Doctor Damage
I'll Lock Up
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Canadian Forces flying jackets offer an interesting diversion from the more popular USAF flying jackets which dominate discussion in this forum. Canadian Forces flying jackets come in two weights (summer and winter) and basic designs have changed little since first introduced sometime in the 1960s or early 1970s, although there was an early winter flying jacket design in the 1950s. Even with the introduction of gore-tex versions in the late 1990s, designs changed little. Of course, these jackets aren’t really collectible in the sense of having a functioning market with regular trading and buying/selling, due in part to the small numbers available (the RCAF has always been small) and their unsuitability to the civilian market (they look like functional military wear and aren’t something one could comfortably wear as a civilian in day-to-day life, like MA-1 or A-2 jackets).
Age:
Basically there are two periods: pre and post introduction of gore-tex. Most jackets have tags which list the year and often the month. In the absence of a tag, or when a tag is not shown (as with some e-Bay listings), the easiest way to estimate age is by colour:
(1) 1950s - grey (not sure how often these were issued, since I've only seen one)
(2) 1960s through 1980s – dark green jackets
(3) mid to late 1980s to late 1990s – blue
(4) late 1990s onward (gore-tex period) – light green
Because designs barely changed over these periods (only in the last 5 to 10 years have any significant changes been adopted), identifying the exact year of a jacket offers no particular insight and simply confirms what one can guesstimate from the colour.
Materials:
Outer shells have always been a cotton/poly blend, tough and no frills (the blends varied over the years). Liners on summer jackets are nylon. Older winter-weight jackets had a heave wool insulation and nylon lining, while the new ones have a gore-tex liner and some sort of insulated lining (probably a poly-fill). The collars on older winter-weight jackets were mouton fur; the new ones melton wool.
Sizing:
Canadian Forces clothing uses a four-digit size system, the first two digits being the soldier’s height in inches, the second two digits being chest size in inches (for example 7040 = 70” height, 40” chest). My limited experience suggests these numbers are sometimes accurate, sometimes not, and the winter flying jacket I bought a few months back doesn’t measure up (neither does a vehicle crew jacket I bought recently). Of course, some jackets may have been mis-tagged. In any case, you should always check measurements, if available, and keep in mind the pre-gore-tex winter-weight jackets are thick and bulky.
Now... time for some photos!
Age:
Basically there are two periods: pre and post introduction of gore-tex. Most jackets have tags which list the year and often the month. In the absence of a tag, or when a tag is not shown (as with some e-Bay listings), the easiest way to estimate age is by colour:
(1) 1950s - grey (not sure how often these were issued, since I've only seen one)
(2) 1960s through 1980s – dark green jackets
(3) mid to late 1980s to late 1990s – blue
(4) late 1990s onward (gore-tex period) – light green
Because designs barely changed over these periods (only in the last 5 to 10 years have any significant changes been adopted), identifying the exact year of a jacket offers no particular insight and simply confirms what one can guesstimate from the colour.
Materials:
Outer shells have always been a cotton/poly blend, tough and no frills (the blends varied over the years). Liners on summer jackets are nylon. Older winter-weight jackets had a heave wool insulation and nylon lining, while the new ones have a gore-tex liner and some sort of insulated lining (probably a poly-fill). The collars on older winter-weight jackets were mouton fur; the new ones melton wool.
Sizing:
Canadian Forces clothing uses a four-digit size system, the first two digits being the soldier’s height in inches, the second two digits being chest size in inches (for example 7040 = 70” height, 40” chest). My limited experience suggests these numbers are sometimes accurate, sometimes not, and the winter flying jacket I bought a few months back doesn’t measure up (neither does a vehicle crew jacket I bought recently). Of course, some jackets may have been mis-tagged. In any case, you should always check measurements, if available, and keep in mind the pre-gore-tex winter-weight jackets are thick and bulky.
Now... time for some photos!
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