Famous People in Flight Jackets

[Doctor Damage]

^^^^ Great images, but the one with the five men standing is reversed: everything is backwards.

good eye... fixed

 

[Superfluous]

I love those sweaters. I wonder if they have been reproduced

RRL created a couple of garments inspired by the 13 Black Cats.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Here is another photo of Frank Tallman. While he flew everything from a Curtiss Pusher to supersonic jets, his favorites were 20s biplanes, which he dressed appropriately for flying! Also, the take off seen from Catch 22, considered by many the most dangerous stunt ever in movies. It looks so simple, but one mistake or mechanical malfunction and there would have been a massive pile up. They didn't do mass take offs like this during the war. Most of the pilots, were not veterans, and Frank had to train them in a few days. Many of the planes had not flown in years, one, was literally pulled out of a cemetery for the movie! sadly, Frank was killed in a senseless plane crash.

I had the good fortune to meet Mr. Tallman once when I was a kid. Met him at the Rockford Illinois airport during an EAA "Fly IN".

AF

 

[rocketeer]

I love
13 Rebels Sweater:

There's more than 13 of em'

 

[rocketeer]

It is a shame Harley Davidson or Indian dont make replicas of these vintage shirts and sweaters, or at least licence one of the enthusiast replica vintage clothing makers to produce something worth buying.
I know they sometimes do but usually ad some modern twist to them such as cheap looking embroidery or modern materials. The replica riders caps that Harley Davidson produced during the 1990s were awful, embroidered HD wing rather than a sew on patch and a faux leather peak/bill, the crown was cotton but not the right shape, absolute rubbish replica.
J

 

[handymike]

I think Johnson Motors does 13 Rebels shirts and sweaters.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I know they sometimes do but usually ad some modern twist to them such as cheap looking embroidery or modern materials. The replica riders caps that Harley Davidson produced during the 1990s were awful, embroidered HD wing rather than a sew on patch and a faux leather peak/bill, the crown was cotton but not the right shape, absolute rubbish replica.

HD is all about selling a lifestyle/image/whatever to overweight overpaid baby boomers. These people have no interest in heritage stuff.

 

[rocketeer]

HD is all about selling a lifestyle/image/whatever to overweight overpaid baby boomers. These people have no interest in heritage stuff.

And the riders dont usually return a 'nod' from us sports bikers either Some do, but it would be nice if the majority returned the acknowledgement from biker to biker.

 

[Big J]

And the riders dont usually return a 'nod' from us sports bikers either Some do, but it would be nice if the majority returned the acknowledgement from biker to biker.

Yeah, I agree with that. Fat slobs and lifelong office monkeys, who hit their mid-life crisis and buy a Harley so they can try to be as 'wild' in their imagination as they never were when they were growing up, and then are so insecure about themselves that they won't nod/wave at sports bike riders. This leaves them looking like snobs (which real Harley riders are not).

 

[tropicalbob]

Hell's Dentists.

 

[Doctor Damage]

We shouldn't veer too far off-topic, but I would like to say that in my parts there are no "real" Harley riders (whatever those are), just the types that Big J describes so aptly and who definitely try their best to look like Hell's Dentists or Hell's CPAs (thank you Tropicalbob). The posing is annoying, but much worse is they are a danger on the roads since they don't use turn signals and seem to pick-and-choose which traffic rules to follow, secure in the knowledge that since they have two wheels instead of four they always win when it comes time for the constabulary to dole out fault.

Anyways, I'll just get wound up if I think about it too much.


More flight jackets!

 

[IXL]

We always called them "Hell's Accountants." Harley might sell "lifestyles" to those in the market for one, but they do manufacture very good motorcycles. We have four of them, ride a bunch, and have no problems with them that all other bikes don't also experience. We wave. We wave back. To everyone. Even the guy on a pogo stick.

I'm 5'11" and around 160lbs, so I'm figuring maybe I'm not a "fat slob;" other's opinions might vary. Started riding motorcycles continuously from age ten. The only mid-life crisis I've suffered has been an emergency surgery around this time last year. And....I don't dress up as a pirate, no really. If I did, I couldn't wear all the cool jackets and other gear acquired since I stumbled into this lounge and fell-in with you dapper crew of enablers. Don't even own a doo/do/due/dew-rag. Do own several Arai full-face helmets, though.

As an aside, our collection also includes an Italian scooter and three BMW motorcycles....and no Aerostitch of any kind.... and we even wave to fat, old, office-bound, crisis experiencing,life-style purchasing, wild-in-their-own-imagination,wall flower Harley riders. 'Cause we're all about the love......

