Where are the B3 jackets ??

[Windward]

The weather get colder and I want to buy a shearling jacket.

After comparing the Irvin with the B3 jacket the B3 is the winner for me. So I was going searching the forum for any helpfull information and pics about the wonderfull B3 jacket but can't find anything!
Probably I am blindfolded . . . ?

I prefer jackets more on the shorter side - that means a jacket lenght should be 1" - 2" over the belt even in a winter (casual) jacket - also for easier to jump into the wrangler.

1) What do you think about the handwarmer pockets??
2) Seal with seal trim - for an decent look - or seal with russet trim ?
3) Does someone own a B3 in 46" size and can give some informations about the body lenght and fitting?

My height is 175 cm - sorry don't know what it means in feet [huh] and I wear all of my AERO's in size 46" slightly customized in body lenght. Pics always very welcome and appreciated.

Thanks
Windward

 

[aswatland]

Hand warmer pockets on a B-3!! Originals only ever had one angled patch pocket on the left lower front. ELC probably make the best repro B-3s at affordable prices.

 

[Edward]

Yes, avoid handwarmers if you want to go 'authentic'. If you're open to playing around with the design, though, I have seen an Aero B3 customised with D1-style zip pockets. Looked like a really practical jacket. I do sometimes miss the pockets with my LW B3 - map pocket is grat for gloves, therwise I tend to wear a waistcoast for the bits and pieces I normally slip in a jacket pocket.

 

[Windward]

Handwarmer pockets

@aswatland - Yes, I know that handwarmer pocket doesn't look authentic - No, I would never go to flightshows with an AAF B3 including handwarmer pockets!

@Edward - Yes I am brave enough to use all the usefull things if they look acceptable and functional without destroying the basical jacket. I am sure everyone will identify the jacket as a B3 jacket and glad that AERO can hear me if I "cry for the moon". . .

But Gents - any idea of how the fit of the B3 - trim or loose and how long/short (front lenght / back lenght) is YOUR B3 Jacket?? Any pics?

Windward

 

[Cap'n Spaulding]

I'm also curious about the fit of B-3 jackets. Do you go up one size from what you normally wear for a good-fitting B-3?

 

[Windward]

Sizing . . .no idea

I'm also curious about the fit of B-3 jackets. Do you go up one size from what you normally wear for a good-fitting B-3?

Hi Cap'n Spaulding this exactly is what I want to know - sorry but I really dont know anything about the best fitting of the B3 jacket ...Calling all B3 Owners . . .

 

[John Lever]

The best B-3's are made by Eastman and Real McCoys New Zealand. Eastman do a Broken Finish version or a worn- in 50 Cal. Eastman also do a Roughwear [ redskin]which is very highly regarded. They are around £470 to £530.
The RMNZ are in a slightly better league but cost significantly more, I think about £700.
Unless you live in Northern Europe or Northern USA you may find they are too warm for regular wear although they do look very stylish.
IMO the montone versions are the best ones.

 

[Windward]

The best B-3's are made by Eastman and Real McCoys New Zealand. Eastman do a Broken Finish version or a worn- in 50 Cal. Eastman also do a Roughwear [ redskin]which is very highly regarded. They are around £470 to £530.
The RMNZ are in a slightly better league but cost significantly more, I think about £700.
Unless you live in Northern Europe or Northern USA you may find they are too warm for regular wear although they do look very stylish.
IMO the montone versions are the best ones.

Hi John,
thanks for the statements and your opinions - very helpfull.
I also had in mind that the twotone would look may be to "coloured".
I've just found another thread about B3

Any hints to get a new B3 look more "wheathered" and fasten the broke in process?
Spraybottle with tab water / Hot water treatment?

Best wishes for the weekend

 

[John Lever]

Hi John,
thanks for the statements and your opinions - very helpfull.
I also had in mind that the twotone would look may be to "coloured".
I've just found another thread about B3

Any hints to get a new B3 look more "wheathered" and fasten the broke in process?
Spraybottle with tab water / Hot water treatment?

Best wishes for the weekend

Buy a 50 Cal. from Eastman

 

[Hankh]

ELC Rough Wear Redskin

One of my friends bought an ELC Rough Wear "Redskin" B3 about half a year ago from the Dutch Importer.
Received this pic today:

 

[Windward]

Great jacket

One of my friends bought an ELC Rough Wear "Redskin" B3 about half a year ago from the Dutch Importer.
Received this pic today:

Hi Hankh - welcome to the lounge!
Its truly a very nice jacket it looks very comfortable without beeing to trim isn't it. :eusa_clap Hope you dont mind if I ask you for what size it is and how long is the jacket in body lenght (front zipper) and back lenght from collar seam to end of hem. I like the waistband as well cause it complete the look of this nice B3 jacket. Enjoy it.

 

[Edward]

@Edward - Yes I am brave enough to use all the usefull things if they look acceptable and functional without destroying the basical jacket. I am sure everyone will identify the jacket as a B3 jacket and glad that AERO can hear me if I "cry for the moon". . .

Absolutely... it always amuses me the we all (and I very much include myself in this) can be so hung up on getting the details "right"..... and then you see all sorts of unofficial field modifications on original jackets....! lol

But Gents - any idea of how the fit of the B3 - trim or loose and how long/short (front lenght / back lenght) is YOUR B3 Jacket?? Any pics?

