USN Deck Jackets period / repop

[Doctor Damage]

 

[thor]

^ great pics, Thor! the carrier pic is awesome, what job/role did you have?

I just retired after 26 years on Active Duty & Reserves. I was a Senior Chief Boatswains Mate; I basically was in charge of all the operations on the deck of the cargo ship: cargo loading and transfer, rigging, crane operations, mooring, anchoring, helicopter flight deck operations, etc.

 

[4444Design]

got one of ATF`s repop some weeks ago but was actually not that excited

outter shape might be generally ok but lining is far from being realistic - is more like a teddy lining rather then alpaca

I attached some stencils on the jacket and sold her

 

[breezer]

now I like the IR N1's, but this is clown shoes https://www.ironheart.co.uk/jackets/ihm-19.html

 

[l0fielectronic]

Its not really to my taste, but then I've never really been comfortable with camouflage as fashion either.

That said we have snow today so the Pike Bros is coming out, the best buy I've made this winter for sure.

 

[thor]

U.S. Wings is now selling these Navy shipboard cold weather/flame resistant deck jackets. These are brand new (apparently they are either a supplier to the Navy or they’re getting them through one of the contractors). Their selling price is $350; if you can find one used in good condition for under a hundred bucks on eBay you’re getting a good deal.
https://www.uswings.com/product/usn-nomex-shipboard-jacket/

 

[HanauMan]

I tend to spend all winter wearing my surplus A2 deck jacket when out and about. It is dated 1979 and warm as toast.

 

[Doctor Damage]

U.S. Wings is now selling these Navy shipboard cold weather/flame resistant deck jackets. These are brand new (apparently they are either a supplier to the Navy or they’re getting them through one of the contractors). Their selling price is $350; if you can find one used in good condition for under a hundred bucks on eBay you’re getting a good deal.
https://www.uswings.com/product/usn-nomex-shipboard-jacket/

These have been made by several different companies, the same companies which have made USAF CWU flameproof jackets, mostly Ashland Sales & Service and Valley Apparel. Propper made a similar-looking jacket for a while but it wasn't the same. The current jackets appear to be made by Valley, you can see the profile here: http://valleyapparel.net/product-category/commercial/

 

[thor]

If US W is getting these jackets from the actual military contractor (Valley Apparel) I wonder what label will be in the jacket? Would they sew a US Wings label over the white mil-spec Valley Apparel label? They do quote an 8-10 week waiting time.

 

[EmergencyIan]

I tend to spend all winter wearing my surplus A2 deck jacket when out and about. It is dated 1979 and warm as toast.

I just wore my A-2 deck jacket, here in NYC, to make a few block walk to the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for soup. I was nice and warm. Great jackets!

- Ian

 

[Doctor Damage]

If US W is getting these jackets from the actual military contractor (Valley Apparel) I wonder what label will be in the jacket? Would they sew a US Wings label over the white mil-spec Valley Apparel label? They do quote an 8-10 week waiting time.

If you go to the "Authorized Resellers" tab on Valley's website you'll see US Wings listed (plus Legendary USA, interestingly). I imagine US Wings probably sews on their own tag, but heavens only knows why they quote such a long delivery time - geez! Incidentally, there was an older version of these flamerproof shipboard jackets, made by Tennier Industries, which had a normal collar and a pile lining. I'll dig out and post some photos this evening.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Here's an early shipboard jacket, dated 1981, which doesn't seem to be flameproof (i.e. it's not nomex or aramid, at least according to the tag) but it's is clearly along the same lines design-wise and purpose as the current shipboard jackets.



Here's an aramid shipboard jacket, dated 1990, which I'm assuming is the early-model precursor to the current model (which Thor has been wearing). Note the traditional collar, waist adjustment straps, and pile lining which are different than the current model.