 

[trapp]

There is nothing wrong with someone discovering a great hobby later in life. Riding is a fantastic past-time. Trying something new in your late 30s to 50s does not a mid-life crisis make.

My parents are essentially blue-collar suburbanites who started riding in their 50s when their kids were grown up, their mortgage was paid off, and they had more time, money and interest to devote to travel. They bought a bike and took up riding (my mom as passenger). They have a little local motorcycle club that plans rides and doesn't take themselves too seriously. They LOVE it. They have a great bike (not a harley) but no other expensive gear (their jackets and footwear wouldn't pass muster on the forum). They are now in their 60s and both still work, but they ride when they can. They plan trips into the Smoky Mountains each year, rent a cabin, and have the time of their lives. I've never asked, but I'm positive they wave and acknowledge other riders

 

[trapp]

...more to the point, I love this thread. The Steve McQueen photo above is amazing - I'm surprised I've never seen that shot.

 

[IXL]

There is nothing wrong with someone discovering a great hobby later in life. Riding is a fantastic past-time. Trying something new in your late 30s to 50s does not a mid-life crisis make.

My parents are essentially blue-collar suburbanites who started riding in their 50s when their kids were grown up, their mortgage was paid off, and they had more time, money and interest to devote to travel. They bought a bike and took up riding (my mom as passenger). They have a little local motorcycle club that plans rides and doesn't take themselves too seriously. They LOVE it. They have a great bike (not a harley) but no other expensive gear (their jackets and footwear wouldn't pass muster on the forum). They are now in their 60s and both still work, but they ride when they can. They plan trips into the Smoky Mountains each year, rent a cabin, and have the time of their lives. I've never asked, but I'm positive they wave and acknowledge other riders

I really enjoy uplifting little tales such as this. Please give your folks my best. I hope to one day ride in the Smoky Mountains.

 

[Big J]

There is nothing wrong with someone discovering a great hobby later in life. Riding is a fantastic past-time. Trying something new in your late 30s to 50s does not a mid-life crisis make.

My parents are essentially blue-collar suburbanites who started riding in their 50s when their kids were grown up, their mortgage was paid off, and they had more time, money and interest to devote to travel. They bought a bike and took up riding (my mom as passenger). They have a little local motorcycle club that plans rides and doesn't take themselves too seriously. They LOVE it. They have a great bike (not a harley) but no other expensive gear (their jackets and footwear wouldn't pass muster on the forum). They are now in their 60s and both still work, but they ride when they can. They plan trips into the Smoky Mountains each year, rent a cabin, and have the time of their lives. I've never asked, but I'm positive they wave and acknowledge other riders

I don't want to derail the thread, but I do want to respond to your comment.

There is nothing wrong with discovering biking at a later stage in life at all. I think if everyone tried riding a motorbike, they would be much more considerate car drivers.
I'm just taking a pop at a certain type of man who hits 'around forty', buys a heavy Harley as his first bike, and a load of shiny new leather, and then teeters around town, with no confidence or safety awareness, until the first time he drops it, scuffs his leathers, sells the bike, and spends the rest of his life saying 'when I was a biker'.
These guys are posers, who want to buy into the lifestyle, so that they can park outside Starbucks and drink lattes whilst imagining that 20 something chicks dig their 'bad boy' image.
Oh, and they are snobs, because they never nod or wave to sportsbike riders.

 

[trapp]

Yeah, I do get it. I'm not sure that guy represent the majority of new-older riders, but he and his ilk exist and are annoying.

 

[Treetopflyer]

To get the thread back on track. Here is Matt Mcgorry from "Orange is the New Black"

 

[Treetopflyer]

Cuba Gooding JR and Terrence Howard In "Red Tails"

 

[Stearmen]

It used to be, if you saw some one my age on a motorcycle, you knew he was a grizzly old rider! I have been riding since the 60s, only a short time off to learn to fly. I have four Harley's 1930 to 2002 and the bottom end to a 38 Knucklehead. I also have a bunch more, from a 1912 Indian through a 72 CB750, and three Triumphs. I just meant a father son team on their full dress Harley's, in the midst of a 10,000 mile trip to hit up every Capital, they joked, they have not figure out how to ride to Hawaii yet! The father had just traded his former Harley in with over 80,000 miles. It is my experience that most riders, regardless of bike make, are nothing but posers. Don't even get me started on the new breed of British bike collectors. Pushing your Norton on and off a trailer doesn't count, neither does riding to the pub once a week!