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The best and most original flying jackets were made by Irving.  These are still available from Aviation Leathercraft. They are  based at the Thruxton race circuit. I bought mine many years ago and its the best thing for an open top sidescreen  car but you would find them rather restrictive on a tr4 /tr6 body.   The fleece is very thick and the original flying jackets didn't have any pockets in them.  I did have pockets sewn into mine as they are more comfortable with them.  You can get a jacket from them with a thinner fleece and that might be more practical in a later car.   They aren't cheap, mine cost about £400  over ten years ago. 

Another makes are Cirrus  who  also do them to the original RAF pattern.  There are plenty of other poor imitations out there too ranging from a couple of hundred pounds  but you do get what you pay for. 

hoges 

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Hi Folks,

   when I got my 4A on the road in '98 I didn't know about stylish/expensive flying jackets.

I went down to our big (very big) Sunday market at the Western International and had a look at what they had.

I ended up with a jacket that had plenty of room inside for the navigator to also keep warm. It is on the large side.

I have come to like my jacket. It is house trained and doesn't eat a lot.

During the early Summer I had to sew in a number of patches as the outer leather is becoming worn. It is really soft and lovely.

 

Roger 

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53 minutes ago, RogerH said:

Hi Folks,

   when I got my 4A on the road in '98 I didn't know about stylish/expensive flying jackets.

I went down to our big (very big) Sunday market at the Western International and had a look at what they had.

I ended up with a jacket that had plenty of room inside for the navigator to also keep warm. It is on the large side.

I have come to like my jacket. It is house trained and doesn't eat a lot.

During the early Summer I had to sew in a number of patches as the outer leather is becoming worn. It is really soft and lovely.

 

Roger 

Sounds like my sofa!

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I purchased my Flying jacket from a leather merchant at Beaulieu one very hot September Autojumble day  back in about 2000. Mine cost £160.00 and Rogers,mentioned above from a market, was about £120.00. Mine is nicely worn in now and soft and comfortable, it takes a while to wear them in and tame them.

Sue

Edited by SuzanneH
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New ones are nice but ugly till worn in. But a good used one better

so my visitors/guest jacket spare.

Original Shearling 1940 flying jacket

Worn in but no rips or tears.

OVER £600 new now.

MAKE ME REALISTIC offer plus postage.

Rod

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I got mine on ebay. 

Ok it isn't an Ervine but it is still very robustly made, very warm but didn't cost the earth.  Mine is the B3 style, I think.

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11 hours ago, Crawfie said:

"It takes a time to wear them in and tame them"

Not Roger.....surely !

Nope, he’s a law unto himself and untameable.

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Bought mine in the late 60's, from Millets (I think) very much the WW2 style, thick sheepskin etc, does have pockets.

The sheepskin is not very tough though, & it can easily be torn, Mine lay dormant for a long time when I was without the TR, but now in regular use during the cold months.

I did a large repair job on all the tears, & re-enforced the repairs using Copydex rubber adhesive. This worked well, so I then went further, & after dying the whole thing with brown fabric dye (it had lost a lot of it's colour) I coated the whole outer surface with several coats of Copydex. This has made it much tougher. The resulting "stickyness" is removed by sprinkling talcum powder over it, & rubbing in. It doesn't show !

    1947982790_Tetsworth722.jpg.5349afbd65668b72df401c30fc66b8f3.jpg     Now 2.jpg

                                               Tetsworth                                                                                             Surrey Oaks

Not sure where the hair went :(

Bob.

Edited by Lebro
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I’m very impressed with the recreation of the original photograph Bob, well done.

 

Sue

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I hate to say but “ she who must be obeyed “ picked up a WW11 USAF flying jacket from our local tip for the princely sum of £5.00. Fits perfectly. No rips or tears in excellent condition. After a professional clean it was as good as new. I have had good use of it for the last eight years.

Cheers

Gordon D

 

 

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On 10/8/2018 at 7:44 PM, Fireman049 said:

Hi Michael ~

I bought my Irvin flying jacket a few years ago. I paid about £450 for it. It's the best flying jacket you can buy in my opinion.

Mine is fitted with pockets and is ideal for driving an open TR.  Highly recommended.

Tom.

Screenshot 2018-01-02 19.23.13.png

Tom 

 

was the pocket for a pot of vasaliene 

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I bought one at a Millets clearance sale many years ago, it was 10 shillings! and it kept me warm over many thousands of miles on a motorbike, my only form of transport. Much better than the traditional leather jacket but not great quality and eventually fell to pieces. The Swallow I am restoring has a roof so hopefully I will not need another one.

          Cheers Richard

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