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'Das Boot' Jacket

29 toter

New in Town
Messages
40
Location
Howell, MI USA
I have the director's cut. Great film.

Yes, I understand what you are saying about how many sailors didn't come home. And therefore lack of origionals to be found today. Still I wish more people found the timeless Navy look more appealing. Then there might be more manufacturers making these coats (more styles and materials to chose from). Just look at how many manufacturers make flight jackets. For one in the market to buy a flight jacket, it might be said of your choices, the sky is the limit.

When I wrote Wested to see if a heavier weight horsehide might be used in the coats construction they said "no" that they used a 3oz. hide. They were nice enough to send two samples but seemed unwilling to use a heavier hide. This is an option that I would really like. Perhaps they were burned by other customers who requested this but were unaware of what the coat would feel like.
 

Robert Conway

A-List Customer
Messages
324
Location
Here and there...
29 toter said:
I have the director's cut. Great film.

Yes, I understand what you are saying about how many sailors didn't come home. And therefore lack of origionals to be found today. Still I wish more people found the timeless Navy look more appealing. Then there might be more manufacturers making these coats (more styles and materials to chose from). Just look at how many manufacturers make flight jackets. For one in the market to buy a flight jacket, it might be said of your choices, the sky is the limit.

Oh, I'm with you on that point. I've always been very fond of the U-Boot jacket and wish there was a really good replica.
 

BellyTank

I'll Lock Up
Keeping in mind (as mentioned before)- most of the black and brown variants are civilian procured, so the non-coming-home of German seamen is quite irrellevant.

Grey (and also black)was the usual colour for the issue item and the style of the ones referred to here is not even typical of a true Naval issued jacket/coat.

The style we are talking about is a well established civilian style, which may or may not have been actually issued.
Civilian outer garments were routinely worn by U-boot men.


This is a leather U-Boot jacket also used famously by 1 or 2 SS Panzer divisions late in the war.

b0044612_4194491.jpg


http://kwang102.egloos.com/m2005-11-01



B
T
 

29 toter

New in Town
Messages
40
Location
Howell, MI USA
BellyTank, You make a good point about some of the styles being civilian non- war production. I had not thought of that. This gives me some hope that there might be some coats still in circulation. Still, not easy to find an original.
 

Robert Conway

A-List Customer
Messages
324
Location
Here and there...
If I remember correctly some of the gray examples came from the Italian navy and were used by German tankers... I'm a little foggy on this, it's been a while since I read that somewhere...

RC
 

Alan Eardley

One Too Many
Messages
1,500
Location
Midlands, UK
U-Boat Jacket

Reasonable reproductions of the jacket shown in BT's posting are common enough and relatively cheap. Soldier of Fortune carries one version and, I'm told, sells a lot of them to Panzer re-enactors.

Alan
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,008
Location
Alberta
Good Day All.

29 toter - One reason they may not use a heavier leather is needles. I know when I got a pair of boots made up by The Alberta Boot Co. and had a tour of the facilities the really heavy leathers, like crocodile, broke the needles. They say it takes about six needles to sew together one pair of croc. boots. Also the weight may be an issue for some. I think my Indy cowhide is not to bad but I really cant imagine it heavier. Its great as a winter jacket, I just throw a fleece vest underneath and away I go.

TM - I saw that one as well. For the same price I get a new one made up..... Hmm let me think. Besides the little pop up "photo - I charge you!" didn't give me worm fuzzies.

No word yet about it being shipped yet. I was hoping to get it before I go to Scotland at the end of the month. I guess I will see.

Johnny.
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,008
Location
Alberta
No not yet. They said they were cutting it at the end of last week. So I gave them some extra measurements. I hope to have it early next month. But I will post as soon as I can.
Johnny
 

PatC

New in Town
Messages
15
Location
Louth, Ireland
Hello All

I bought a brown coat very like the one Bellytank posted pictures of, from a retro shop in Dublin here in Ireland last year where they had a range of about a dozen of the same sort though mostly black. The one I bought still has it's German label and I think many of the others there were also of German origin.Here are some photos.


IMG_5854.jpg


IMG_5858.jpg



All the best,
Pat
 

matei

One Too Many
Messages
1,022
Location
England
Nice coat Pat.

Where was the retro shop - on the other side the arcade off of South Great Georges Street? I remember one there, near a bakery and a bead shop. I think it is called "Fade Street" or something.

They didn't have anything in my size when I went in tho'...

By the way - welcome to the board!
 

johnnycanuck

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,008
Location
Alberta
It would be nice if I found a vintage one when I am in Scotland next week. Not to much German vintage in western Canada.
Johnny
 

PatC

New in Town
Messages
15
Location
Louth, Ireland
Retro shops in Dublin

Hello All,
Thanks for your comments. I actually bought the coat in "Flip" I think it's called , which is at the side of the central bank building. They also had a good range to choose from in "The Eager Beaver", many also of German vintage leather, it is just around the corner at the rear of the bank building. I am not familiar with the shop Alan mentioned though I did try the one Matei wrote about and found they had a poor selection , I had bought a great tweed jacket there though in the past.Probably like everywhere else though it takes ages looking through very forgettable jackets to find something worth the effort, still that's part of the fun of it.

All the best,
Pat
 

Kt Templar

One of the Regulars
Messages
289
Location
Nr Wimbledon, SW London. UK
There used to be a Flip in Covent Garden but I don't think it's there anymore. I bought a WW2 US Army macintosh there many, many moons ago so it must be a chain. Anyone know if it moved or is still around?
 

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