Cockpit 100 Mission G-1

[thor]

After checking out The Cockpit website, I found this in their T-shirt category (on sale!) so I ordered one in blue and one in white.

 

[Deacon211]

I like it!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[nick123]

After checking out The Cockpit website, I found this in their T-shirt category (on sale!) so I ordered one in blue and one in white. View attachment 66825

From experience, you can put that jacket in the wash with no harm.

 

[Deacon211]

Nice one Deacon, fantastic review, enjoying reading it with my morning tea. Not enjoying my tea much, it's some shoddy stuff with artificial milk in it...that's what I get for staying in a cheap Motel

The G-1 was my first ever proper leather jacket at 18. I found one in an '80's vintage shop, they only had one & it fitted perfectly. That jacket and I did everything together until I began to fill out & it no longer fitted..swapped it out for an N-2B.

I've tried to find a size 48 version of my original ever since, your 100 Mission G-1 looks the 'Dogs'! You've set me thinking & my wallet trembling. I'm going over to Cockpits site in just a mo.

When you get a spare minute, Could I be cheeky & ask what the shoulders are coming in at?

The fit looks really good on you, perfect length IMHO. Sleeve tunnelling appears similar to what I experienced on my old Star Sportwear contract, didn't bother me either with the relatively slim cut sleeves.

Very good score Sir...

Very sorry BN! I missed this post. I will add measurements to the initial post for future reference.

 

[Deacon211]

I've heard it rumored that The Cockpit and Cooper as well as Schott all had these "seamless" G-1 jackets manufactured at the same factory in New Jersey and just put different labels in them. Not sure if this "scuttlebutt" is true, but that would seem to explain the lack of seam

That's really interesting. So, is it fair to say that these three makers are the only ones who don't put a seam in there?

My 1989 Cockpit was pretty different from the Cooper that I was issued in 1990. It's hard to believe that they were identical but for the label. Still, I don't know how old the Cooper was by the time I got it or how steady that factory's goat supply was.

I've never seen a Schott in person.

 

[pauleway]

I have the same jacket (got it when they first came out) and I love it. I also have a 1968 Ralph Edwards "C" series and I like my Cockpit just as much (and maybe even better). Congrats on one nice piece of leather!!

 

[Brettafett]

Brilliant review and thanks for the pics. The jacket is a winner and the fit is perfect on you. I am so sorry I sold mine. So easy to wear... I am, as we speak, on the verge of pulling the trigger on a Forrestal version without the patches, so the same as the 100 missions, but without the mouton collar. Its a toss up really. With the 100 missions, you cannot go wrong.

 

[thor]

U.S. Wings also sell their own labeled "Signature Series" G-1 jackets with no seam at the bottom front of the jacket.

I suppose at this fabled NJ G-1 factory, it's easier for the cutter doing the patterns to make the front panels of the G-1 with one piece of leather without that extra sewn seam and leather bit at the bottom by the waistband. Maybe the jackets were made in different years and thus look slightly different from each other yet still have the no-seam bottom.
The 100-Mission Cockpit jackets and the US Wings Signature Series are the newest (and obviously use different materials); Coopers and Schotts were made afew years back yet might had been manufactured concurrently at the same facility, all with no front seam.
I'd love to find out exactly where this place is and pop in for a visit.

 

[Todd M.]

Brilliant review and thanks for the pics. The jacket is a winner and the fit is perfect on you. I am so sorry I sold mine. So easy to wear... I am, as we speak, on the verge of pulling the trigger on a Forrestal version without the patches, so the same as the 100 missions, but without the mouton collar. Its a toss up really. With the 100 missions, you cannot go wrong.

I have the Forrestal as well. I have to say it's been my go to of all my leather jackets. Just way too comfortable!

 

[Big J]

Deacon, Thor, I just realized that I posted that my jacket was a Cockpit, when it is a Cooper. Dumb slip of the fingers on my part. But the point remains about these jackets being the same.
Hmm, that extra seam...
I don't remember seeing anything in the official G-1 contract specs that explains that.
I can see how wartime mass production, and the need to utilize every scrap of goat makes it acceptable for one person to have the job of knocking up these little goat squares to sew on between the waistband and the zipper. It also simplifies the pattern for the front panels.
Which makes me think that the Cockpit/Cooper design saves the labor of stitching that, but must increase jacket costs; just think about the need to find goat skins 2 inches longer so that you can cut that part as one piece with the front panels.

