Avirex help?

[Kate Cooper]

Hi guys,

I was wondering if you may be able to help me?

I have been clearing out a wardrobe and found an Avirex jacket in mint condition that was given to me but never worn.

It's a mans leather jacket that was made for the Flying Tigers 50th anniversary in 1991. As I say, the jacket is in perfect condition and it has been very well looked after. The silk inside lining has all the artwork in excellent condition.

Is this something that a collector would be interested in? It seems silly for me to keep it in a wardrobe when someone else could be enjoying it.

Just wondered if anyone had an idea of the price for it? Happy to send pictures if anyone would want to see it.

Thanks

Kate

 

[kojax]

what size

 

[Kate Cooper]

what size

It's a size large

 

[bluesforchallah]

Is this the same jacket? If it is, using Google, I was only able to find one example of a jacket selling for $1,200.00.

 

[Smithy]

$1,200 for an Avirex eh? Somebody is shooting for the stars!

Kate, please post some pics. There is a market for Avirex patched up jackets (not really here though where historically accuracy is pretty important for many members interested in flying jackets). But if it's in good unused condition, you'll probably be able to offload it on eBay for several hundred.

 

[Monitor]

Is there a market for map linings?

 

[Smithy]

Is there a market for map linings?

It may surprise you Monitor but there's still quite a solid market for 80s and 90s Avirex flying jackets, even if they are historically inaccurate in terms of patterns, patches, etc.

I personally think it's down to a level of nostalgia, these kinds of jackets were often the first that people went off and bought when they got the bug to have a "flying jacket".

It's personally not for me (I'm one of those anally retentive, it has to be historically accurate types when it comes to mil-spec stuff) but I've seen some of these go for semi-decent money on the Bay.

If the OP's jacket is in perfect nick, it should get snapped up for a reasonable sum.

 

[CBI]

Avirex actually made some nice stuff back in the day. It always annoyed me that as capable as they were, they frequently did stuff where had they just taken a little time to do it "right" they would have been an even better maker. Case in point this Flying Tigers jacket, nice graphics but why the 8th AF shoulder patch??? Totally wrong theater of operations/nothing to do with the AVG. They could have at least taken a few minutes to do some research and picked an equally cool patch that made sense, CBI or 14th AF????? Oh well.............

 

[Brettafett]

Speaking of, check this beauty out...

http://www.avirex.jp/fs/avirex/6151092

I recall seeing an ad for this jacket back in 1995 or thereabouts... It looked so cool.

 

[moehawk]

Hey everyone!
Newbie to flight jackets. Bought a gently used Avirex G1 today, an impulse buy, and was wondering how to go about determining it's age. From what I have read here and there in this forum, they were a much better quality product in the past than now.
I'm not a stickler for historical accuracy, I just liked the look and fit.
Here's a few pics.

Sorry for the lousy lighting in the pics. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[nick123]

Hey everyone!
Newbie to flight jackets. Bought a gently used Avirex G1 today, an impulse buy, and was wondering how to go about determining it's age. From what I have read here and there in this forum, they were a much better quality product in the past than now.
I'm not a stickler for historical accuracy, I just liked the look and fit.
Here's a few pics.

Sorry for the lousy lighting in the pics. Any help would be appreciated.

It looks like a very nice jacket in fine condition. Can't go wrong with goat and I like that decorative liner! Dibs if you ever sell it?!

 

[moehawk]

It looks like a very nice jacket in fine condition. Can't go wrong with goat and I like that decorative liner! Dibs if you ever sell it?!

Thanks nick!
I'm planning on wearing it till it's unwearable..it's an absolure perfect fit. Other than not having a wool collar, I think I did OK at $100. In my misguided youth, I spent more than that for a crappy bike leather poorly made in Pakistan (and still loved it...like I said, misguided)