MA-1 Flight jacket

[bn1966]

Great photos! Someday, if the pound ever recovers against the dollar, I really fancy one of the Cockpit runs at the classic (1960) take on the MA1.

Same here Edward, seen them on Amazon for about £200 imported

 

[Doctor Damage]

 

[Fifty150]

In 1988 the USAF modified the military specification for the MA-1. As this jacket was left only for the ground crew, they USAF decided that the interior in orange was not necessary. In this way, in the MIL-J-8279G specification, the interior was in the same color than the exterior.

I'm not a collector or enthusiast. Over the years, I ended up with a few MA-1 jackets. Local uniform shop supplies them to my place of employment. 1 jacket was a Rothco. Another jacket was a Spiewak. Then this 1. I was sort of baffled by the green quilted lining, as opposed to orange. This jacket feels tight across the shoulder and back. The waistline rises up to my rib cage as I move my arms. It looks like I'm wearing a girls' jogging bra.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I'm not a collector or enthusiast. Over the years, I ended up with a few MA-1 jackets. Local uniform shop supplies them to my place of employment. 1 jacket was a Rothco. Another jacket was a Spiewak. Then this 1. I was sort of baffled by the green quilted lining, as opposed to orange. This jacket feels tight across the shoulder and back.

The three stripes on the tag mean it's a civilian jacket, but it's a rare one, since 99.99% of Alpha civilian jackets had the orange lining and no mention of "ground crew only". If you ever sell it someday make sure to make those points in your description.

The waistline rises up to my rib cage as I move my arms. It looks like I'm wearing a girls' jogging bra.

Common problem for anyone who's tall or tall-ish. The original military jackets were intended to be worn over flight suits so exposing the wearer's belly button wasn't really an issue, haha

 

[Fifty150]

it's a rare one, since 99.99% of Alpha civilian jackets had the orange lining and no mention of "ground crew only"

It really wasn't from a fashion store at the mall, or a department store. It was an issued item from a uniform supplier. So it was in the civilian market, but only a quasi-civilian marketplace. Uniform shops typically issue items by contract to members of subscribing agencies with purchase order vouchers. Not exactly a shopping mall store where average people walk in and pay cash.

 

[Doctor Damage]

It really wasn't from a fashion store at the mall, or a department store. It was an issued item from a uniform supplier. So it was in the civilian market, but only a quasi-civilian marketplace. Uniform shops typically issue items by contract to members of subscribing agencies with purchase order vouchers. Not exactly a shopping mall store where average people walk in and pay cash.

That's really interesting. Alpha must have been doing a special run of jackets for that retailer, with the green lining instead of orange, for whatever organization required those jackets as part of their uniform. I'll have to keep an eye out for one!

 

[bn1966]

Could use me one too, had a chance at a ground crew MA-1 last year that was pure 'service issue' but at a price that was too rich for my blood.

 

[Doctor Damage]

astronauts, 1967 and 1984

 

[Fifty150]

Alpha must have been doing a special run of jackets for that retailer, with the green lining instead of orange, for whatever organization required those jackets as part of their uniform

Uniform shops in my area supply police, fire, ambulance, bus drivers, public works, garbage collectors, and such. Anybody with a uniform demand. As far as I know, my agency's purchase order agreement does not have very strict requirements, as we get stuff with similar specs, but not exact. All 3 of my issued MA-1 are from from different manufacturers, and they don't exactly match. The same uniform shop has issued to me a Rothco, a Spiewak, and an Alpha. Just whatever they have on the rack, that fits me. And their racks are full of mismatched jackets. For us, the MA-1 is not "official" uniform, but in use. Most guys just wear them over the "official" uniform between shifts, while in transit between duty assignments, for training exercise, or if assigned to work which does not require contact with the public. So if your job that day is to assist the supervisor in the equipment room with some administrative task (like counting bullets), and they send you over to the motor pool because they need extra bodies at a special event (like access control to the locker room of a baseball team), you use this jacket so that civilians on the street don't try to flag you down for non-emergency assistance. In the event of an emergency, slip off the jacket, and you're in your uniform which the jacket was covering. I've seen mechanics, warehouse workers, and utility workers wearing the same jacket around The City's Corporate Yard; and just like my collection, they're all a little bit mismatched. I think our contract with the vendor only calls for an MA-1 type jacket, and they sell us whatever they get their hands on. It could very well be that a company like Alpha had an overrun of that model sitting unsold, and the uniform store got them at a discount knowing that they could easily pass them off to agencies like mine that don't call for exact specs.