El Marro, how's that Lost Worlds working out for you? I love mine, it's my favorite G-1.

 

[Brettafett]

I have the Forrestal as well. I have to say it's been my go to of all my leather jackets. Just way too comfortable!

Deacon, pics please

 

[Deacon211]

Deacon, pics please

Hey Brettafett. That was Todd that has the Forrestal, not me.

I think the Forrestal is a great looking jacket, but I cringe a little at some of these descriptions.

"A hand treated vintage goatskin G-1 Naval Aviator's flight jacket stylized by a U.S.S Forrestal Navy fighter pilot who would have removed the fur collar for more comfort in the hot weather."

I've never known of a pilot doing this. I knew guys who replaced their collar with something more exotic, but never removed it completely. And I can't imagine that this would have gone over all that well. This is how weird jacket rumors start. They still have the "Type 440 USN Carrier Jacket" there which for years I believed was the precursor to the M-422a...until I came here.

Why can't a jacket just be nice and not be just like the one Patton wore to French Bordellos? LOL.

 

[Deacon211]

Hmm, that extra seam...
I don't remember seeing anything in the official G-1 contract specs that explains that.

I've never read the contract. Is there anything that allows or disallows it?

I find businesses in general to be infinitely inventive with the written word when it comes to profit margin. If something isn't specifically required or precluded, I think that they would do whatever makes the most sense for them.

But I don't know why they went this way? Is goat now cheaper compared to the time saved in the process of making the jacket?

It would be interesting to know.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Peacoat]

After checking out The Cockpit website, I found this in their T-shirt category (on sale!) so I ordered one in blue and one in white. View attachment 66825

Now that is a great T-shirt. I wasn't Navy and I still like it!

 

[TXFlyGuy]

I've heard it rumored that The Cockpit and Cooper as well as Schott all had these "seamless" G-1 jackets manufactured at the same factory in New Jersey and just put different labels in them....

Schott is the manufacturer, at least of their own jacket line, and perhaps contract for others. Been doing it since 1913. I'm fairly certain that Schott produced my Wings G-1.

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-...-hides-schotts-corporate-office-and-factory-1

 

[Deacon211]

I had heard that Schott did work for others, so maybe that is the case here.

If true, then I have had or seen 5 G-1s from this factory: My '89 Cockpit, my '90 issued Cooper, my late '90s Cooper, the Pensacola aftermarket Cockpits, and this 100 Mission.

Leaving aside the 100 Mission which was obviously a specialty jacket, it's interesting how different the leather in all these jackets were. They do span at least 20 years, but the first two would have been made within a few years of each other.

So, labeling alone may have not been the only difference between these jackets. Perhaps a company gets to choose a few preferences before Schott produces them.

Interesting stuff.

 

[Deacon211]

From the Bay, it doesn't look like Excelled has this seam either. But I thought Excelled was San Diego Leather who made their own jackets?

 

[El Marro]

Big J,
The Lost Worlds G-1 is very nice and I'm happy that I was lucky enough to find one in almost new condition. The goatskin has wonderful grain and is quite thick without being overly soft or spongy. The fit is spot on as well, very close to that of my vintage Star jackets. The mouton collar is the only area where I'm a little disappointed. The collar is black with a grayish tinge, and I don't really like it. I'm thinking of having my tailor replace it with dark brown mouton from a vintage jacket that I bought for this purpose. That would make it just about perfect.

 

[Skyhawk]

The Goatskin on this jacket looks outstanding! It looks identical to the hide on some of the original 1940's M-422 jackets I have had. Far beyond the "mall jacket" leather I got on the standard Cockpit version I had around 5 years ago.

The seam on the waist portion is in the specs somewhere. I am pretty sure about that. This may be it, listed as the "front panel extension" L-L portion in figure 6: Looks like 4 methods and all have a horizontal stitch line across the bottom.

 

[Skyhawk]

You can see that the L-L portion is the region in question from this figure and there are 4 methods of construction allowed as outlined above in the last post, in fig. 6