Flying coat

[bonnieprince]

Anybody know where I can get a flying coat like this?

 

[Smithy]

Your Dietz painting shows Reed Chambers wearing a fairly standard 3/4 length flying coat.

Unfortunately most of these items were private purchase so that is why there is so much variation in what was worn and little standardization with WWI flying coats.

I can't speak for the USAS but for the RFC/RAF/RNAS the most sort after flying coats amongst aviators were made by Burberry. These were more often full length, fleece lined with a large map pocket across the breast. They were so highly regarded that Central Power pilots used captured examples.

In terms of getting a similar coat Cirrus clothing in the UK offer flying coats. I have never owned one so can't comment on the manufacturer but they offer both full and 3/4 length "flying coats" with or without fleece/fur collars.

Hope that helps a little.

 

[Hawk_Eye]

Actually there was one on ebay very recently that looked just like that. It was priced at 100 GBP and didnt sell. I'll look around and see if I can find it again.

 

[Edward]

In terms of getting a similar coat Cirrus clothing in the UK offer flying coats. I have never owned one so can't comment on the manufacturer but they offer both full and 3/4 length "flying coats" with or without fleece/fur collars.

Hope that helps a little.

I've never owned a Cirrus myself. I have heard great things, however, about the quality of their Irvin jackets. As to accuracy, their Irvins are far behind Aero and ELC on that front (probably on a par with the ALC Irvin branded models), but I should have thought that this would present no disadvantage when it comes to approximating a type of jacket that, due to being a pp item, there was never any standardisation with anyhow.

 

[Smithy]

I've never owned a Cirrus myself. I have heard great things, however, about the quality of their Irvin jackets. As to accuracy, their Irvins are far behind Aero and ELC on that front (probably on a par with the ALC Irvin branded models), but I should have thought that this would present no disadvantage when it comes to approximating a type of jacket that, due to being a pp item, there was never any standardisation with anyhow.

I have also heard great things about their quality as well Edward. Their flying coats don't look too shabby, the full length appears to be an "approximation" of a Burberry or similar. The 3/4 doesn't look bad either and without seeing one close-up certainly appears to be similar in style to ones used in WWI.

 

[Edward]

The full length on the website looks gorgeous, though the price less so.... it's about a grand sterling!! I suppose it must cost more to put together than an Irvin, but that's a scary amount more. Shame, as I could see one of those being a fantastic coat for winter wear over a suit for those days when a regular wool overcoat still isn't quite enough.

 

[John Lever]

The best one around by far is French and made by a company called Chapal. They have been tanning leather since the 1850's. They make very top end leather goods for the top French fashion houses and F1 Gliterati , including jackets gloves motoring helmets and goggles.
They used to be expensive before the Euro but now the prices are intergalactic !!
They do summer and winter versions of a WW1 coat [ they also make an amazing veg. tanned B3]
Here is the site-
http://www.chapal.fr/english.htm
A cheaper supplier is Belmog a Belgian company specialising in Morgan cars -
http://www.belmog.com/

Start saving !!

 

[Edward]

Here's a thought.... I've not seen one in person, but our own Indy Magnoli's leathers look superb in pictures, and he does a custom option...?

 

[Hawk_Eye]

Found it, unfortunately looks like it auctione d a second time and sold, but heres the link so you can see it anyways.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WW1-RFC-RAF-A...ryZ69683QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[BellyTank]

Very German and probably not as old as WW1.


B
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[bonnieprince]

I just wanted to thank all of you for your responses. I am always amazed to see how many people share my interests.

BP

 

[bonnieprince]

Hey Smithy! Have you ever perused theaerodrome.com? There are other people there with an interest in WWI aviation.

BP

 

[Smithy]

Hey Smithy! Have you ever perused theaerodrome.com? There are other people there with an interest in WWI aviation.

BP

I've been a member there for a number of years but I tend to just lurk now.

Lot of good info on there.

 

[Mark P]

Ferry Pilot Coat

I may be wrong about this, but the coat in the picture looks like what I've seen called 'Ferry Pilot' coats elsewhere. Again, guessing a bit, I suppose ferry pilots would transport newly manufactured warplanes to wherever they were going to be used. Can anyone confirm that?

I don't think they are made as a repro, but you could ask someone like Lost Worlds whether they would make one for you as a one off. Be prepared to spend heavily.

