My G-1 Lineup (Others Invited)

[Dinerman]

Pritzker

 

[Deacon211]

Holy cow! :eeek:

What a collection!!!!

 

[Deacon211]

OK, yesterday was officially cold enough to get away with wearing my latest G-1, the W+G my wife got for me last Spring.

Ah, leather weather.........it's finally here!

 

[Big J]

Beautiful jacket J!

I really like the scalloped pocket flaps on that one. I can tell you that I bought my G+B when I was back in the service and treated it none too gently (in fact I think I washed it when I first got it, long before I had heard of the HWT) and it still took awhile to settle in.

So, I'd venture to say that there is no adventure too rough to take it on to break it in!

Always loved the Felix the Cat patch too.

Deacon

Thanks Deacon!
I do wear flight jackets with squadron/group patches because a lot of those 40's designs were really artistic in a way that captures the era, and I think that it's a great way to remember the Greatest Generation (I always use name patches to make sure no one steals my jacket). The VF-3/VFA-31 patch has an unintended side effect; young ladies keep smiling at it and saying it's cute!

BTW, your wife's an angel! The W&G she got you is great!

 

[Big J]

Pritzker

That's a great collection! I love how the first two have got so much 'age induced character'. That's what I hope mine will look like one day (and I hope my kids appreciate it!). The last three look like maybe D or E series jackets? Would you mind posting pics of the labels?

 

[Big J]

I just bought a G-1 from eBay.
It was a little over-priced, but in my size just what I was looking for- a really nasty Vietnam era jacket.
When it turned up today, I was shocked to say the least- it's beyond the nasty of my other E series (which I suspect isn't goat), this one is so bad, I suspect it isn't even leather! The label seems good, Imperial Fashions Inc (who did indeed hold a contract in 74, according to Wikipedia).
Can anyone bear witness to the fact that no matter how poor the quality, issue G-1's were never supplied by contractors in actual plastic?

Other than that, it's got a nice Scovill zipper.

 

[Justhandguns]

I just bought a G-1 from eBay.
It was a little over-priced, but in my size just what I was looking for- a really nasty Vietnam era jacket.
When it turned up today, I was shocked to say the least- it's beyond the nasty of my other E series (which I suspect isn't goat), this one is so bad, I suspect it isn't even leather! The label seems good, Imperial Fashions Inc (who did indeed hold a contract in 74, according to Wikipedia).
Can anyone bear witness to the fact that no matter how poor the quality, issue G-1's were never supplied by contractors in actual plastic?

Other than that, it's got a nice Scovill zipper.

I recently bought a no label G-1 jacket for cheap (Vietnam era, according to the seller). Mine is certainly leather, but I suspect it is cow instead of goat. Do you have a picture of your jacket? I am curious.

 

[Atticus Finch]

I just bought a G-1 from eBay...I suspect it isn't even leather!

Its leather. I've heard guys swear their 1970s, E-series G-1s were pleahter, but G-1 specifications have always called for the jacket's shell to be made from goatskin or embossed cowhide...never man-made material. Remember, when the E-series jackets appeared, the military was already concerned with materials performance in cockpit fires. I can’t imagine anyone approving the use of Naugahyde or Pleather for use in areas where fire is a constant hazard.

The problem is actually the finish. For whatever reason, G-1s in the '70s were made with some kind of squeaky, plastic like finish that I suspect was sprayed on. I've got a couple of those jackets. One is a 1976 Imperial Leather and the other one is untagged, but I'm sure its from the 1970s. They weigh a ton and squeak like a flock of seagulls when you move in them. Without doubt, the seventies was a low point in the history of Navy Leather.

AF

 

[Deacon211]

There were some of those even in the '90s. My buddy got one that I would have sworn was plastic. There was no grain in the leather at all...just an uneven pebbled impression like on the seat of a cheap rental car. Horrible.


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[Tkecks]

I have an unlabeled (presumed) E-series (probably a 48, since it's bigger than my 46's), and it's also a squeaker. All the Imperial Leather examples I have seen have been the squeaky cowhide, which is ~2 shades lighter brown than the seal-goathide that was used for the earlier series (and the earliest E-series). I applied some pecards to it, and that dulled the squeaking (and darkened it a shade), but 6 months later the squeaking is back.

My imperial (before the pecards)


I have a few sz46 G-1's that I am going to sell soon. I'm a frustrating size: 48 is the right length in the body but the arms are slightly too long. I found a 48 in goat (E-series), but it needs a zipper fix.

