New and questions about Eastman B6

[Crow101]

This is my first message on this forum, and I want to salute you.

Fast presentation:
I'm French, 26, I'm interressing in aviation of WW2. I'm in the French Fleet Air Arm, repairing the electronic of aircrafts.


I got some questions:

1)I would like to know if B6 flight jacket have inside pocket(s)?

2)I 've seen some photos of the inside of B3, but they didn't have inside pockets.

3)I suppose that B6 don't have too, but I'm not sure. Does someone have some pictures of that?

4)In case of "no inside pocket", does Eastman Leather Clothing can do this for their customers?

thx

P.S.
Sorry for my English...

 

[Smithy]

Welcome Crow and I hope you enjoy the Lounge.

Your best bet is to email Gary at Eastman to have a chat about the jacket (I'm fairly certain that it doesn't have inside pocket(s) ). He's a damn nice chap and very helpful. I badgered the hell out of him before buying my Irvin but he was always friendly and keen to help.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[Crow101]

Thanks you Smithy,

http://www.shopcreator.net/mall/eastmanleather/topic/topic-9604-1.stm

Gary's email adress is at the bottom of this page or this is another ?

 

[Alan Eardley]

Crow101

Premierement, bonjour, mon ami!

Neither the B-6 or B-3 have internal pockets in standard form. The 'G-1' series (M-422a, 55J14, AN6552, AN-J-3a) does, as does the A-10 and B-15 series.

Alan

 

[Crow101]

Bonjour ?† toi aussi Alan et merci!

So the only solution, is to ask for a modification by Eastman... or to wear a lady's bag for my chequebook & wallet...lol

 

[Smithy]

Thanks you Smithy,

http://www.shopcreator.net/mall/eastmanleather/topic/topic-9604-1.stm

Gary's email adress is at the bottom of this page or this is another ?

That's one of his emails Crow. Get in touch with him, as I said, he's a joy to deal with.

 

[Crow101]

ok thank you very much Smithy!

Do you have some photos of your Eastman B6 ?

 

[Smithy]

Sorry Crow I don't have a B-6. I own an Eastman 1940 Pattern Irvin which if you are interested, there are photos of in this Eastman thread...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=24031

 

[Crow101]

I understand why you got a Irving, I was in Norway in september 2007 for an NATO's exercise at Orland for 15 days...

 

[ethanedwards]

Hi Crow, this is a pic of the B6 pocket, there seems to be no reason why the
pocket can't be adjusted for access from the inside too? I don't own one of these, but sometimes it seems like the ideal weight when an Irvin or B3 is too
much.
As an aside, when I bought my Highwayman from Aeroleather, they fitted 2 inside pockets for no extra charge. Both Aero and ELC really seem to work hard at keeping their customers happy. Good luck with your B6, post some pics when you have it!



Sorry for the tiny photo, don't know what I've done wrong!?!?!?

 

[Crow101]

thanks Ethanedwards !

Good luck with your B6, post some pics when you have it!

Sure !

I ask myself if the fact that there is no inside pocket is due to the sheepcoat isn't a lining of the leather, otherwise there would be no visible "white pocket" on your photo (It would be placed between the fur and the leather)

 

[Alan Eardley]

thanks Ethanedwards !



Sure !

I ask myself if the fact that there is no inside pocket is due to the sheepcoat isn't a lining of the leather, otherwise there would be no visible "white pocket" on your photo (It would be placed between the fur and the leather)

Both the D-1 and B-6 have canvas 'pocket bags' that hang on the inside. As Ethan suggests, they could easily be modified to be accessed from the inside, but they hang rather low, so in order to access them you would have to unzip the jacket a long way. I wonder whether there is any advantage in having an internal pocket, compared to a zipped external pocket?

Alan

 

[Crow101]

Both the D-1 and B-6 have canvas 'pocket bags' that hang on the inside. As Ethan suggests, they could easily be modified to be accessed from the inside, but they hang rather low, so in order to access them you would have to unzip the jacket a long way. I wonder whether there is any advantage in having an internal pocket, compared to a zipped external pocket?

Alan

You're right, there's no advantage to have low inside pocket. Unless the ELC B-6 has no zipped external pocket...
A solution should be to ask for a modification of the zipped external pocket like on D-1...

 

[Edward]

The B6 pockets are zipped too, I understand. Th main difference in the jackets otherwise is the B6's bi-swing back and side-zip features. The D1 is a simple "box" shape jacket.

 

[Crow101]

The B6 pockets are zipped too

This is a larger view of a B6 pocket (Aero Leather Clothing). The pocket don't seem to be zipped.
The ELC's site don't mention any zipped front pocket.

____

This is a B-6 (seal with russet trim) from Aero L.C. But it seems to be pretty close to Eastman's one (on colour)

This is another B-6 from Aero-L.C. (seal with seal trim).

I know that Eastman is on top about quality, but what about Aero ? (a B6 from ELC= 429£ and an Aero= 390£)

 

[Graemsay]

I haven't seen one of Aero's sheepskin flying jackets, but their horsehide utility jackets are extremely well made.

I've owned three of their jackets to date, and am currently trying to decide on one to buy. Amanda at Aero is extremely helpful.

 

[Edward]

This is a larger view of a B6 pocket (Aero Leather Clothing). The pocket don't seem to be zipped.

I may be wrong on that then - you're right, doesn't look like any zip there. I must have seen a custom ordered one??

 

[Crow101]

I must have seen a custom ordered one??

May be, and this would mean that zipped pocket modification is possible, must check this...

And about quality between Aero and Eastman, what do you think ?

 

[jake431]

May be, and this would mean that zipped pocket modification is possible, must check this...

And about quality between Aero and Eastman, what do you think ?

I have heard nothing but good things about the quality of Eastman's shearling jackets. I have only heard about Aero's B-3, but what I have heard, though not bad by any means, would steer me towards Eastman; namely that Eastman's shearling is superior to Aero's.

My two cents.

-Jake

 

[Edward]

I don't have the experience that a lot of folks on here do, but for what it's worth... It seems to me that for the most part, they're much of a muchness in terms of quality (though it hs been said on the B10 thread that the ELC offering there is much harder wearing). Where most of the hardcore experts on here who profess a preference make the distinction is that they seem to feel that in some cases (the B3 I know is one) the ELC jackets are somewhat more historically correct in their design than the Aero alternatives. Personally, I like both and hope to own both in due course, though I'm interested in the jackets for civilian use it has to be said - I'm not trying to replicate a uniform.