Gordon & Ferguson A-1 Bomber Flight Jacket Genuine Capeskin Pre WWII In Stock!

Description: Headwind Mfg Co is based in Portland Oregon USA. We use 1930's - 1940's period correct parts using no modern synthetic materials. We feature 100% Worsted Wool knits, Talon, Conmar, and Hookless reproduction zippers. We strive to create jackets that are exact reproductions of the vintage originals. Down to the fine details like the Horn and Casein buttons. Our jackets are designed by people who have handled and studied the actual original vintage jackets that we reproduce. We have procured many original 1930's-1940's jackets and have made patterns from them to get the authentic sizing and details for our reproductions. We are obsessed with the small details. We conduct many hours of historical and hands on research while designing our jackets. Specifications: - Authentic Gordon & Ferguson vintage pattern - Genuine Capeskin (Chestnut color imported from South Africa) - 100% Worsted Wool Knits - 100% Cotton Sateen Liner - Genuine Horn Buttons, Casein Buttons, and Bone Buttons. - Correct Hardware (including brown unmarked snaps as seen on the original) - Copy of the original Spec Label *We have sourced genuine Capeskin from South Africa that is the same color and weight of the original 1930's USN and USAC flight jackets. The original Capeskin for both air services was the obtained in South Africa in the 1930's. In addition to our hides being from the same region as the original jackets, they are also drum dyed and chrome tanned like the originals. This provides a tougher surface and deep color hues that change in different light conditions. This can be seen in the photos with the changes of color from photo to photo. Please note: We have some sizes in stock but we may have to make your jacket when you order. You can ask us ahead of time to get an ETA. Production time is usually 4 weeks. If we have to make your jacket, note the following: * Options are provided above in the purchase section. * Production time is 4 weeks. Delivery is an additional 10 days. * Please refer to the size chart below when ordering to insure correct size. * Please ask any questions you may have. We are happy to help! A-1 Flight Jacket Our A-1 jacket is a reproduction of the Gordon & Ferguson 31-800P contract and has all the unique features found on the original 1930's flight jacket. Specifications: Hide - Capeskin Leather (Chestnut) - Imported from South Africa Knits - 100% Wool (Medium Brown) Liner - 100% Cotton Sateen Buttons - Antique Style Genuine Horn Buttons (Dark Brown) Buttons (Inside) - Antique Casein Buttons (1930's Milk Plastic) or Genuine Bone Buttons Label - Copy Of The Original Gordon & Ferguson Contract Label From the 1920's Original Capeskin A-1 Flight Jackets - 1930. Known as the first Air Force Bomber Jacket and predecessor to the iconic A-2 jacket, the A-1 jacket was contracted in 1927 by the Army Air Corps. A standardized lightweight flight jacket was needed at the time for the growing crew of Airmen in the expanding Army Air Corps. The jacket was developed in the early to mid 1920's and then issued in 1927. The development of the A-1 jacket paralleled a program in the US Navy that produced a similar light weight flight jacket known as the 37J1 jacket. The jackets were made during a huge expansion of the two US Air Forces, The US Army Air Corps & The US Navy Bureau Of Aeronautics. The courage of the brave new pilots and the movies and exhibitions that featured them in the 1930's, help create the iconic vision of the brown leather clad fighter pilot in the minds of the American people. This icon was reinforced world wide when WWII brought more brave pilots and new leather flight jacket types into service. The A-1 jacket went out of service in the late 1930's when the A-2 jacket was developed. A new design was needed and zippers became reliable enough to replace the button up closure. There are very few original A-1 jackets surviving today. They are extremely rare but a few have surfaced at auctions and there are some good photos of the details. The hide used was Capeskin leather. We have a color photo of the inside of the pocket and the leather protected inside has the original shade of brown. The original A-1 jackets were a Chestnut or dark Russet color. The USN 37J1 jackets used the same color of Capeskin. They were primarily made out of South African Capeskin. There may have been a large US government purchase at the time for both Air Forces. Or possibly it was obtained separately from the only tanner that could handle the large volume of dark brown Capeskin. It is unknown how it occurred but somehow both the jackets were the same Chestnut brown color. Our Chestnut Capeskin made to our specifications to match the hide on the original A-1 & 37J1 jackets. Our A-1 jacket is a reproduction of the finished off with 100% 1920's period correct parts and accessories that were chosen after careful study of photos of the original jackets. Antique style 100% Wool worsted knits, genuine horn and bone buttons, 100% cotton thread and liners, and a precise reproduction of the government specification label. We have put extensive research in creating our A-1 reproduction jacket. Considering the hide and 100% period correct parts, we are confident that we have an authentic version of the historic flight jacket, that will stand up in quality and materials to any other jacket on the market. * Jackets are made to order. Options are provided above in the purchase section. * Production time is 4 weeks. Delivery is an additional 10 days. * Please refer to the size chart below when ordering to insure correct size. * Please ask any questions you may have. We are happy to help! Size Chart Size Chest Arms Shou Length 36 20.0" 24.0" 17.0" 24.0" 38 21.0" 24.5" 17.5" 24.5" 40 21.5" 25.5" 18.5" 25.0" 42 22.5" 26.0" 19.0" 25.5" 44 23.5" 26.0" 19.5" 25.5" 46 24.5" 26.5" 20.0" 26.0" 48 25.5" 27.0" 20.5" 26.5" What is Capeskin? It is not Lambskin or Goatskin or common Sheepskin! Capeskin is a leather made from the hide of a breed of sheep that originated on the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. The breed has been spread to other regions and is now being raised in other places like New Zealand and the USA. In fact Cape sheep were being raised in the USA by the early 1920's. The hide is unique and is very different from other types of sheepskin. It is thicker and much softer in texture. This gives the hide much more flexibility at the same thickness as other leathers, and is probably why it was chosen for early flight jackets. It provided protection with the thickness while providing great flexibility at the same time. Ideal for moving around in the cramped cockpits of the 1930's. Our Capeskin is imported from South Africa. The same region where the original 1930's US Military hides were sourced. It is soft and thick with a chrome tanned finish like the original hides used for the 1930's flight jackets. How To Identify Genuine Capeskin First off Capeskin is far softer and lighter than other leathers of the same thickness. It feels different in the hand, almost like a thick cotton. Capeskin has several characteristics in the grain that can be identified. The hide can be processed to have a smoother grain or so that a lot of grain shows, but there are two things that should be present. 1. Very small pore like bumps that run in a line patterns. Similar to lizard scales. 2. Large pillow like bumps. These vary depending on tanning process but should be evident somewhere on the jacket. Sometimes these bumps form ridges or lines. At Headwind Mfg Co we are happy to have a tanner that handles genuine Capeskin and can customize our hides to our specifications. Check out the Capeskin below, our Superior Grain Oxblood . It displays the characteristics well. Note the tiny scale like bumps within the larger grain. Another look at our smoother type of Capeskin used for the A-1 & 37J1 jackets. We had this hide specially made for us to match the color and texture of the original jackets. The surface is smoother but the characteristics are still present. Happy Landings!

Price: 775 USD

Location: Gresham, Oregon

End Time: 2023-08-15T19:34:50.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD