, which you may already have gathered from the PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS listed under the tab of the same name at the top of this item's page on our website. As long as you can handle the original fit, I think you have a reasonable chance of this working out.
I do deem the XXL as a 46-48 for most customers, though BR considers their XXL's a 44 no matter the style; those who have less around the mid-section tend to do well in this style in the larger chest sizes.
The BR Lion Uniform MA-1 and their "D" Spec. MA-1 (please see pages below) both provide about the same overall fit and measurements, but each year's production runs always differ slightly in lengths, widths, etc., and we've had longer examples and wider examples pass our way over the years:
Buzz Rickson 1957 Lion Uniform MA-1
https://www.historypreservation.com...n-uniform-co-ma-1-intermediate-flying-jacket/
Buzz Rickson USAF MA-1 Flying Jacket, 1963 "D" Spec.
https://www.historypreservation.com...-rickson-usaf-ma-1-flying-jacket-1963-d-spec/
Stand By Asked:
Any chance of a review of this rare and unusual beauty?
https://www.historypreservation.com/products-page/usaf/buzz-rickson-ma-1-flying-jacket-blazing-red/
I originally saw it in an old Buzz catalogue (2007?) that you kindly sent me a few years ago - and now it's back! Would love to see more of it and see that red nylon on a real person ...
Thanks!
As noted already herein, Stand By, I'll try to get the photo shoot done ASAP. Doing a proper job in the studio and with careful editing takes several hours, and it entails setting up the lights for this type of work, whereas I have the booth set for horizontal settings right now so I can shoot some new footwear and trousers, but I do recognize that seeing an item being worn is most meaningful, so your request is respectfully noted with haste.
Overall, I'd say I love this MA-1 more than any other BR has offered simply because it has all of the rugged manliness of the older USAF MA-1's, but with such a distinctive color. Fashion MA-1's can be had in many colors, but as we with keen eyes know, they don't look rugged or vintage or manly, but seeing this MA-1 with its heavy, USAF-spec nylon twill shell, vintage-spec. Crown zippers, heavy woolen fiberfill inner batting, and the chest outfitted with the oxygen mask clip-to tab made of heavy, parachute harness nylon and the two snap-down tabs for retaining the wiring leads, you just know this jacket is not a costume and is the business. The cherry on top for me is that this represents real history worn by some of the best pilots the USA ever produced.
More to come ... I hope before these sell out!
Northrop’s red MA-1 jackets were made to the basic USAF specs. of the era and by a USAF contractor in a limited commercial production, the result being a Blazing-Red MA-1 Jacket that made their elite test pilots stand out, as seen in our vintage photo of the crew of an F-89H “Scorpion.”
This MA-1 is a true shade of red. It is not orange, or pink, or magenta, but Blazing Scarlett Red, outfitted with striking-looking black knit parts, making this not just a Northrop Aviation MA- 1, but also one suitable for alumni of Rutgers University and Haddonfield Memorial High School (go Scarlett Knights and Bulldogs!), as well as anyone looking for a rugged, slick-looking jacket in a brilliant color. It's produced to the usual exacting, rugged details that have made Buzz Rickson's the premier manufacturer of vintage-style USAF nylon jackets, most especially the MA-1.
https://www.historypreservation.com.../buzz-rickson-ma-1-flying-jacket-blazing-red/
Buzz Rickson's last produced this MA-1 in 2007 as a limited-edition item and those we had sold out quickly. Since then, customers have asked now and again when it might make a return, and I must admit I had a personal stake in seeing this happen since I foolishly did not get one for myself back in 2007, but this time I grabbed the first one to arrive in my size and have been enjoying it for about 6 weeks or so.
I plan on doing a proper shoot of fit pics for this item once holiday madness abates, but the fit is pretty consistent with the BR Lion Uniform MA-1 and their "D" Spec. MA-1 on our website, so I remain a size Med. My body measures are as follows: chest 40", waist 30", height 5' 9", shirt-sleeve measure 33", weight 150 lbs, and build is lean and athletic. For now, I'm posting fit pics of me wearing the Lion Uniform MA-1, which may be helpful.
Two notable TFL members, Stand By and ButteMT61, have expressed specific interest and questions toward this item on another post thread of mine entitled, "Eastman Leather Clothing A-1 Jacket .50 Cal. Collection - NEW Capeskin," and I've informed them that their questions would be addressed here with the hope of staying on topic, though their interest is sincerely appreciated.
ButteMT61 asked:
Can you give me more guidance on the red MA-1? I'm a 47/48 and tall. Would you recommend a 2XL or XL?
Are there other MA-1 or similar variants available in this size? I'd like to compare to some others...I dig the red and the story.
Butte, since Big J is comfortably wearing a vintage, trim fit in the BR MA-1 XXL and I believe his chest measure is about the same as yours, I would defer to the same size for you; certainly nothing smaller. You said you are tall, so I'd caution you that this is the true MA-1 design, thus it's short in the body length, which you may already have gathered from the PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS listed under the tab of the same name at the top of this item's page on our website. As long as you can handle the original fit, I think you have a reasonable chance of this working out.
I do deem the XXL as a 46-48 for most customers, though BR considers their XXL's a 44 no matter the style; those who have less around the mid-section tend to do well in this style in the larger chest sizes.
The BR Lion Uniform MA-1 and their "D" Spec. MA-1 (please see pages below) both provide about the same overall fit and measurements, but each year's production runs always differ slightly in lengths, widths, etc., and we've had longer examples and wider examples pass our way over the years:
Buzz Rickson 1957 Lion Uniform MA-1
https://www.historypreservation.com...n-uniform-co-ma-1-intermediate-flying-jacket/
Buzz Rickson USAF MA-1 Flying Jacket, 1963 "D" Spec.
https://www.historypreservation.com...-rickson-usaf-ma-1-flying-jacket-1963-d-spec/
Stand By Asked:
Any chance of a review of this rare and unusual beauty?
https://www.historypreservation.com/products-page/usaf/buzz-rickson-ma-1-flying-jacket-blazing-red/
I originally saw it in an old Buzz catalogue (2007?) that you kindly sent me a few years ago - and now it's back! Would love to see more of it and see that red nylon on a real person ...
Thanks!
As noted already herein, Stand By, I'll try to get the photo shoot done ASAP. Doing a proper job in the studio and with careful editing takes several hours, and it entails setting up the lights for this type of work, whereas I have the booth set for horizontal settings right now so I can shoot some new footwear and trousers, but I do recognize that seeing an item being worn is most meaningful, so your request is respectfully noted with haste.
Overall, I'd say I love this MA-1 more than any other BR has offered simply because it has all of the rugged manliness of the older USAF MA-1's, but with such a distinctive color. Fashion MA-1's can be had in many colors, but as we with keen eyes know, they don't look rugged or vintage or manly, but seeing this MA-1 with its heavy, USAF-spec nylon twill shell, vintage-spec. Crown zippers, heavy woolen fiberfill inner batting, and the chest outfitted with the oxygen mask clip-to tab made of heavy, parachute harness nylon and the two snap-down tabs for retaining the wiring leads, you just know this jacket is not a costume and is the business. The cherry on top for me is that this represents real history worn by some of the best pilots the USA ever produced.
More to come ... I hope before these sell out!
