Standardized on May 29th 1931 as the regulation Army Air Corps summer flight jacket, the Type A-2 Jacket was produced up until the middle of 1944 and saw service until the end of the war and beyond.

Throughout its 13 years of production a multitude of companies were involved in its manufacture. Although having the same specifications to work from, each manufacturer had their own house style, and thus slight variations exist between them.

As a company that specializes in reproducing this particular style, one will notice we offer several different models of the A-2 in our range, each of them emulating, in some way or another, all the subtle differences that can be found on originals. Some are direct reproductions of actual makers (which can be found in our 'Original-Maker' category), and others, such as the model displayed here, are of our own branded design and produced to our own house style.

Cut and shape vary between originals jackets, offering slightly different fits, respectively. The model offered here is one that will appeal to those who prefer the slimmest of fits in this regard. The 'Eastman A-2 Slender' is slightly narrower in the trunk and sleeve circumference than any of our other models, providing a leaner-looking garment that lends itself very well to the contemporary silhouette while maintaining total authenticity in all other areas.

Made from a stunning, vegetable-tanned, supple horse hide, in a Seal-Brown shade with plenty of grain, it is produced exactly to all the official military specs expected from a high-end reproduction of this genre.

Available in sizes: 36 – 44. Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on special order only.  Please note that this style is extremely trim and is best suited for lean, youthful builds; some individuals will not be able to comfortably wear this A-2 style at all.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

The Eastman A-2 Slender has made its debut appearance in the short-film music video 'TIME TO DANCE' by 'THE SHOES' starring Jake Gyllenhaal. See the official video on YouTube at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt9wnawn7xQ

Flying at frigid high altitudes called for a special item of clothing to keep American airmen warm. The Army Air Corps designed the A-3 Flying Trousers, companion item to the B-3 Flying Jacket, with this exact purpose in mind. A-3 Flying Trousers were actually ordered by the Army Air Force with the B-3 Flight Jacket as a two-piece suit, not as a separate item; for every B-3 Flight Jacket that was made, there was a respective pair of A-3 Trousers. Constructed from the same materials as the jacket, they were designed to be worn with the B-3 Flight Jacket in extremely low temperatures.

Eastman Leather decided to recreate Army Air force history and make available, once again, the Type A-3 Winter Flying Trousers for the flying clothing enthusiast. Lovingly crafted with deft precision from high-quality North American sheepskin, these A-3s match the original item to the finest detail, including authentic zippers that run the entire length of the leg. Since these represent wartime A-3s, they are dyed dark brown on vegetable-tanned sheepskin, fully trimmed with Havana Brown Horsehide (Seal Brown Horsehide by request), authentic A-3 woven label, correct-width all-cotton webbing suspenders that have the authentic white underside, and reproduction 1942 nickel-plated Talon zippers, all of which make these another must for your flying-gear collection. Interestingly, A-3 Trousers actually require a greater square footage of sheepskin material to produce than a jacket, so they are priced accordingly, but we've endeavored to keep these as affordable as possible.

Available in sizes: 38 - 46.  Custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

Designed as a replacement for the USAAF B-3 Flight Jacket in 1942, the AN-J-4 Flight Jacket didn’t see production until late 1943. Based on the U. S. Navy’s M-445 Flight Jacket, the AN-J-4 Flight Jacket was further improved by Army standards, though acceptable for both branches, hence the designation “AN” (Army/Navy), with the letter “J” representing jacket and the numeral “4” indicating this as the fourth jacket type designated for use by both branches of service. During the wartime production, no less than three versions of this flight jacket were produced; after 25 years of making the final variant with snaps on the pockets, we now are offering the 2nd version noted for the following features: Buttons on the pocket flaps and throat-latch, raised zip with 'turn-away' triangular leather fob, pencil aperture on topside of left pocket flap, and raw-edge backing to pocket flaps.

