Famous People in Flight Jackets

[Edward]

I love my 30's HB's from Aero and AL, but if I could tweak anything on them it would be to add under-arm gussets like the USN/G-1 has. Neither company will do this custom alteration on their Half-Belts.

I'm not suprised Ken won't; it goes against what they're trying to achieve with the design, i.e. a design that could have been available then. AL by all accounts are very open to doing customisations, so presumably there's a practical reason they don't want to do it rather than it being solely an issue of historical accuracy.

Have we had these yet?

Brendan Fraser in the third of The Mummy franchise films, wearing a shearling flying jacket of sorts. Looks to me like a civilianised version of the Irvin. The film is set in 1946, so it may well be supposed to be an actual Irvin (though it's a little too long, among other things?):

Come to think of it, although a bit on the long side, it also looks like it could be an attempt at a B3, though lacking the leather elbow pads and the pocket...

 

[pauleway]

I'm not suprised Ken won't; it goes against what they're trying to achieve with the design, i.e. a design that could have been available then. AL by all accounts are very open to doing customisations, so presumably there's a practical reason they don't want to do it rather than it being solely an issue of historical accuracy.

Why not best of both worlds and have the historically accurate design for those who want period jackets and make a modern version for people who want the old style design with a few modern additions. I do give them credit though with the great variety they do offer. My perfect jacket would be the 30's half-belt with under-arm gussets and a Bi-swing back that the USN/G-1 has. At this point I'm glad they do not offer those addition because I would just be spending a whole lot more $$$!!

 

[Edward]

I'd say it's down to marketing. Especially in these days of the web, any jacket you put out there as a niche manufacturer will be seen by many more people, scrutinised, and come to represent your product. I imagine Ken figures that if he wants to sell his stuff on the basis of historically correct jackets, he doesn't want people looking at what they take to be representative and seeing all sorts of modern features on there. It's aboutk nowing their core market, really. Probably somebody out there who works on a different business model and has the resources to pattern this, though. Maybe Johnson?

 

[Stearmen]

Ted Williams in Korea!

 

[Stearmen]

A young John Glenn, with some souvenirs he picked up in Korea!

 

[Stearmen]

Tyrone Power.

 

[Stearmen]

Carroll Hall Shelby!

 

[Big J]

Carroll Hall Shelby!

That's awesome!

 

[Corsair42]

antoine De Saint Exupery, French aviation pioneer, poet, author and member of the free french air force during WW2, wearing an A2 jacket shortly before his disappearance in his P38 on a reconnaissance mission from Corsica.

 

[pawineguy]

Ted Williams in Korea!

Great picture! A small air museum near me restored a Korea era fighter to match Ted William's plane detail for detail. His eyesight was apparently super human.

 

[pilot error]

Here's a book cover......

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[thor]

Ted Williams in Korea!

Great picture! A small air museum near me restored a Korea era fighter to match Ted William's plane detail for detail. His eyesight was apparently super human.

When Ted Williams served in Korea, the Red Sox replaced and re-sodded the infield at Fenway Park. All the bases were replaced. Ted came back from 2 years at war, walked to home plate at Fenway and said that it was off by an inch. Red Sox officials re-measured the bases and found out that indeed home plate was one inch off from the original infield measurements!

When he ordered new bats from Louisville Slugger, as soon as they were unboxed and he held the new bat in his hands he could tell if they were even an ounce overweight from his custom specification.

Greatest pure hitter in baseball history!

 

[DougC]

Wonder if he would have known the footballs were under inflated? (I know...different sport)

 

[Stand By]

Ingrid Pitt from Who Dares Wins (1982) - I love this film.

 

[tropicalbob]

When Ted Williams served in Korea, the Red Sox replaced and re-sodded the infield at Fenway Park. All the bases were replaced. Ted came back from 2 years at war, walked to home plate at Fenway and said that it was off by an inch. Red Sox officials re-measured the bases and found out that indeed home plate was one inch off from the original infield measurements!

When he ordered new bats from Louisville Slugger, as soon as they were unboxed and he held the new bat in his hands he could tell if they were even an ounce overweight from his custom specification.

Greatest pure hitter in baseball history!

First baseball game I ever saw was at Yankee Stadium in 1957 (or '58). Ted Williams hit a grand slam to right. On the way home, the Old Man said, "Well, we lost, but Ted's a Marine!" So it was okay.

 

[Stearmen]

Bill France Sr. on the left and his son Bill Jr. in his navy flight jacket. Bill Sr. started NASCAR and his sun, for better or worse, made it into the multimillion dollar sport it is today!

 

[Stearmen]

Nancy Harkness Love, founder of the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS).

 

[Stearmen]

Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes. She owned The Happy Bottom Riding Club, where the test pilots from Edwards would hang out. Contrary to the movie, The Right Stuff, you got your photo up on the wall if she liked you! Slick Goodlin was up there as was Chuck Yeager and Scott Crossfield.

 

[Stearmen]

Not exactly a flight jacket, but how about Eddie Rickenbacker!

 

[Stearmen]

Anthony Fokker. Now here is a man that knows how to dress for flying!