 

[bonnieprince]

I've been a member there for a number of years but I tend to just lurk now.

Lot of good info on there.

It's a great resource. Glad you already know about it.

 

[BellyTank]

Flying Coat....

I was looking at the Eastman Leather Clothing web site yesterday and noticed that their "Luftwaffe WW1" coat and their "Brooklands Motoring Coat" seem to be identical- the only departure seems to be the colour:
Luftwaffe -black/Brooklands -brown. Admittedly I can't see the back of the Brooklands coat, so maybe there is a difference, however the front seems identical.

A bit of a let down, considering that the Luftwaffe coat appears very German in styling and the Brooklands coat is touted as being "...the epitomy of fine vintage motoring apparel." but is identical.
I would have thought that the Brooklands coat should be the epitome of fine vintage BRITISH motoring apparel and somehow reflect this in its styling.
It seems like a bit of a lack of inspiration, or imagination when a WW1 Luftwaffe coat and a vintage British motoring coat have no differences.
But then I'm not an expert on either.

Having said all this, the WW1 coat retails at £475 and the Brooklands, at £575. Further reading reveals that the two coats are made from different hides and the lining cloths are also different. Still, at this price, I would like to see more effort in the design area.

Disappointing.


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[Smithy]

BT, what is more concerning to me is how so many people including manufacturers believe that Luftstreitkräfte aviators used these 3/4 length double breasted black coats almost universally. Although similar were used, full length coats were arguably more common over the Western Front due to the extremely low temperatures that were experienced in open cockpit aircraft. The same was true with Allied airmen.

 

[BellyTank]

Repro Flight jackets, etc...

Well Smithy, vendors such as these guys and others have been telling their truths for years- truths that sometimes only suit THEIR level of commitment to the product, their available materials and their markets. Look at the impressive web sites, lovely pictures and literature... believe the blurb.
The Japanese raised the bar to a degree, by going the extra mile, recreating the vintage hardware to lift the repros. Some of the Western vendors followed- now Eastman have a "partnership" with one of them, which was a wise business move- putting the "inaccessible" Japanese products in their own portfolio.
Even the Japanese repro flight jackets, although held in high regard and of excellent quality, didn't achieve a totally accurate A-2 jacket(as an example). John Chapman seems to have raised the bar again- his interest being in total historical accuracy, making jackets from patterned originals, to order, rather than stock, no dispensations(excepting customisations, of course) for fitting the modern, middle-aged man.
He seems uninterested in diluting his product to suit a leisure jacket market.
Good on him.

I am still surprised by the vendors, those who are long time collectors, who offer a product which claims historical accuracy but does not live up to this credo. But then they are also wise businessmen, catering to (and deciding)the "wearing needs" of the end user.

I was caught up in the repro flight jacket trail for years...


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[Smithy]

Well Smithy, vendors such as these guys and others have been telling their truths for years- truths that sometimes only suit THEIR level of commitment to the product, their available materials and their markets. Look at the impressive web sites, lovely pictures and literature... believe the blurb.
The Japanese raised the bar to a degree, by going the extra mile, recreating the vintage hardware to lift the repros. Some of the Western vendors followed- now Eastman have a "partnership" with one of them, which was a wise business move- putting the "inaccessible" Japanese products in their own portfolio.
Even the Japanese repro flight jackets, although held in high regard and of excellent quality, didn't achieve a totally accurate A-2 jacket(as an example). John Chapman seems to have raised the bar again- his interest being in total historical accuracy, making jackets from patterned originals, to order, rather than stock, no dispensations(excepting customisations, of course) for fitting the modern, middle-aged man.
He seems uninterested in diluting his product to suit a leisure jacket market.
Good on him.

I am still surprised by the vendors, those who are long time collectors, who offer a product which claims historical accuracy but does not live up to this credo. But then they are also wise businessmen, catering to (and deciding)the "wearing needs" of the end user.

I was caught up in the repro flight jacket trail for years...


B
T

Absolutely bang on BT, I think that's a very insightful and truthful assessment.

 

[Charlie Noodles]

Wasn't there a coat similar to this one with an alphanumeric name? Don't strike me down if it's not very similar at all. I'm just thinking of a long coat with a fur collar of some sort.