The AN-J-4 Flight Jacket was the most durable and comfortable of sheepskin flight jackets, and no expense was spared in its construction, making this the omega of its type. Extensive horsehide reinforcements are everywhere, and each seam is double-stitched on top; both features providing added strength and durability to virtually any area wear might occur.

Crafted from the same color and weight sheepskin as our Eastman standard B-3 Flight Jacket, the collar is larger than on a B-3 Flight Jacket, with a wide, button-down throat latch for extra insulation. Other features include: wool wristlets inside the cuff to keep out drafts, rayon satin lining inside pockets and arm gussets, ventilated arm gussets, waist adjuster belts, seal brown horsehide reinforcements on collar back, cuffs, waist, arms, zipper, arm gussets and wind flap, button-down pocket flaps, authentic woven label, and one-piece back to ensure the minimum amount of stress in this area. The definitive copy of the most perfect sheepskin flying jacket in the AAF flying clothing inventory; you won’t wear this one out!

Sizes available: 36-48 regular.  Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

This is the B-2 cap introduced in 1942, thus crafted from sheepskins dyed in dark brown with buttery-hued wool. Produced from the correct quarter-inch depth sheep wool and sewn with 100% cotton thread, our B-2 perfectly mirrors the vintage examples. Ruggedly constructed, including strong zigzag cover stitch, horsehide trim and five-panel assembly, this enduring style is the ideal companion to any of our flying jackets. Fight off the cold winds of winter in an Army Air Force classic!

Sizes available: 7, 7 1/8, 7 1/4, 7 3/8 and 7 1/2.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England  

.50 CAL is a small range of specialized garments that are offered only in the Time-Worn finish. They are unique in spec. to any of the other similar models we offer, so they are not simply Time-Worn versions of our regular range. The colors, materials and finishes are purposely selected to create a subdued and rugged-looking vintage garment that will appeal to those who appreciate the nostalgic charm of a true vintage garment:  The Time-Worn process is entirely hand done, which takes hours to achieve; the result is a garment that is still brand new, but you get something that has a vintage, lived-in, patina that you can continue to add to from the first time you put it on. The .50 CAL B-2 is made from authentic vegetable-tanned, North American sheepskin with a broken-grain character and hand-dyed finish.

This model of B-2 represents a spec. that saw the transition from the earlier 'Redskin' to the later dark Seal Brown versions. And the color of the fleece is typical of a transitional model - it has a distinct brownish tinge, compared to the much brighter, off-white shade of later models.

Remember - there's no waiting for this one to wear-in before you get it looking like a vintage original - .50 CAL B-2 is ready for action!  

Sizes available: 7, 7 1/8, 7 1/4, 7 3/8 & 7 1/2.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England  

This is classic USAAF high-altitude bomber crew jacket of WWII – the type B-3 Flight Jacket! Inspired by the RAF Aircrew Jacket designed by Leslie Irvin, the B-3 Flight Jacket was standardized in 1934 and originally produced from unfinished raw-white sheepskin (which has sometimes been erroneously and foolishly referenced as being produced for use in Alaska – dream on!). The B-3 Flight Jacket underwent a series of spec. changes over the years, culminating in the simplified pattern of late 1943. This Eastman Leather B-3 Flight Jacket example typifies the most commonly encountered wartime version made from 1942-43. Using the original North American breed of sheep to ensure authenticity, it’s constructed from the correct differing wool depths, not one depth of too-puffy wool as found on inferior knock-offs. Hides are vegetable tanned, then hand dyed with dark brown polyacrylate pigment and lacquered. The wool color is one of several that are correct, being an off-white, butter-like shade. All trim leather and arm reinforcements are made of horsehide, as per original spec. (some original jackets had goatskin or steerhide sleeve reinforcements and trim), and available in either Russet or Seal Brown color options, both of which are equally authentic.