Windward

I'd definitely go a size up if you're looking to be able to fit a sweater underneath. My B3 is actually a Lost Worlds model, which I bought from fellow Lounger John Lever. I wore it almost exclusively all last Winter in the end. It is a size 44 chest (UK/US sizing - in Germany that would make it a 54); I normally wear a 42R in a suitcoat, but wanted the extra space for a jumper. As it turned out, I don't think I ever felt the need of both a heavy sweater and a shirt underneath this beast! I put some photos up of me wearing this jacket when I first got it, with just a t shirt underneath. This should give you some idea of the fit - I think the ELC offerings are reasonably comparable in that way. Aero also do very nice looking redskin B3s - I don't know how they compare to the ELC in terms of quality and accuracy. Aero's Irvins always look a little too skinny-fit in the sleeves to my eye, but their B3s look great - that's as far as I can comment on them.

Cats also love it - these girls will still sleep on it given half a chance, though they're an awful lot bigger than they were this time last year!

I had similar doubts as yourself with respect to colours when I first started looking at B3s. I became more open to the idea of the two tone as it would be another point of difference with an Irvin (a craven attempt to hlep justify that future purchase!); in the end, the offer of the jacket from John came up and was too good to turn down. I really wasn't sure about the light straps, but when it arrived again I really liked them in person, so haven't attempted to dye them or anything. If you want a one-colour all over, though, the redskin style looks great - I would eventually like to pick up a B6 in that one.

 

[H.Johnson]

A humble but serious suggestion - why not obtain the raw materials and make your own B-3? That way you can have exactly what you want, how you want it. I made this myself a few years ago (there's a thread on it somewhere) and the greatest expense was the repro buckles (or perhaps the secondhand Talon zipper). The total cost, if I remember correctly, was not much more than 50GBP. It took me a while to make (I was learning as I went along) but I found it fun! I made it 'two tone' to match an ELC B-2 cap someone gave me.

 

[Creeping Past]

That's a good-looking jacket, HJ.

The skin looks quite light. Is it? If so, it's fine for the English cold I should think.

What machine did you use? What thread? Did you copy an old jacket or make a pattern based on another style?

 

[H.Johnson]

CP,

Most original B-3s have two thicknesses of fleece - a shorter one in the arms (or just the cuffs) and a longer one in the body and collar pieces. I used what I could get (Glastonbury market) which is somehere between the two original thicknesses. I don't want to bore with construction details (they are on a thread somewhere else), but since you asked...

Ths skin was natural (i.e. white-ish) on both sides. I dyed it with black shoe dye and finished it with shoe cream to take the 'bloom' away. It matches the Eastman B-2 cap well. I made the pattern from a borrowed Aero and sized it down. It's still too big as I lost weight while making it!

The facings and 'joining strips' are offcuts from Rolls-Royce's trimming shop. The thread is real cotton bootmakers' thread. The only machined seams are the zip and the seam that joins the parts of the arm reinforcing pieces. (Getting these to sit properly was, incidentally, the hardest part). I used a small domestic Singer machine for these operations. All the rest was hand-sewn using 'glovers' stitch' (two needles, one thread) and a stitch guide to perforate the leather before sewing. It's not difficult but you need patience.

The waist and collar straps were cut for me by a friend who makes harnesses for bull terriers. The buckles come from a manufacturer of 'high end' reproductions and the (double-marked) Talon zipper was recycled from a B-3.
The 'snaps' came from Hobbycraft.

I had restored some sheepskin jackets before (Irvins mainly) and I make fabric clothes, but this was my first complete sheepskin project. I wouldn't have attempted it if it hadn't been for a man on the old VLJ who runs a rod shop and was restoring an original Aero B-3. Very practical, this chap was also breaking new ground but had a more 'can do' attitude than I. He inspired me and we helped and encouraged each other by PMs. That's what a forum should be about, I think. I would do the same for anyone here.

I would recommend a B-3 as a place to start, although I've since made a 1937-pattern D-1 and that was, if anything, more simple.

Anything else I can help you with?

 

[Creeping Past]

Just one technical point, please. Did you treat the skin before applying the dye?

Foor for thought. Because it doesn't involve linings and so on, it's an appealing project for me.

 

[H.Johnson]

All I did before dying was to clean the (smoothside of the) sheepskin with a mild solvent to get as much of the lanolin out of it as I could.

I can't remember what make of dye I used, but I bought it from a high street 'heel bar'*.

* Not a place where heels go to meet other heels, by the way.

 

[Windward]

Thanks for the pics

Thanks Edward for the pics - oustanding !!
You gave me a good impression about the fit.
Due to the maximum of warmth I will wear it just with a shirt and a thin sweater (merino)

I am wearing a "mens size" (46") and hope that I can also handle that "beast".
Maybe I have to talk to my personal trainer for extra lessons . . .lol
My nylon parka isn't so hot.

Thanks
Windward

 

[Hankh]

@Windward
Some extra pics:

The jacket is a 46 Long (one inch extra on body and sleeves)
Zip is 61 centimeters.
Backlength as requested 72 centimeters

The owner of the jacket is 1,91 meters and a skinny sportsbilly.
A size 44L would have been sufficient, since he likes to drive his 1943 Ford Jeep all seasons he wanted more room for extra layers.
Thanks to me and Fedora he's going to receive an ELC A-2 in Havana horse tomorrow in a size 44L from the Dutch Importer.
He opted for the Rough Wear "Redskin" mainly because we both favor the somewhat darker whool.

 

[Windward]

Amazing color

AMAZING color :eusa_clap Thanks once more for pics and measurements.

My height is 1,75 meters so have to shorten the body lenght. My A-2 for example is tagged as a 46" and the front lenght (zipper only) is 22,25" = 57 cm and back lenght (collar seam to end of hem) is 26" = 66 cm.

By the way:
As you can see it in the eyes of general patten - he is looking very enviously at your B3 jacket . . . no doubt!