MA-1 Flight jacket

[ButteMT61]

Funny thing...on my last Tokyo trip, the only people I noticed wearing MA-1's were young 20 something chicks.

LOL - the same here in LA. Seen tons of girls (yes, they're my son's age so I call them girls) wearing them too. I think that much of the MA-1 stigma is likely more in our brains than reality for youngsters now...

 

[ProteinNerd]

Uniqlo in Australia have both an M-65 and an MA-1 (and named as such) as part of their range available now so I guess they are still "in" here for at least the next season.

 

[Marv]

Burton menswear are currently pushing the MA-1 "bomber jacket" as a spring fashion item so yes, it may be "in" for a little while longer.

 

[Edward]

LOL - the same here in LA. Seen tons of girls (yes, they're my son's age so I call them girls) wearing them too. I think that much of the MA-1 stigma is likely more in our brains than reality for youngsters now...

Yes, I think even here in the UK, the racist skinhead image of them is dying out. Hope so, anyhow. I'd love a nice MA1 eventually (more likely the Cockpit Authentic than one of the Japanese models, unless I found a great deal on the Buzz 57 model); it represents the tail end of the USAAF jackets I find of interest. Being a shaven-headed paleface type myself, I'm acutely aware of not wanting to look like a certain demographic.... It does make me chuckle to think that the mainstream fashion I so despise could work strongly in my favour in this regard. Much like David Beckham shaving his head back when turned out to be a real plus, shifitng the look as it did away from the Nazi skinhead thing.

 

[bn1966]

Yes, I think even here in the UK, the racist skinhead image of them is dying out. Hope so, anyhow. I'd love a nice MA1 eventually (more likely the Cockpit Authentic than one of the Japanese models, unless I found a great deal on the Buzz 57 model); it represents the tail end of the USAAF jackets I find of interest. Being a shaven-headed paleface type myself, I'm acutely aware of not wanting to look like a certain demographic.... It does make me chuckle to think that the mainstream fashion I so despise could work strongly in my favour in this regard. Much like David Beckham shaving his head back when turned out to be a real plus, shifitng the look as it did away from the Nazi skinhead thing.

I find my Stetson cap a useful edition when I'm wearing an MA-1 to soften the image a bit, that and my new 'The Rotter' Moustache

Those Cockpit MA-1's look good to me too, could do with one in black (for work) and sage. Would need the numbers though to make it worth the gamble of importing one. Alpha (modern) not for me cut wise & Buzz is too rich for my blood.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Yes, I think even here in the UK, the racist skinhead image of them is dying out. Hope so, anyhow. I'd love a nice MA1 eventually (more likely the Cockpit Authentic than one of the Japanese models, unless I found a great deal on the Buzz 57 model); it represents the tail end of the USAAF jackets I find of interest. Being a shaven-headed paleface type myself, I'm acutely aware of not wanting to look like a certain demographic.... It does make me chuckle to think that the mainstream fashion I so despise could work strongly in my favour in this regard. Much like David Beckham shaving his head back when turned out to be a real plus, shifitng the look as it did away from the Nazi skinhead thing.

I understand the concern about being labelled a skinhead, but so many people in the UK have buzz cuts that it seems to me kind of silly to worry about it. I imagine you'd have to go about in nylon flight jackets, skinny jeans turned up, wallet chain, and Docs to actually be profiled as a skinhead. But the whole UK sub-culture thing is bizarre and strange and subtle, so I'm probably overlooking some key understanding which foreigners like me aren't able to see.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Bumping a thread which never shows up in the search function...

 

[BlueTrain]

I thought skinheads (rockers) wore hobnailed ankle boots. Or are they too hard to find these days?

 

[ButteMT61]

I thought skinheads (rockers) wore hobnailed ankle boots. Or are they too hard to find these days?

Easy to find as they are made for reenacting, among other things...I have a pair myself.

 

[BlueTrain]

So do I.

 

[bn1966]

Here's a vintage N2B which has had the hood removed and an MA-1 style knit collar installed.