This beautiful garment is the perfect natural insulator for cold weather. The soft sheep wool encases your body, ensuring maximum body warmth retention. Features include: two hefty collar and waist adjustment belts with ink authentic AAF inspector stamps, snaps on collar and jacket chest, one tool pocket (no hand-warmer pockets ever appeared on the original B-3 Flight Jackets), three-piece back, reproduction 1942 nickel-plated Talon zipper, and woven spec. label in neck with leather hanger. Original B-3 Flight Jackets are true collector items, with choice examples demanding premium prices.  Today, more than 75 years from conception, this classic look is still in high demand.

Please note:  The sleeve reinforcements, seam taping and pockets of this B-3 Jacket in the seal brown color are now crafted from Eastman's Vintage Warhorse horsehide, which is the same leather type and color employed in production of Eastman's standard A-2 Jacket in seal brown horsehide.  Due to the nature of the very thin, translucent aniline dyes used on this horsehide, this leather may vary in color by a greater margin than what may be depicted in these website photos.  You may rest assured that if you order seal brown as the color option, you will receive seal brown trim on your B-3 Jacket, but the color will not be a perfect color match to the jacket body color because the dyes employed for the sheepskin and horsehide are as different as the two leather types are themselves, which is EXACTLY how the vintage jackets from WWII were also produced.

Sizes available: 36-48 regular.  Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

This B-3 Flight Jacket will appeal to those who are looking for that rugged-grain, tough, vintage look in a jacket so as to not being so out-of-the-box new in appearance. The secret to this B-3 Flight Jacket’s rugged, less-than-new look is the hide type employed and the special .50-CAL treatment. The .50 CAL B-3 Flight Jacket is manufactured from specially selected, old-fashioned, veg-tanned, broken-grain sheepskin in dark brown. Plus, they have had the .50-CAL treatment!

The .50-CAL process is another of our specially developed treatments to give a new jacket a patina of initial wear that combines breaking-in with scuffing, creating a well-aged, well-worn look. Please click the link for larger, detailed images on this web site to see just how good this leather looks after the .50-CAL treatment. This process is performed entirely by hand and no two jackets will ever be exactly alike; as you can imagine, the .50-CAL treatment takes hours of labor and a keen master’s eye to achieve. Once the hide is broken-in using our special treatment, the jacket is placed on a body form where it rests to take its shape; after several hours drying time, it is then worked on to subtly burnish the high spots to a beautiful glazed glow.

Please keep in mind - the jacket is still brand new and not in any way worn or damaged, but you get a new B-3 Flight Jacket that has a vintage, mildly lived-in patina that will continue to look better the more you personalize the jacket through use. This B-3 Flight Jacket just looks very cool the first time you step out your door, without the just-out-of-the-box look. It’s truly a unique B-3 Flight Jacket that’s quite different from our other sheepskin flight jacket offerings.

The .50 CAL B-3 Flight Jacket still has all of the little important details that help make it a masterpiece of authenticity – details synonymous with the pedigree of historical accuracy found in the goods we offer: Our special broken-grain, vegetable-tanned, North American sheepskin that is hand dyed, and it is fitted with our famous reproduction of the 1941 model Crown zipper, which perfectly completes the circle of authenticity in this product. And the .50 CAL B-3 Flight Jacket represents a spec. that saw the transition from the earlier 'Redskin' jackets to the later dark brown types: The back-panel configuration is that of the pre-war design (similar to our Rough Wear Clo. Co. model), while the outer color and finish is a hand-dyed dark brown. The color of the fleece is also typical of a transitional model, in that it has a distinct brownish tinge compared to the much brighter off-white shade of the later models.

This is a tough-looking jacket with a tough name … the .50 CAL B-3 Flight Jacket is ready for action!  