 

[Deleted member 16736]

Will you be selling on eBay or the classifieds?

 

[AviatorBRZ]

I have 8 G-1s so far.

AN-6552 by H.&L. Block
7823(AER) by J.A. Dubow Sporting Goods Corp
7823C(WEP) by Star Sportswear MFG. CO.
7823C(WEP) W/E by Star Sportswear MFG. CO.
7823D(WP) by The Martin Lane CO., INC.

7823E(AS) by Brill Bros., INC.
7823E(AS) by Ralph Edwards Sportswear, INC.
7823E(AS) by Star Sportswear MFG. CO.

I agree that is undeniable the fact that the 70's jackets have much less quality than the older ones, but I also think that the contractor who made the jacket make all the difference. And some 70's jackets are still much better than jackets from 80's, 90's...

I've bought my 3 E(AS) in never worn condition. One of them didn't arrived here yet.

Well, the ones I have in my hands right now are the Brill Bros[1975] and the Ralph Edwards[1977]

The Brill Bros jacket have a nice and smooth leather with a nice "grain" but not "so grainy" as the Star Sportswear appear to be in the photos.

The Ralph Edwards who was made two years later have an much more hard leather and have less grain than the Brill Bros and it make a lot of noise with arms movement (Fortunately I've bought it for display not to wear).

IMO not all 70's jackets are THAT bad in quality, but definetely some are better than other.

P.S. As far as I know all E(AS) are cowhide, the last SPEC with goatskin was the D(WP) and not all are goat, some are cowhide.
My D(WP) is goat with mouton collar.

For reference, here are the pics of E(AS) jackets (Not very good quality pictures and some are from the seller)

Brill Bros [1975]

https://imageshack.com/i/f0YIn8izj

https://imageshack.com/i/iq7JYG51j

https://imageshack.com/i/ey6wWLxFj

https://imageshack.com/i/exTjDQa8j

Ralph Edwards [1977]

https://imageshack.com/i/p9h9c9pzj

https://imageshack.com/i/pdAwaYKEj

https://imageshack.com/i/f0Pq9wrXj

Look at those scars in the leather near the collar

https://imageshack.com/i/f0Ahw1Agj

Star Sportswear [1975]

https://imageshack.com/i/p8i28Skdj

 

[Doctor Damage]

G1 fans can download PDFs of military documents on the jackets from the links below. The first document has details on materials specs and a series of diagrams showing how all the seams are supposed to be sewn!

1971: http://www.everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL-SPECS-MIL-J/MIL-J-7823E_9437/
1984: http://www.everyspec.com/MIL-SPECS/MIL-SPECS-MIL-J/MIL-J-7823E_AMENDMENT-3_9438/

Press on the orange "download" button. Safe downloads, at least in my experience.

 

[Big J]

I wouldn't describe this latest addition as heavy at all. It is a shade lighter than seal brown. Has good grain, but smells of plastic and is as squeaky as hell.
I might keep it, but I might still look for a nicer G-1 to use for my next Vietnam project jacket.

 

[Big J]

Here are some pics of the offending jacket.
Love the wear and tear on it, and the size, but the squeakiness and the smell (I swear I woke up and I could smell it from downstairs last night) are making this a hard one.
I just put together a grouping of vintage hand made in Japan CV-64, VF-96, and Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club embroidered patches. I'm not sure I want to put them (and a couple of hundred dollars of back art) on this jacket.

 

[Deacon211]

What's it smell like Big J? I don't think I've noticed any bad smells from jackets...even the ones that had never been cleaned.


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[Tkecks]

Here's a recent-ish acquisition: A size 46 "A"-series LW Foster contract (are these called "a" series, despite not carrying the letter?). Immaculate original collar and conmar zipper. This has the red/maroon shade to the goat hide that you see in some of the A-series.

 

[RJR]

Nice,T.

 

[Big J]

Here's a recent-ish acquisition: A size 46 "A"-series LW Foster contract (are these called "a" series, despite not carrying the letter?). Immaculate original collar and conmar zipper. This has the red/maroon shade to the goat hide that you see in some of the A-series.

I like that Foster, it's got so much character.

 

[Big J]

What's it smell like Big J? I don't think I've noticed any bad smells from jackets...even the ones that had never been cleaned.


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Well Deacon, it smelled just like the inside of a brand new garbage bag when it arrived- it was that 'plasticky'.
But it's spent the last 2 days and nights hanging up outside, and it's lost it's plastic smell, and I can actually smell leather now.
Still as squeaky as hell though.
But it's growing on me. I think I might keep it.