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Eastman Leather Clothing USN G-1 intermediate Flying Jacket, spec. 55-J-14

HPA Rep

Vendor
Messages
855
Location
New Jersey
This is Eastman Leather Clothing USN G-1 intermediate Flying Jacket, spec. 55-J-14, which was the very first G-1 dating from 1947.

Eastman uses a fully vegetable-tanned, aniline-dyed goatskin with a coarse, tight, pebbled grain that has all of wonderful characteristics of a vegetable-tanned leather, but the light weight and flexibility associated with the G-1 leathers typical of spec. 55-J-14. The rayon acetate lining is that correct, purple-brown color, and the genuine mouton collar is just yummy, and in a deep shade or dark reddish brown that offers great contrast against the dark color of the goatskin body. The cuffs are the correct weight and weave in a tube cuff that is knitted tightly, featuring the two-ply thickness and wider-width ribbing near the top that graduates into the narrow-width ribbing at the bottom end, while the waist band is the correct single-ply thickness in the rib-and-rack pattern.

No detail is overlooked, which includes the tropunto stitching behind the collar with off-white U. S. N. stencil in a serif letter style typical of the 55-J-14 G-1s, while the interior pocket is lined in the heavy, off-white cotton duck and the exterior pockets are lined in brown, all-cotton twill. Proper 1940s-style zippers are employed that are made with all-cotton HBT tape that is rolled and glued at the base and not heat sealed and which feature the USN-spec. goatskin zipper puller.

This reflects Eastman's latest, revised G-1 with a different shape of pocket and pocket flap than the previous versions they produced, and the pattern is also redesigned to work with this newer goatskin that's less rigid and thick than previous goatskins they had employed. The G-1 is extremely comfortable and it fits correctly on the trim side, thus leaner builds will likely be satisfied with ordering a size that commensurates with their chest measure, while bigger builds typically go up a size in this style.

I'm wearing size 40R and my build is as follows: chest 40", 5' 9" tall, waist 30", shirt sleeve 33", weight 147 lbs., lean, athletic build. We have sizes 38R-48R in stock, while long and extra-long fittings are available for special order at no extra charge.

All items that we ship to Canada are assumed by Canadian customs officials to be of U. S. origin, thus qualifying for duty-free import under NAFTA, so Canadian customers benefit greatly and should only have to pay national and provincial taxes, which are, for the most, unavoidable and would apply to items even of Canadian origin.

Of course, more details can be found on our website, including product measures, detailed photos, and sizing tips:

https://www.historypreservation.com/...et-spec-55j14/

_DSC0008crpadjwo.jpg _DSC0008adjcrpwo.jpg _DSC0008adjcrpwo.jpg
 
Last edited:

Big J

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,961
Location
Japan
Charles, that does look very nice indeed!
Unfortunately, I'm a 49 inch chest (>_<)
 

Fanch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,490
Location
Texas
Charles, that looks very good, particularly your statement "long and extra-long fittings are available for special order at no extra charge." While I was on active duty in the USN, my size 44 G-1 that was issued to me had sleeves that I perceived to be 2" too short (in those days my chest was 44" and waist 35" :D)
 

HPA Rep

Vendor
Messages
855
Location
New Jersey
Charles, that does look very nice indeed!
Unfortunately, I'm a 49 inch chest (>_<)

That is too bad. There are a few customers who could swing this G-1 with a 49" chest measure, but for the majority of big guys, 48" is about as large a chest measure as one can have and be comfortable.
 

HPA Rep

Vendor
Messages
855
Location
New Jersey
Charles, that looks very good, particularly your statement "long and extra-long fittings are available for special order at no extra charge." While I was on active duty in the USN, my size 44 G-1 that was issued to me had sleeves that I perceived to be 2" too short (in those days my chest was 44" and waist 35" :D)

Thank you, Fanch! I never have understood why the service branches back in the day offered long fittings, for the most part, in both the cloth and sheepskin flying suits, but the respective intermediate jackets such as the A-2, M-422 and its derivatives, and G-1 all were offered only as regulars.

Regarding Eastman, almost every military jacket style they offer is available as a long and extra long at no extra charge.
 

nick123

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,371
Location
California
Beautiful!

None of the original A-2s I've seen in ebay or here for sale have even approached a long enough length for my long frame and arms, but every so often I run into an original Naval jacket that looks like it would be long enough, even in a regular size. I think some of them were cut longer than A-2s.
 

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