Flight jackets right length

[Fanch]

Nah, I disagree with Sloan and Peacoat. The bottom of the jacket should clear the belt by 2" NOT a mere 1.5".

 

[Fanch]

Actually, I've never thought too much about what is being discussed but just checked my Aero Bronco A-2 and Aero Sheene. The A-2 clears my belt by 1 5/8" and the Sheene by 1 3/8". Should I send both back to Galashiels be lengthened another 1/2"?

 

[Skyhawk]

Waistband right above your belt? Covering half your fly? I'm never happy with my flight jackets length. Specially when hide is too hard.

The right length is the one you were issued buddy!
Seriously though the lengths are not that uniform on flight jackets. The USN G-1 Specs have a tolerance of +1"/-1/2" on length. That means your size 46 could be 1 whole inch longer than your buddy with the same size. Personally I prefer a length just below the belt line (In loose jeans or khakis not period high waisted pants). It's not so important when wearing a flight suit, no belt or buckle to worry about.

 

[ProteinNerd]

This is too short:

I thought this was period correct [emoji13]

 

[nick123]

I'm going to have nightmares of that jacket with eyes chasing me around town trying to get me to wear it.

 

[Fanch]

The right length is the one you were issued buddy!
Seriously though the lengths are not that uniform on flight jackets. The USN G-1 Specs have a tolerance of +1"/-1/2" on length. That means your size 46 could be 1 whole inch longer than your buddy with the same size. Personally I prefer a length just below the belt line (In loose jeans or khakis not period high waisted pants). It's not so important when wearing a flight suit, no belt or buckle to worry about.

As I recall the G-1 WAS designed to be worn over a flight suit, at least the one issued to me way back when, and remember wearing mine with flight suit, gloves, and hard helmet with mike and two visors. I also recall wearing it occasionally with my khaki uniform but never with dress blues. I also wore it with jeans, and even to work after I was discharged from the US Navy until the day it was stolen from the rack in the surgical residents' dressing room where I left it. To this day, I never leave a leather jacket on a hanger in an unsecure area.

 

[nick123]

Fanch, so those stories of aviators having to sneak their G-1s off base under their raincoats to avoid detection are just fables? That MacGuire book sure made it seem like the G-1s were almost impossible to wear off base!

 

[Fanch]

Fanch, so those stories of aviators having to sneak their G-1s off base under their raincoats to avoid detection are just fables? That MacGuire book sure made it seem like the G-1s were almost impossible to wear off base!

No, wearing off base was never a problem, although I never added any patches, nor did I even add a name tag with rank to mine. It was always exactly the same as the first day I removed it from the cellophane wrapper when issued to me.

 

[Fanch]

I thought this was period correct [emoji13]

At least the sleeves are long enough.

 

[bn1966]

Actually, I've never thought too much about what is being discussed but just checked my Aero Bronco A-2 and Aero Sheene. The A-2 clears my belt by 1 5/8" and the Sheene by 1 3/8". Should I send both back to Galashiels be lengthened another 1/2"?

For sure you should

 

[Deacon211]

Fanch, so those stories of aviators having to sneak their G-1s off base under their raincoats to avoid detection are just fables? That MacGuire book sure made it seem like the G-1s were almost impossible to wear off base!

Well, different eras and different rules. I knew of base or squadron skippers who wouldn't even let their pilots wear flight suits outside the squadron spaces and only when they were on the flight schedule. In my fleet era you could wear both on base but, like utilities, you could not wear them off base. You could put them on at home and drive to base, but no stopping in between.

Not having patches does throw out some leeway as you could theoretically be wearing an after market jacket (they sometimes even sold them in the exchange). A patched jacket was kind of a giveaway though.

I bought my first Avirex and later a G+B while on active duty and wore it with my uniform. But they were kind of guilty pleasures and I never wore them out in town; partly because everybody's a pilot and you really stick out like a sore thumb. LOL!

