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U-boat leather jacket options

SpeedRcrX

One Too Many
Messages
1,116
Location
France
The U Boat coat is basically a leather peacoat in a different color.

Board member @SpeedRcrX has one in goat from Lost Worlds. It is a stunner. I went back and found one of the threads that had the pictures, but the links are broken.

Mmmm might be the time to post an updated photo... [emoji3]

I will try to do it today.
 

SpeedRcrX

One Too Many
Messages
1,116
Location
France
As promised :

323aaa0278b7331b0b017571fe62bffc.jpg


Be aware, mine is custom made.
It’s my only regret, I should have ask a longer length. But when I see the Japan repro I think I’m still good.
 

Doctor Damage

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,318
Location
Ontario
With respect to everyone, the USN pea coat, although superficially similar, is a much different animal: it's longer, has more buttons, has a different pocket config, different collar and revers shapes, and has no half-belt. But fwiw I agree it's a good alternative and SpeedRacr's is a particularly excellent example.
 

RayR

One of the Regulars
Messages
125
Location
USA
As promised :

323aaa0278b7331b0b017571fe62bffc.jpg


Be aware, mine is custom made.
It’s my only regret, I should have ask a longer length. But when I see the Japan repro I think I’m still good.
It does fit you very well. But, I know exactly what you mean about the length. Not with yours, but with mine. My very first of these jackets was from Bad Wolf. At the time I knew very little about all the details but I had read they were very accurate in a lot of ways and I spent the big bucks. The only regret I have is that it's about an inch to an inch and a half shorter than I would like it. It fits and looks great, it's made great. But in my opinion it fits more like a suit coat then a longer peacoat. of course they went out of business about the time I realized that, LOL

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
 

O'DubhGhaill

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
Central New York State
I have been reviewing many Kriegsmarine photos of U-Boat commanders and crews wearing grey double breasted leather jackets and have seen different variations and lengths, some with throat latches, some with lower sleeve straps and buttons, and some quite long. I have compared Noble House's to some originals and found it quite close, although it could be a bit longer when compared to most "standard" surviving examples. I do love my Buzz Rickson peacoat too, which I have in a size larger (42) and wear it as an overcoat with my suits.
 
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Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
It was the Bad Wolf company that started the myth that the Dr Who jacket was a Kriegsmarine jacket. The one in the series was ore likely a 1950's civilian leather coat. Pretty common in Germany and Holland in the mid century and, from reading elsewhere, of French origin early in the 20th Century. But yeah, similar to some coats - civilian purchase, probably - worn on U Boats.

I like Speed's coat length. If you are not tall and you wear them full length they look wrong.
 

RayR

One of the Regulars
Messages
125
Location
USA
It was the Bad Wolf company that started the myth that the Dr Who jacket was a Kriegsmarine jacket. The one in the series was ore likely a 1950's civilian leather coat. Pretty common in Germany and Holland in the mid century and, from reading elsewhere, of French origin early in the 20th Century. But yeah, similar to some coats - civilian purchase, probably - worn on U Boats.

I like Speed's coat length. If you are not tall and you wear them full length they look wrong.
Interesting theory about bad Wolf starting the misconception, if in fact it is a misconception. I have several originals with the exact same pattern as the Doctor Who jacket. By that I mean the back with the two seams down the shoulder area. Everything matches. While I cannot definitively prove they were U-Boat jackets, one of them came with authentic Greek Marine buttons apparently attached a long long time ago and I assumed they were authentic. It also still smells of diesel fuel.
Interesting ly I have toI other ones from the same time. Which are brown. They are likely the civilian jackets and very similar. In fact you could say it's the same pattern from a different manufacturer.
I have found that this particular jacket style was in fact popular in the 1930s 40s and 50s in Germany and is known by several names I would have to look up, but one of them is the old-timers jacket.
 

RayR

One of the Regulars
Messages
125
Location
USA
And regarding whether Bad Wolf started the rumor or not... I just remembered there is an episode of Christopher Eccleston as Doctor Who when he is first meeting Captain Jack Harkness. They are trading barbs and Captain Jack makes a comment to the effect that Doctor Who is dressed like a U-Boat captain.
Now I'm going to have to go back and rewash those episodes to get the exact quote :)

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
Yes, this style was often called a "Coachman's coat". I had some vintage blazers with gold buttons with anchors on them that have never been near water. :D

If you can find a photo of a jacket identical to the Who one being worn by an officer that might help. I think there were similar private purchase jackets worn - in grey and longer still.
 

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
And regarding whether Bad Wolf started the rumor or not... I just remembered there is an episode of Christopher Eccleston as Doctor Who when he is first meeting Captain Jack Harkness. They are trading barbs and Captain Jack makes a comment to the effect that Doctor Who is dressed like a U-Boat captain.
Now I'm going to have to go back and rewash those episodes to get the exact quote :)

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

I remember the quote - it is in The Empty Child. "Flag girl is bad enough, but U Boat Captain?" The jacket is almost a running joke in the series. Charles Dickens looks disparagingly at the Doctor and quips that he's dressed as a navvy.

Sorry - I didn't mean to be too concrete about the Bad Wolf connection- I think lots of people probably noticed U-Boat or vintage navy resonances in the jacket - it is a peacoat style after all.

My point is John at Bad Wold was the first person to put forward a seemingly definitive and coherent argument on line about the origins of the jacket with 'research' while others were still speculating it was an old mall jacket or a Ben Sherman.
 

Doctor Damage

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,318
Location
Ontario
Here's a U-boat style jacket I spotted in the 2018 film "Terminal" which might be a modern jacket but might be a 1950s era jacket as discussed in this thread. The usual details but I haven't seen the loops for the buttons before, although these old jackets came in a wide variety of details, etc.

terminal.jpg
 
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Old Mariner

One of the Regulars
Messages
260
Epic Militaria

20210914_104544.jpg

I wanted the black version as I had the grey one for WWII events (specifically) as well as everyday wear. Since I outgrew it years ago, I wanted to move on from having the same color, and black is more suited for my style anyway. This jacket is heavier than the grey one I had (the leather seems thicker). It also has the inner cuffs which is really nice, along with "inner buttons" to hold the inner flap in place better (which my grey one did not have).
 

O'DubhGhaill

Familiar Face
Messages
75
Location
Central New York State
This is a Noble House Unterseeboot Jacke, size 2XL - I am 5'8"; 147lbs., 39.5"chest; 32"waist. I am waiting on a 3XL, as the fit of the 2XL is too perfect IMO, and I would like to fit layers underneath, with a more historically accurate size fit. View attachment 286625 View attachment 286626 View attachment 286627 View attachment 286628 View attachment 286629 View attachment 286630 .
3XL pics to follow. Perfect size, larger, better fitting, and more historically accurate! Noble House, you all are outstandig!
 

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