B6 Questions

[Grinder]

Hi Guys, and gals,

Great forum, it's nice to see there are still people who appreciate the quality of years gone by. Shame the companies are few and far between.

I'm Irish and living in Ireland again and looking to pick up a military shearling. I'm in two minds between a D1 and a B6 and would appreciate any advice.
Already had an A2 from the Aero boys in Scotland and recently sent one back to upgrade to a seal horsehide with custom inside pockets. Okay so the purists might disagree but I'll put it down as a field mod for practicality. The pockets will be stitched in the same material as the lining.

But on to the question - I'm in Brussels at the moment and have seen some of the Italian or maybe Chinese B3 knock-offs going for over 200+ yo-yos and not impressed - basically the quality is off and most are a mix of B3 and B6 designs, some with epauletts, none with zip cuffs and all with cheap black leather throat and belt clasps - none authentic. Anyway, it's cold and I took a look at the Aeroleather website.
The D1 looks good but seems too short so got to thinking about the B6. Not sure that the zips on the D1 pockets will wreck the cuffs after a while.

Can anyone let me know on how this A B6 will work for Irish, British, Northern Europe weather? That means rain more often than snow anywhere west of the Belgian border.

Also on fitting it looks like it is a few inches longer than an A2 - i.e. not a "bum-freezer" but short enough not to bunch up when worn in a car.

Plan is to pick up a 44" from Aeroleather (my A2 is 42") when funds allow unless anyone knows of a crew who can beat the Galashiels factory on price and quality.

Thanks people,
G

 

[deanglen]

Welcome to the Lounge. Can't give you the anwer, but the FL is a pleasant climate for everyone, wherever they live! Glad to share the place with you.










dean

 

[HighandDry]

I've asked about shearling coats too, but never got a lot of replies.

I have on order a B-6 from aero and I've added 2 inches to the body length. I believe that it is similar in length to an A2, which is why I added the length. When it comes, I'll post some pics, so that you can see the length.

I live in Seattle, so similar winters to Ireland. I plan on wearing it, unless it's a steady, hard rain. I ordered some Bickmore spray to protect it from the weather a bit. Don't know if it's really needed, but haven't gotten any replies on how the shearling will hold up in the rain.

 

[fishmeok]

B-6 and D-1 are perfect for mild climates- I wouldn't worry too much about the rain, but if you order from Aero or Eastman (or just have a question) I'm sure they would have the answer, great customer service from either.

IMHO it's best to not spend on the "off" brands (unless you get a smoking deal) because the wrong details and low quality will always bug you. Save up and go for the real item.
Cheers
Mark

 

[Grinder]

B-6 and D-1 are perfect for mild climates- I wouldn't worry too much about the rain, but if you order from Aero or Eastman (or just have a question) I'm sure they would have the answer, great customer service from either.

IMHO it's best to not spend on the "off" brands (unless you get a smoking deal) because the wrong details and low quality will always bug you. Save up and go for the real item.
Cheers
Mark

Cheers Mark, No plans for the "0ff" brands - having seen them up close and owned both a full spec Aero A-2 and one of their trainee jackets there is no comparison - they hit at about half price but the quality is a fraction.

HighandDry - Ireland and driving rain can go hand in hand - is that the Bick 4 or Bick 5 ? There's a Bickmore supplier in Sligo so should be able to get something from them.

Cheers,
G

 

[HighandDry]

I got the Bickmore 4 and the Bickmore guard more. I did ask Amanda at Aero and she recommended the Leatherique, but I assume it's similar stuff.

Some guys here suggested that any type of conditioner was a waste, since the shearling is coated with a plastic acrylic. Who knows, but I figure the guard more won't hurt it and probably help repel the rain.

 

[Edward]

A couple of years ago I asked a similar question on here as regard the D1 vs the B6.... They serve the same purpose of offering a shearling which will mitigate against a fair degree of cold in conditions where a B3 or Irvin might be too much. What I learned on here was that the B6 is essentially a more refined jacket, with the side zips etc allowing for a more tailored fit than the simpler, boxier D1. The B6 (some verions anyhow) also has a nicely unique feature in the epaulettes, the only shearling jacket on which they appear. For all the difference in price (with Aero, at least, it's only about £15), I think the B6 is worth it. That said, if I found a used one at a good price, I certainly wouldn't turn down a D1.

 

[D-503]

I wasn't going to comment on this thread because I am not (unfortunately) a D-1/B-6 owner, but I've been living in Dublin for several months and I've seen loads of people wearing either cheap B-3 knockoffs - a lot of the sign holders on Grafton wear these, and they stand out in the cold and the elements all day - or (more rarely) quality B-6s - I stopped one rather surprised gentleman on the street to ask him where he got his (Eastman, apparently). As for how the leather will hold up to rain... I've been using my absolutely dreadful "A-2" knockoff as a raincoat (don't snigger - it was only 20 bucks!), and even that flimsy leather has held up pretty well, except in the biggest downpours (even my rubberised overcoat doesn't hold up in that stuff).

The biggest concern I suppose I'd have with a shearling jacket would be the rain getting on the collar - I read somewhere on the Lounge that the shearling isn't necessarily harmed by water, provided proper steps are taken, but it makes for an unpleasant walk home! A hat or a sturdy umbrella (or preferably both) might be the best solution to this.

 

[Edward]

That's my experience too. I avoid wear my Lost Worlds B3 out in a heavy downpour as, while I'm sure it could take it, a soggy wool collar of that size isn't the nicest thing to be wearing. We should probably bear in mind that those who designed these jackets conceived of them as something to keep military aircrew warm in old, pre-heated planes at 30,000 feet. The idea of civilians wearing the out on the street, in the open air, is probably somethi ng that couldn't have been farther from their minds when they were huddled over their drawing boards back in the 30s/ early 40s!

 

[Grinder]

Thanks for the input Guys, All noted. Only one question left -

I'm leaning towards the B6 for a couple or three reasons

Rarity, Style, Prestige

Rarity - the B3 seems to be popular and have seen loads of knock-offs so the B6 should stand out. Also B3 is far too warm for Ireland - the lowest we can manage over winter is abut -4C if we're really unfortunate.

Style and authenticity - Something about it just looks right. The D1 was my fist interest but was put off by the waist length cut and zips on the pockets. The D1 looks more biker wear than air wear. Purely personal.

Prestige - well it was a flying officers jacket after all and the epaulettes give it that military bearing.

So - last question - is the B6 cut to hip or waist? Most of the images from Aero, Eastman et al give the impression that it goes to the hip. So, ball park on 42" and 44" how much longer than an A2 is it or should it be?

Aero will customize to any requested length - within reason, no need for a Motson look - but I don't want to find it's gone out of proportion if I cock-up on the measurements

Ta,
G