B-Beautiful in a B-10..! (The ultimate American Beauty cloth flight wear)

[Rufus]

Heya, I've got a japanese Real McCoys B10, a great kick about jacket.

I wear it most days.

Very handy, trim cut, functional, and LIGHT... not something that can be said of most flight jackets!

The neck latch is handy on windy days.

I've only seen a few poor condition originals, but my repro is a great very usable jacket, and doesn't make you immediately look like a Top Gun wannabe/mentalist!

I'd definitely recommend b10/15s! Much underrated, but affordable and versatile.

rufus

 

[Speedster]

I've got a Buzz Rickson B-10 which has become my favourite flight jacket. I also have a Buzz Rickson Tanker Jacket, a ELC A-2 Rough Wear Contract 27752 and an ALC IRVIN. But most mornings i grab the B-10. As Rufus says: "Very handy, trim cut, functional, and LIGHT".

I have not seen others, neither repros nor originals so do not know how the Buzz Rickson compares, but if Belly Tank advises you to have a look at the Eastman B-10, then i would definately have a look at that one.

A picture of mine:

And further pictures of mine (when owned by PADDY):

 

[Edward]

How durable are these babies? I love the style of the B-10, but I have to admit the price of a quality repro makes me recoil a little. I guess it shouldn't make that much difference, but somehow it seems a lot more to spend £300 on a cloth jacket as opposed to a leather one... (even though I know the material is actually a relatively small proportion of what you're paying for here...).

I'm liking the Eastmans. I was watching an eBay auction on a jacket listed as "Eastmans by Buzz rickson" (????), but it very quickly ended up the price of what a new one woud be, near enough (especially once you included shipping). A B-10 is definitely on my list, though. Nice practical jackets, and great for an alternative to leather for either the 40s look, or something a bit later and rockabilly, IMO.

 

[Alan Eardley]

That applies to many of the cloth jackets ELC sells - the B-15 range and Cold Weather Jackets etc. are made by BR, but not the current version of the B-10. I have owned one of the original ELC B-10s for years and it is wearing well, although it has shrunk slightly through getting wet.

Alan

How durable are these babies? I love the style of the B-10, but I have to admit the price of a quality repro makes me recoil a little. I guess it shouldn't make that much difference, but somehow it seems a lot more to spend £300 on a cloth jacket as opposed to a leather one... (even though I know the material is actually a relatively small proportion of what you're paying for here...).

I'm liking the Eastmans. I was watching an eBay auction on a jacket listed as "Eastmans by Buzz rickson" (????), but it very quickly ended up the price of what a new one woud be, near enough (especially once you included shipping). A B-10 is definitely on my list, though. Nice practical jackets, and great for an alternative to leather for either the 40s look, or something a bit later and rockabilly, IMO.

 

[Mike K.]

I love those scalloped pocket flaps on the B-10, but so many repros choose to model theirs after the jackets with the rather plain, nearly straight pocket flaps.

Anyone have experience with Aero's reproduction of the B-10?

 

[PADDY]

Aero B-10

 

[Alan Eardley]

I love those scalloped pocket flaps on the B-10, but so many repros choose to model theirs after the jackets with the rather plain, nearly straight pocket flaps.

Anyone have experience with Aero's reproduction of the B-10?

Used to own one - I was never comfortable with it.

Alan

 

[Edward]

Is that a repro? Oh my, that patch would cause quite a stir if worn out nowadays, no?

I'm awaiting Belly Tank's posting on the matter of Aero B-1os, as I recall in one thread somewhere a few months ago he mentioned that the ELC offering is far superior - though it is also 150% the price of the Aero. I'd love to see a back to back comparison between the two.

ETA: Alan, what was the issue there: just not your style, or was there a lack in the quality of the garment itself?

 

[Alan Eardley]

ETA: Alan, what was the issue there: just not your style, or was there a lack in the quality of the garment itself?

Not a problem with quality - I have owned many an Aero garment and have always been satisfied in this regard, particularly at the price. The issue for me was the similarity of the jacket to an original. The ELC/BR jackets are/were more like the jackets they are copied from.