 

[thor]

@Doctor Damage thanks for the pics of the older deck jackets. I really like that 1981 version with the epaulets. I’ll keep an eye out for one of those on eBay.
I did 26 years in the Navy and I remember the old green A-2 deck jackets, the blue version and the new aramid cold-weather model.
We took a lot of liberties with what we wore and what was officially “authorized” aboard ship. You’d see officers in leather G-1 flight jackets, out-of-date green A-2 deck jackets (long after they were out of the stock system), Chiefs in mil-spec khaki cotton windbreakers and even the occasional Army M-65 field jacket. In this photo, I loaned my “unauthorized” M-43 field jacket to a female Sailor aboard the Navy tugboat we were on.

 

[Peacoat]

Women in the military? That is a foreign concept to me. I think I would have liked it, though. The dynamics would have been entirely different. I too would have loaned her my field jacket. She's cute.

 

[Doctor Damage]

(bump, since one our members has asked about these jackets)

 

[ton312]

(bump, since one our members has asked about these jackets)

Yes and after reading these posts and seeing so many great n-1’s the fire has been TFL stoked so to speak. Thanks though, very informative!

 

[Dahlan Netsch]

Random deck jacket search on ebay last night pulled this with 12 minutes left to run. I've been after one fo these for well over ten years now, but put it in the pipe dream file, as originals seem as rare as hens teeth, and the repro prices were well out of my league.
Anyway, this Pike Bros example was still within my grasp financially, and it was (hopefully) my small size too. Too good to be true? I made a cheaky bid with 20 seconds to go, and walked away assuming it would not be enough, or I'd get sniped. Anyway lady fortune smiled on me for a change and I won it for £51, which I think is a steal. (I was contimplating getting a early model tanker repro and dying it ...)
So now I am looking into stenciling options, as this jacket definitely needs U.S. NAVY on the back. And advice out there for doing this?

ebay listing photo by Mike, on Flickr

This is definitely a 1st model WWII style US Navy foul weather jacket. Looks like a repro. There's only one true way of putting the U.S. NAVY on the back and that's with a silkscreen using iridescent ink (like Speedball) in that kind of off white-greyish ink (with a very slight blue/green cast to it for reflection). I've heard the original process was some kind of rubbery reflective heat transfer but it was too much trouble so they went to just silkscreening them. Here's one of the ones aged up by an expert for the movie "Midway".

 

[Zeltbahn]

As I created a separate thread when I had questions about N-1 Deck jackets (which I could have posted here in the first place), I could post my question about N-4 deck jacket here as this thread seems to deal with all kinds of USN (deck) garments.

I have had my eye on ELC N-4 deck jacket for a few days now and really tempted to get one for autumn/spring jacket.
I'm kinda between the sizes, I don't have experience with Eastman jackets and I was advised by them to pick this jacket in size 40 if I'm usually 38. Size 38 looks more correct in measurements but they still advised for me to go for size 40 because the fit is snug. Anyone here own this jacket and experience with how it fits?

 

[Dahlan Netsch]

I think the confusion is because there are two different ways to wear a 1940s USN deck jacket: The "Navy way" and the "fashion way". The Navy way (from the 40s) is designed to work in so you have a little more freedom to move and squat without binding (like with baggy 40s Navy dungarees or khakis). The fashion way is more snug-fitting (and generally feeling a little tight across the back shoulders) so the silhouette matches with slim-fit jeans and work boots (or so they are currently being worn by costal fashionistas). Which way do you intend to wear it most of the time? That's the answer. As far as Eastman is concerned, order either/or way and if it doesn't fit, exchange it. "Fit" is the good thing about reproductions, you can generally exchange them.

 

[Zeltbahn]

I think the confusion is because there are two different ways to wear a 1940s USN deck jacket: The "Navy way" and the "fashion way". The Navy way (from the 40s) is designed to work in so you have a little more freedom to move and squat without binding (like with baggy 40s Navy dungarees or khakis). The fashion way is more snug-fitting (and generally feeling a little tight across the back shoulders) so the silhouette matches with slim-fit jeans and work boots (or so they are currently being worn by costal fashionistas). Which way do you intend to wear it most of the time? That's the answer. As far as Eastman is concerned, order either/or way and if it doesn't fit, exchange it. "Fit" is the good thing about reproductions, you can generally exchange them.

Thanks, I think you got a good point.