IRVIN NUTS?...the ULTIMATE thread for those who love 'em!

[jamespibworth@n]

I,m betting it is the coastal Irvin from ebay!!

I was watching it to, I bought the battle of Brit 600 squad one!

Who made me pay so much?

 

[Spitfire]

Congrats Baron - great (small) Irvin!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap Welcome in the club.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

That's a very nice jacket you have there, Baron - and just in time, I'd say! Nice to see how well your patience has paid off.

 

[boyorastroboy]

[QUOTE="Doc" Devereux]Nice to see how well your patience has paid off.[/QUOTE]

Indeed, your perseverance and its reward are an excellent reminder that good things come to those who wait.

 

[Smithy]

Good job with the CC Irvin BK, looks to be the perfect fit for you.

Well done and just the thing for winter!

 

[PADDY]

The BARON joins our Flying Irvin Circus..!!! well done!

Well Done Baron!!! we need to get you that red kite now to fly around London in ...!!! You wear it well. Can't wait to see more photos:eusa_clap

 

[Spitfire]

THE FLYING IRVIN CIRCUS

The Flying Irvin Circus - what a great name, Paddy.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap Now we only need to settle a day for the first meeting.
At an airfield somewhere in England or a museum? Or a pub in Cambridge perhaps. With signatures on the cieling. Or.....

 

[Alan Eardley]

]

If I ever replace it, it's your Alan...[/QUOTE]

Thanks Mike. Those early Aeros are a work of art, aren't they?
<Added later> Someone PM'ed me to ask if the Aero zip is anything to do with the present (or, presumably, past) Aero Leather Clothing Co. The answer is no. Aero zip fasteners were much earlier and nothing to do with either company. They appear on a lot of vintage British clothing, including flying gear.

I have been told that they were too expensive for government contracts and when you examine the construction I think you can see why.

BTW, You may be told that the sleeve zip is a replacement because it doesn't have AM and a crown mark. That is incorrect. Some very early Irvin suits (note the lack of quotation marks) were made for the civilian market and the zips obviously didn't have AM fittings. There was obviously some 'cross-over' of civilian kit as officers bought their uniforms by private purchase and flying suits (e.g. 'prestige' suits) tended to be treated in the same way.


Alan

 

[Rufus]

Great Jacket, BK!!

There are definite benefits to being small, or skinny when collecting vintage!!

Rufus

 

[Edward]

Rufus, don't you mean vintage build?? You're not wrong. It's a nightmare finding stuff for a 42R kinda guy.... I was bidding on a beautiful db suit on eBay recently (80s bespoke to a 40s pattern), winning at thirty quid, no other bidders - the auction was pulled to hours before the end because the "item was lost or damaged." Aye, either that or the seller regretted not putting a reserve in it maybe???

Oh well, back on topic..... great score on the Irvin, BK. Hopefully by next winter I'll have the scratch for one (most likely, given what a 44 chest original goes for, an Aero or ELC repro).... I love the CC Irvins, that hood would be very welcome these cold nights! It's most definitely Irvin weather in London at present.

 

[Spitfire]

Dry you eyes, "midgets"!
The real problem comes when you are 1,93 m. tall and a build to match, in order not to look like a stick
THEN you have problems!!!

Like this beautifull Aero Irvin, that just could not be closed.

lol lol lol

 

[SamMarlowPI]

The Flying Irvin Circus...At an airfield somewhere in England...

the airfield in "12 O'Clock High".....

 

[jamespibworth@n]

I thought I would drop in the lounge today and see if anyone would like to see my latest jackets.

The first is the 39/40 Irvin.

This is my first original Irvin and I am VERY happy with it.
It’s fair condition but the colour has faded in places, but it seems to have all the original fittings. I have made a small repair to the main zip as the tape is tearing, just to stop it getting worse really, it works ok and as I don’t intend to wear it very often its seems a shame to have it replaced.

I have been given some information about the gunner who wore in WW2 which is really great to know.











The second is a late70s ALC Irvin. I contacted ALC who say they did make two panel backs at this time, so this jacket is almost 30yrs old! It has hardly been worn and as such the leather is like cardboard. I have put conditioner on and hope it will loosen up as I wear it.





Must stop buying jackets now as my girlfriend is getting concerned!

Those Eastman Irvins look tempting though, anyone want to send in a picture of one being worn?

James.

 

[Alan Eardley]

James

This is very timely, thanks, as we were discussing the early Dot nickel zips. Yours in the lower picture is a fine example. Thank you for showing it. Readers may wish to compare it with the later 'second pattern' in the first picture.

I have owned an Eastman jacket for a long time and it is (IMO) a good reproduction of a Wareings (except for the zips) and a soundly made item which will last for many years. They are, in my opinion, very expensive.

I also used to own an ALC jacket from the same period as yours. It did me sound service for a number of years.

Alan

 

[aswatland]

Very nice James. The Irvin Air chute jacket I believe is from the mid 30s. It has the typical close pile sheepskin and other features similar to my jackets from the same period. The sleeve zip is the very early cast double trunnion Dot and these were on early Irvins together with the brass single trunnion stamped Dots. It's impossible to give an accurate date but 1935-6 is my guess. I saw this Irvin on ebay and I'm glad it has gone to a good home. It's certainly Irvin weather here in the UK. I have been wearing my DGL 1940 Irvin all week and my 1938 IAC beauty had an outing today!

 

[jamespibworth@n]

Thank you both for that information.

You sure do know your jackets!!

Admitting that I have a lot to learn, can I ask what are DGL and IAC’s?

I’m guessing they are WW2 contracted manufactures of the Irvin? Love to see pics of them?

James.

 

[Spitfire]

James, regarding Eastmans being worn - try to go back in this thread.
There are some nice pics of Smithys great ELC Irvin.

 

[aswatland]

Thank you both for that information.

You sure do know your jackets!!

Admitting that I have a lot to learn, can I ask what are DGL and IAC’s?

I’m guessing they are WW2 contracted manufactures of the Irvin? Love to see pics of them?

James.

D.G.L. probably stood for D. Gamage London, a pre-war maker of motor cycle clothing and a wartime contractor for the Air Ministry. This is Alan's guess, but it may be the abbreviation for D. Lewis, another maker (became Lewis Leathers), but then there is the question of the G! D. Lewis certainly made RAF flying gear from the 30s onwards as there are many surviving adverts from Lewis.

IAC is Irvin Air Chute, the original maker from Letchworth, Herts.


Here is a pic of a DGL Irvin from 1940 on the left and an IAC from 1938.

DGL Irvin

1938 Irvin

 

[Smithy]

Those are two beautiful Irvins you have picked up there James. And it's nice to have an original where you know the history.

BTW, That AL Irvin looks damn nice as well, very interesting to see that they did make 2 panel Irvins back in the beginning. She looks like she'll be the perfect everyday Irvin over the winter.

In terms of ELC Irvins, as Spitfire says, I posted quite a few pics of mine. If you go back they should still be there.

Once again, well done on your "new" Irvins!

 

[SamMarlowPI]

quite a collection...if the damned exchange rate wasn't so high between USD and GBP i would begin collecting originals as well...