road less traveled for jacket nuts? the N-2B flight jacket...am i crazy 4 loving it?

[GHQ1]

saw a couple of candian air force nylon jackets recently on ebay with mouton collars and a slant, or off to one side, zipper.

I have two of these CDN FLT JKTS (blue and rescue orange) with the mouton and they are warm and beautifully made -- however the real mouton collars are HUGE IMO. They were so large that I had a tailor mod them smaller for me . . As issued the collar points pretty much spread out to the edge of the shoulders -- fine if that's your look but twasn't mine.

They each have a stowaway coated nylon hood in the collar. The idea is to raise the mouton collar up past the ears then flip up the hood on the outside which snugs all that mouton directly against yer noggin. The CDN's know their cold.

 

[Otter]

May I hijack this thread for an oppinion, is this a genuine or reproduction?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-ORIGI..._Men_s_Coats_Jackets&var=&hash=item68c91faf9c

 

[Atticus Finch]

May I hijack this thread for an oppinion, is this a genuine or reproduction?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-ORIGI..._Men_s_Coats_Jackets&var=&hash=item68c91faf9c

Repro.

AF

 

[Otter]

Thanks AF, confirmed my suspicions, I shall let it pass by.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Otter, what size are you? There is a very nice 1969 Lancer on ebay right now. Size XL. I thought to PM you with the link, but I don't think you have enough posts.

AF

 

[Otter]

Thanks Atticus, I shall have a look on ebay US, I am about a 44 chest so best erring on the plus size!

 

[xt40]

how can you tell. skinny knits?

 

[Atticus Finch]

how can you tell. skinny knits?

Wrong color. Wrong ruff. Wrong zipper. Bogus spec tag. Probably other stuff wrong, too, but I stopped at that.

AF

 

[Jeff M]

Looking at an N2-B by Alpha from 1977. Any idea how the quality compares to the current N2-B's by Alpha? (I know the 77 model has synthetic filler/hood lining.)

 

[Philalethes]

Question About Hoods

Am I right that the N2b and N3b hoods are different? That the N2b's hood zippers so that it may be flattened across the back when not being used, but that the N3b's does not? It also appears to me that the N3b's hood is smaller...

 

[Atticus Finch]

Am I right that the N2b and N3b hoods are different? That the N2b's hood zippers so that it may be flattened across the back when not being used, but that the N3b's does not? It also appears to me that the N3b's hood is smaller...

Yes, I think both of these observations are true.

AF

 

[Jeff M]

Just posting this again....Looking at an N2-B by Alpha from 1977. Any idea how the quality compares to the current N2-B's by Alpha? (I know the 77 model has synthetic filler/hood lining.)

Any thoughts?

 

[Atticus Finch]

Just posting this again....Looking at an N2-B by Alpha from 1977. Any idea how the quality compares to the current N2-B's by Alpha? (I know the 77 model has synthetic filler/hood lining.)

Any thoughts?

I much prefer the older jackets. They have mouton hood liners and coyote ruffs and heavy wool insulation.

AF

 

[Atticus Finch]

Guys...I don't like to post links to live auctions...but if someone here is serious about buying a good N jacket, there are two on ebay right now that appear to be as good as they get. One is a 1969 Lancer N-2B and the other is a 1951 Masland N-2A. They are both size XL. Disclaimer: I don't own either jacket and I don't know either seller...but both sure look like good investments to me.

AF

 

[CodeRed]

Based upon this thread I have picked up a few vintage Nomex jackets...including this one. I really like them. All for the price of one leather Aero, LW, etc, of which I have several.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290640522857

 

[Atticus Finch]

CodeRed, that appears to be an excellent jacket. Of course, it was made in 1972 before N jackets became entirely synthetic. It has wool insulation and a real fur ruff. I'm not sure about the hood lining...by 1972 that spec may have changed from mouton to dynal.

As far as I know, all N-2Bs were/are nylon. I don't think any were made of nomex, although nomex CWUs began appearing in the early seventies, soon after your jacket was made. The fact that your N-2B is nylon probably won't affect how you wear it, but please don't expose it to open flame. It isn't flame retardant.

AF

 

[CodeRed]

^ Good to know. Here are a couple more that I got off ebay, what do you think of them? Thx.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280802977010&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:1123

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160713058909?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

 

[Atticus Finch]

^ Good to know. Here are a couple more that I got off ebay, what do you think of them? Thx.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280802977010&ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:1123

http://www.ebay.com/itm/160713058909?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Yep...both of those are the real deal and are nomex. And both jackets are Alphas...still the best jacket maker, IMO. I'll bet you find yourself wearing the 36/P more than any of your jackets. At least that has been my experience. They're light, comfortable and cool looking with jeans and khakis. Great jackets!

AF

 

[Philalethes]

As far as I know, all N-2Bs were/are nylon.

I have seen some tags that claim the N2-B has a 100% cotton "backing". I assumed that this meant that the shell was made of cotton - is that right?

On a related note, for those who have the older cotton or cotton/nylon shells (I am pretty sure the early N3-Bs were this way), how water resistant are they?

 

[Atticus Finch]

I have seen some tags that claim the N2-B has a 100% cotton "backing". I assumed that this meant that the shell was made of cotton - is that right?

On a related note, for those who have the older cotton or cotton/nylon shells (I am pretty sure the early N3-Bs were this way), how water resistant are they?

You are right. I often refer to a group of jackets as being "nylon" so as to differentiate them from Nomex jackets or cloth jackets such as the B-9 and B-10. But strictly speaking, many models of what I call "nylon" jackets are actually made of cotton. Here's the tag from my 1964 Southern Athletic N-3B.

AF