I have to stress that this was some time ago and manufacturers are striving all the time to improve their wares - the current Aero B-10 may be better in this regard. Equally, opinions as to whether the new ELC B-10 is better in this regard than their original series. Personally, having examined both and owned the former for years I prefer their first offering but maybe that's the effect of ageing (on me as well as on the jacket).

Alan

 

[fishmeok]

This is my Aero B-10, size 46. It's a test sample label so I don't know if the current Aero is the same. The first 2 pictures are closer to the acual color, the last two were taken with a flash and give the jacket a sheen it doesn't really have. It's a very nice jacket, but far from authentic. The fabric is too soft, more like a chamois shirt than a field jacket (though the weave is right), and it pills under the arms. I think the pockets are too high as well. It has the typical "Aero shoulder droop" thing going on. I have the epaulet button slot tacked to the farthest outboard edge to pull the shoulders up about about 2". Overall I think it needs to lose about 3-4" in the shoulders.

Having said that, it's been my daily wearer all winter and is holding up well, no tears or failures, and it keeps me toasty warm, especially with a G.I. 5 button sweater underneath.

The patches are from my uncle's unit, he was a P-38 pilot in the CBI.
Cheers
Mark

 

[BellyTank]

Alan/Edward

Alan- the ELC "own make" Roughwear(not a Rickson, I think) we saw at Duxford, with Mr. Paddlesworth, a few years back was very, very good, I thought.
All aspects of it were excellent, including fit.

Edward- the last Aero B-10 I saw was nothing to write home about.
Generic "B-10" style and the usual Aero license for accuracy.

B
10

 

[Alan Eardley]

Alan- the ELC "own make" Roughwear(not a Rickson, I think) we saw at Duxford, with Mr. Paddlesworth, a few years back was very, very good, I thought.

B
T

I agree - that's the one I have.

Alan

 

[Edward]

Thanks for the feedback on that, guys. I've been toying with the idea of a B-10 for next Autumn. All-out accuracy isn't really my highest priority - I'm really looking at the jacket as a civilian late forties / early fifties type look, an alternative to leather, as opposed to reproducing a USAAF uniform from the war period. GBP100 between the Aero and ELC jackets is not to be sniffed at.... if the ELC is more durable to the point where it's worth paying out the difference, then that's another matter....

I'm loving the Jolly Roger patch on the one Paddy posted above. Not been much of a one for insignia before, but I'd be tempted by that....

 

[Mike1973]

the real deal..

Just clocked this on the vintage family photo's thread, I hope Big Man doesn't mind me posting here for reference...

Here's one of my Dad (the tall one) in front of his C 47 somewhere in England in 1944.

 

[rumblefish]

Check out the Buzz R. OLDEN-DENNIS B-10 at HPA. Size 42 only[huh] . bottom left on the page
http://historypreservation.com/hpassociates/newproduct.php

 

[Edward]

Check out the Buzz R. OLDEN-DENNIS B-10 at HPA. Size 42 only[huh] . bottom left on the page
http://historypreservation.com/hpassociates/newproduct.php

If they ship to the UK, that's tempting..... (Gotta love the weak dollar at this side of the pond. ).

 

[PADDY]

White collar on a B-10 (photos)

I managed to dig up this one of the B-10 with the rare white collar and also my own B-15 (that replaced the B-10) with the white mouton collar.

 

[Fletch]

Aero has several B-15s on sale with a shell of "dark green gabardine."

Is this wool gab? If so, why would they sell a wool shelled coat so much cheaper than the cotton?

 

[Edward]

nice shots, Paddy. The white does look good, though I imagine it gets grubbier more asily with use? Could this have been a reason why there weren't so many of them made?

 

[PADDY]

For those who think a cloth flight jacket won't look cool (pics)

The likes of the vintage B-10 and B-15 hold their own against their more 'well known' leather contempories such as the iconic A-1; A-2; B-3 and Irvin-esque jackets. Some might even argue that in today's modern world, the cloth flight jacket fits more seamlessly into the fast riguers of today's lifestyle [huh] But if nothing else, this classic, vintage jacket remains timeless, functional and a real head turner!!

If you haven't read this full thread yet, then it might be beneficial to see just what you've been missing of this lesser known cousin of the vintage flight jacket family!! He really holds his own! :eusa_clap