Sizes available: 36-48 regular.  Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from England  

The Army Air Corps standardized the B-6 Flight Jacket in 1939, specifically intending it to fill the gap between the lighter A-2 and the heavy B-3 Flight Jackets. Originally produced in very small numbers from the very costly hand-dyed, vegetable-tanned “redskin” hides of the 1939-41 years, by late 1941 the B-6 Flight Jacket was being made from the same less costly, spray-dyed dark brown sheepskin with that buttery wool color found on the revised, post-1941 B-3 Flight Jacket, only in 1/4-inch depth wool, half that of the B-3 Flight Jacket. The B-6 Flight Jacket was favored by bomber crewmen operating in the less-exposed positions of their aircraft, as well as fighter pilots, who preferred a less bulky jacket in their cramped cockpits, such as in the poorly heated P-38 Lightning. The B-6 fFlight Jacket is a uniquely styled jacket, made all the more unique due to the very low production of this item from 1939-43; extant original examples in nice condition are extremely scarce and valuable today.

Our reproduction is a standard edition, typifying original dark brown B-6 Flight Jackets of the post-1941 production. As with the original flight jackets it copies, you’ll find it practical, comfortable and versatile due to its light weight and double-pleated, bi-swing back. Our B-6 Flight Jackets may be the only B-6 Flight Jackets in the world today being manufactured with the correct depth of wool (nothing other than 1/4” sheepskin was ever specified for the B-6 Flight Jacket). Additional features include: two slash, internally hung pockets made of heavy, all-cotton off-white twill, heavy leather hangar in neck, zippered hip adjusters on both sides for cinching the fit, single leather collar strap, two press stud adjustment positions on each sleeve cuff, snap-down epaulets, russet brown horsehide trim, and reproduction 1942 nickel-plated Crown zips. This is a perfect jacket for most climates, and it can be made all the more versatile by adding or subtracting layers of undergarments.

Sizes available: 36-48 regular.  Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

This B-6 Flight Jacket will appeal to those who are looking for that rugged-grain, tough, vintage look in a jacket while not being so out-of-the-box new in appearance. The secret to this B-6 Flight Jacket’s rugged, less-than-new look is the hide type employed and the special .50-CAL treatment.

The .50 CAL B-6 Flight Jacket is manufactured from specially selected, old-fashioned, veg-tanned, broken-grain sheepskin in dark brown. Plus, they have had the .50-CAL treatment! The .50-CAL process is another of our specially developed treatments to give a new jacket a patina of initial wear that combines breaking-in with scuffing, creating a well-aged, well-worn look. Please click the link for larger, detailed images on this web site to see just how good this leather looks after the .50-CAL treatment. This process is performed entirely by hand and no two jackets will ever be exactly alike; as you can imagine, the .50-CAL treatment takes hours of labor and a keen master’s eye to achieve. Once the hide is broken-in using our special treatment, the jacket is placed on a body form where it rests to take its shape; after several hours drying time, it is then worked on to subtly burnish the high spots to a beautiful glazed glow.

Please keep in mind - the jacket is still brand new and not in any way worn or damaged, but you get a new B-6 Flight Jacket that has a vintage, mildly lived-in patina that will continue to look better the more you personalize the jacket through use. This B-6 Flight Jacket just looks very cool the first time you step out your door, without the just-out-of-the-box look. It’s truly a unique B-6 Jacket that’s quite different from our other sheepskin flight jacket offerings. The .50 CAL B-6 Flight Jacket still has all of the little important details that help make it a masterpiece of authenticity – details synonymous with the pedigree of historical accuracy found in the goods we offer: Our special broken-grain, vegetable-tanned, North American sheepskin that is hand dyed, and it is fitted with our famous reproduction of the 1941 model Crown zipper, which perfectly completes the circle of authenticity in this product. And the .50 CAL B-6 Flight Jacket represents a spec. that saw the transition from the earlier 'Redskin' jackets to the later dark brown types: the outer color and finish is a hand-dyed dark brown. The color of the fleece is also typical of a transitional model, in that it has a distinct brownish tinge compared to the much brighter off-white shade of the later models.  

Sizes available: 36-48 regular.  Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from England