 

[Fifty150]

Could use me one too, had a chance at a ground crew MA-1 last year that was pure 'service issue' but at a price that was too rich for my blood.

You could still get lucky. Maybe where you live, the municipality buys them just like my city does. Most city's have a "corporate yard" where they do warehousing, maintenance, light vehicle repairs, et cetera. Go see what those guys are issued. Talk to them. Maybe some guy is willing to part with 1. A lot of employees get more uniforming than they need. I've been issued 3 MA-1. I really only wear 1. 1 sits in my locker as a spare. 1 is in the trunk of my car in case it gets cold when I'm out drinking beer. I pay out of pocket to resole the boots I like wearing, which are already broken in and well polished. Every other year, they issue new boots which I give away to friends and family.

 

[bn1966]

The only MA-1's commercially available over here are the Chinese Civvy Alpha jackets from a few retailers or no name 'knock-offs'. Getting something worn in the "corporate yard" in the UK would mean a fleece top with fluorescent H&S waterproof over the top I scan evilBay on a daily basis for anything interesting being listed, it's slow going but I've scored a blue Alpha 'vintage' MA-1 and similar by Greenbrier. Looking out for an Alpha Replica B-15 Mod. Managed to find a vintage Alpha CWU 45 USA made nylon civvy jacket in sage today that will soon grace my wardrobe (took a year of looking to find it). The summer months I wear my service issue Alpha 'ground crew' L-2B (1979).

 

[Jwag]

Found this today at a flea market for $20. It's too big for me so I want to sell it. I'm hoping one of you can give me an idea of it's value. It's made by Dobbs Industries. The tag is hard to read. It's heavier than my Spiewak.

 

[Harris HTM]

My latest aquisition: New deadstock Alpha MA-1, Ground Crew Only. According to the paper tab attached, year 1992.
Compared to my "normal" flyers civilian MA-1 from Alpha: it is more lightweight, shorter, and feels snugger. Great colour.

 

[bn1966]

My latest aquisition: New deadstock Alpha MA-1, Ground Crew Only. According to the paper tab attached, year 1992.
Compared to my "normal" flyers civilian MA-1 from Alpha: it is more lightweight, shorter, and feels snugger. Great colour.
View attachment 211467 View attachment 211468

Nice!!! Waiting for an XL of this jacket to turn up on evilBay..

 

[Harris HTM]

Nice!!! Waiting for an XL of this jacket to turn up on evilBay..

Good luck! I got mine new, really cheap from the US (and as always the dutch customs asked me for the receipt and paid almost 40e extra on tax...). Keep in mind that it is shorter and thinner than a normal MA1. And no inner pockets!

 

[Doctor Damage]

And no inner pockets!

No inner pockets? Okay, that's interesting,thanks for mentioning it. I had assumed these were the same as the regular Alpha MA-1's of the period except with a different tag.

 

[Harris HTM]

No inner pockets? Okay, that's interesting,thanks for mentioning it. I had assumed these were the same as the regular Alpha MA-1's of the period except with a different tag.

Indeed no inner pockets.

 

[bn1966]

I briefly had a 'Ground-Crew' service issue MA-1 in XL, green quilted lining the same as above. Moved it on due to it fitting a little too snug, issue date was either late 80's/early 90's as I recollect. Nearly had dibs on another issue version recently but price was too rich for my blood.
My eyes are still peeled

 

[Fifty150]

I guess guys on the ground don't need to flip the jacket inside out to orange, so no inside pockets. And they have to be thinner and shorter. Bigger and taller guys get to fly the plane. Small, short guys get to handle the luggage.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's an Alpha MA-1 from a Japanese website. The retailer is called Waiper and I suppose this might be a special model for that store only. Which shows that Alpha can do a convincing repro when they want to.