I knew of a guy who got caught in New York of all places in his flight suit and jacket by the Group CO. He spent the next month standing duty in his dress blues....with sword.

As for the original topic, while there is definitely too long and definitely too short, the only thing that really bugs me is when you sit down and it's so long that it bunches up in front. It's especially annoying when you are trying to strap in and you've got all this spare leather to deal with!

Even after I got out I still have a thing about long jackets.


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[Peacoat]

As for the original topic, while there is definitely too long and definitely too short, the only thing that really bugs me is when you sit down and it's so long that it bunches up in front. It's especially annoying when you are trying to strap in and you've got all this spare leather to deal with!

Even after I got out I still have a thing about long jackets.

Yes, and leather bunches far worse than other materials. Fortunately, I never had to worry about leather bunching while in the cockpit; we wore nylon all the way.

 

[Deacon211]

Yeah, we were mostly Nomex. Actually the dang Navy parachute harness was so cumbersome that most guys would wear Nomex long johns or...yecch...a dry suit under their bag or wear the jacket over everything unzipped and take it off once you they got to the aircraft.

It was mostly later when I got out of Tacair and got to flying as God Intended; with a flight suit, a headset, and a coffee cup, that I got to wear my jacket in the cockpit.

Actually, I once heard of a Tomcat crew who would only wear their dry suits and long johns in the plane since they were coming right back to the carrier. Until one night when the weather was bad and they had to divert to O-San airbase (Osan turns into an emoticon, go figure). Getting off the ship is generally a great deal. In this case though, they had to divert in what was basically only their underwear.

Probably told that one before.





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[Peacoat]

We were transitioning to Nomex when I was getting out.

Good story about the underwear. Lack of planning ahead can be a real problem for pilots, even in ways we never considered.

 

[ButteMT61]

Good Wear just posted up some neat pics of old jackets. Many are A-2's. See these for some idea on what things looked like...

http://www.goodwearleather.com/photos/vintage_photos/

 

[TPD166]

Those are some great photos. One of the jackets in a crew photo caught my eye - I put on my glasses and enlarged as big as could get it and I am still not sure, but it sure looks like the second guy from the right is wearing a jacket with buttons??

I would have guessed an A-1, but that looks like a leather collar (although I recently saw a 1929 photo of Carl Spaatz wearing an A-1 with what appeared to be a leather collar).

Good Wear just posted up some neat pics of old jackets. Many are A-2's. See these for some idea on what things looked like...

http://www.goodwearleather.com/photos/vintage_photos/

 

[Fury]

As for the original topic, while there is definitely too long and definitely too short, the only thing that really bugs me is when you sit down and it's so long that it bunches up in front.

I started this thread because I'm having this issue. G1 jacket has a leather extension at the bottom front

(This G1 was JFK's )

My G1 leather is ultra hard and I just can't sit with the jacket on The whole thing bunches up

Back is not a problem because you have the waistband there. The problem is the wrong front length and a hard hide. Zipper doesn't help either because it's oversized.

Next time I'll know better. Waistband covering your belt and nothing else

 

[LeonardoDiSilvestre]

Waistband right above your belt? Covering half your fly? I'm never happy with my flight jackets length. Specially when hide is too hard.

I would say waistband right above your belt. That's my two cents anyway

 

[Deacon211]

Fury,

If the body itself isn't too long, then the leather tabs will break in after awhile. They form that weird outward curve that looks like a Frito. If the body itself is too long, then it will always bunch a bit when you sit.

What kind of jacket do you have? Is it old or new? Some jackets feel like they aren't even made for humans when you first get them. But they eventually soften up and become second skins.

I've posted elsewhere that, for example, I've never had an Eastman that fit right off the bat (granted I've only had three). And yet, after three years they are all soft, pliable, and fit rather well.

So, perhaps you shouldn't give up hope just yet?

Also, there are methods of softening and shaping, depending on how brave you are, that might speed thing up a bit.


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[Carlos840]

Nice pants though!