Just seen this!! Late I know!...not sure what I think ;-) Wouldn't want mine to look like that

 

[Edward]

Those Cockpit MA-1's look good to me too, could do with one in black (for work) and sage. Would need the numbers though to make it worth the gamble of importing one. Alpha (modern) not for me cut wise & Buzz is too rich for my blood.

Yeah. Once the pound recovers and I can justify a US holiday, it's on my list to check out the Cockpit store....

I understand the concern about being labelled a skinhead, but so many people in the UK have buzz cuts that it seems to me kind of silly to worry about it. I imagine you'd have to go about in nylon flight jackets, skinny jeans turned up, wallet chain, and Docs to actually be profiled as a skinhead. But the whole UK sub-culture thing is bizarre and strange and subtle, so I'm probably overlooking some key understanding which foreigners like me aren't able to see.

Depends on the folks. There was a time when a shaved head and an ma1 alone would have been enough - the average person is far from observant. That said, as buzz cuts ans shaved heads have become more and more common for white guys of a certain age (those of us old enough to have gone bald!), that stereotype is slowly dying out. The likes of Beckham doing itg helped a lot.

Back in thye 90s they used to say that ten years previously, if you followed a skinhead you'd end up at a National Front meeting; by the late nineties, follow a skinhead in London and you'd mor4e likely end up in a gay bar. It's gone mainstream since then.

I thought skinheads (rockers) wore hobnailed ankle boots. Or are they too hard to find these days?

Nah, the skinhead stereo type was always DMs. Especially the oxblood 12-holes....

Rockers are a whole different subculture wqith no connection to skinhead.

Just seen this!! Late I know!...not sure what I think ;-) Wouldn't want mine to look like that

It's an interesting idea - a sort of heavy-weight MA1..... but yeah, the N2A is such a lovely jacket in and of itself, I'd miss the original design....

 

[alfyman]

I really liked mine, but I had to part ways with it..

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ Nice jacket. Thanks for posting. I can see you're in California so I imagine you wouldn't get much use from an N-2B. I've got a "matching" Alpha civilian MA-1 and N-2B which I never wear but which are nice and I find myself 50/50 re keeping or selling them. In recent Canadian winters I've been okay with just a raincoat, so insulated jackets like these don't get used much.

 

[alfyman]

^ Nice jacket. Thanks for posting. I can see you're in California so I imagine you wouldn't get much use from an N-2B. I've got a "matching" Alpha civilian MA-1 and N-2B which I never wear but which are nice and I find myself 50/50 re keeping or selling them. In recent Canadian winters I've been okay with just a raincoat, so insulated jackets like these don't get used much.

Thank you so Much, I really like the N-2B jacket, I would get a lot of compliments on it from some veterans here, I live 20 minutes near the snow line, I am hoping for a nice winter as I have so many jackets I want to wear..

 

[Monitor]

How long are these jackets supposed to be? Or rather, are they really this short? I've got a leather one by Avirex and it's like 21" in the back. Fits really great elsewhere and it's a really good jacket but the back length is killing me.

 

[devilish]

They are short. Any true repro or original is by most jackets standards short. This is because they were meant to be worn over a flight suit and not with trousers. The ‘waist’ on a flight suit being much farther up the torso.

 

[bn1966]

Still looking for a decent repro MA-1..may have to think about the Cockpit USA version when funds allow

 

[Doctor Damage]

They are short. Any true repro or original is by most jackets standards short. This is because they were meant to be worn over a flight suit and not with trousers. The ‘waist’ on a flight suit being much farther up the torso.

Bingo. To get a more useuable length for wearing with trousers you gotta go to a Gibson from Buzz, which are made with a historically-incorrect extra-long torso, or you have to start wearing old-school high-waist trousers.

 

[Big J]

These jackets are short so that they don't interfere with the inflation of the abdomen bladder in G-suits.
I've got the largest size BR repro, back length 26 inches. Covers my jeans belt.