Okay a date on an N-3A now ?? :)

[ronbo]

I got this one a few years ago and it is near mint (sans hood draw string). I am wondering what year it may have been made. Even the mouton fur inside the hood is all intact. The knits have no moth nips either. I have always wondered how to date these [huh] Thanks -Ronbo

 

[Atticus Finch]

There's no way to date this jacket by the tag, only. The order number or drawing number on the tag must be compared to a list of known contract dates. I think that list may be included in a reference book called "Suit Up", but I don't have a copy. That being said, I can tell you that blue Air Force jackets were produced during a narrow time frame spanning from 1949 until 1953.

AF

 

[ronbo]

Thanks ! I have Imai's book " Suit Up - The Flight Jacket ". I will see what can find in there. Cheers -Ronbo

 

[bn1966]

Nice jacket

 

[ronbo]

Thanks . I really am not a "fur around the hood" kinda guy unless I am in serious cold so I bought it mainly for collecting. But the same blue material as the B-15 is what sold me. I also have the D-1A blue pants and those things are GREAT in the cold. Cheers -Ronbo

 

[EmergencyIan]

Thanks . I really am not a "fur around the hood" kinda guy unless I am in serious cold so I bought it mainly for collecting. But the same blue material as the B-15 is what sold me. I also have the D-1A blue pants and those things are GREAT in the cold. Cheers -Ronbo

Wouldn't it be much too warm in Central California to ever wear this sub-zero coat? Or am I incorrect?

- Ian

 

[Edward]

Nice! Were the N3x jackets of the same construction as the N2x, just longer and without the waist-knit, or were they heavier? I had the impression these (much like the D1) were for groundcrew, while the N2x were for the pilots, is that right?

 

[ronbo]

Yep the material feels the same. I also have an N-2A in storage. But the hood trim on that one is white and black (no brown). I am hearing over on the usmilitariaforum.com uniform site both things. I do remember seeing a crew exit a B-36 in Alaska in an old color film and they had the longer N-3A's on. But that may have been staged. Then again it may have been depending on which base you were at.