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

Standardized in 1937, the D-1 Mechanic's Winter Jacket was a rather lavish item considering it was intended for use by aircraft mechanics. But the D-1, like all clothing and equipment issued to U. S. servicemen, was typical of the motto "only the best will do," and at that time sheepskin was in relatively plentiful supply (the USA was not at war) and there was no other material with a better insulating value. The first D-1's produced were of a natural, unfinished raw-white exterior, just like the early B-3 Flight Jackets (which have sometimes been erroneously and foolishly referenced as being produced for use in Alaska). In 1939 the D-1 exterior hide was finished in the very costly hand-dyed russet brown “redskin” and given a top coating of lacquer to help repel water and grease. By the end of 1941 the D-1 was being produced in the less costly, dark brown spray-dyed hides, just as were the B-6 and B-3 Flight Jackets, and pockets were also added with zipper-top closures. As the war progressed, the D-1 continued to decline in quality, and more and more spliced panels of sheepskin were permitted into its fabrication. Due to the hard use given the D-1 during its issue life and the inferior grades of sheepskin allowed into its later production as the war dragged on (it was for mechanics, after all), original D-1 Jackets in nice condition are extremely rare in the collector market today.

A ground crewman’s life was often a bitterly cold experience: Working on aircraft on a windswept airfield in the middle of winter certainly required a warm jacket, but it also could not be overly confining, thus the D-1 was made in the same lighter weight sheepskin found on the B-6 Jacket, which was only and always the 1/4”-depth wool. The D-1, however, seemed to find its way into aircrew hands. Maybe this was because there were no B-6s available on a particular base, or just that the airman preferred the D-1 design with its higher-set zippered pockets. In fact, the D-1 and B-6 are very similar in appearance, as well as warmth. Being a jacket intended for mechanics, the D-1 is an unfussy, simple design, lacking cuff and hip adjustments, as well as the bi-swing back of the B-6. Interestingly, the D-1 will forever be associated with airmen and not mechanics in the mind of many, due to the fact that it was an original post-1941 D-1 Jacket worn on the 1960s - 1970s comedy show, “Hogan’s Heroes,” by the bumbling POW character named Carter.

The D-1 Jacket we produce is typical of the post-1941 USAAF shearling jackets that reflect the very earliest production standards before the quality declined. Crafted from the correct 1/4”-depth of premium North American sheepskin stock, vegetable-tanned and spray-dyed dark brown, with a buttery-hued wool, our D-1 is the epitome of this jacket type currently available. As per the original examples, all external seams are covered with matching dark brown horsehide, and pockets are fabricated from heavy, all-cotton, off-white twill, accessible via our reproduction nickel-plated Talon zippers. Why not stay toasty in a D-1 Jacket while toasting the unsung heroes of the USAAF ground crews for whom no aircraft would ever have flown into combat had they not vigilantly and expertly performed their dirty, unglamorous jobs!

Available in sizes: XS – XL 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