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

[aswatland]

[QUOTE="Doc" Devereux]
I still prefer repro for rough'n'ready wear, but having seen the amazing state of original kit recently I must admit that I'm rethinking my opinion on their general robustness.[/QUOTE]

Generally most vintage Irvins are robust enough to take some punishment, but I treat them all with respect. I only occasionally wear my near mint 1938 and 1941 Irvins. The black one has already been worn once, but will not get much wear because it is so special. For daily wear in the cold my size 5 DGL (1940) Irvin gets most use because it is so robust and appears to more durable than many modern repros.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

I imagine you'd have to be careful about where you wear it with fleece that colour, Ethan!

Yes, it's starting to look like the season's petering out over here. I threw mine on without thinking this morning for a trip to the shops and was starting to get a little warm by the time I got home. Such is life - it gives us a whole summer to build up the collections that will edify our social circles next time the temperature drops...

More durable than the modern recreations, Andrew? There's a thought...

 

[aswatland]

[QUOTE="Doc" Devereux]I imagine you'd have to be careful about where you wear it with fleece that colour, Ethan!

Yes, it's starting to look like the season's petering out over here. I threw mine on without thinking this morning for a trip to the shops and was starting to get a little warm by the time I got home. Such is life - it gives us a whole summer to build up the collections that will edify our social circles next time the temperature drops...

More durable than the modern recreations, Andrew? There's a thought...[/QUOTE]

I wonder how many repro Irvins will last for 60+ years. So with the warmer weather its a chance to wear A2s and half belts!

 

["Doc" Devereux]

There is that, yes.

It's just a pity that I really don't dig the A2.

 

[aswatland]

[QUOTE="Doc" Devereux]There is that, yes.

It's just a pity that I really don't dig the A2.[/QUOTE]

The great thing about this hobby is that there is plenty of scope to wear a range of jackets and the ones which particularly appeal to you.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

The great thing about this hobby is that there is plenty of scope to wear a range of jackets and the ones which particularly appeal to you.

And the hat guys think they've got problems... lol

 

[ethanedwards]

[QUOTE="Doc" Devereux]There is that, yes.

It's just a pity that I really don't dig the A2.[/QUOTE]

I saw this photo on A.N.Other Forum, so I have to ask you Doc, what's not to like? Choosing the right A2 and justifying that choice to your peers though -
it takes a braver man than me! Sorry to be off-topic!fftopic:

 

["Doc" Devereux]

It's just not a style that ever clicked with me. But there's a summer-weight jacket out there for me somewhere - all I have to do is find it...

 

[Edward]

Edward, A pink Irvin indeed! Not on my list of must haves! I believe my Irvin dates from 1941-3, but one can never be entirely sure. The short pile fleece of pre-war Irvins is usually soft, but tighter than on this one. I suspect the breed of sheep makes all the difference. There is nothing in the original patent about the colour of the fleece. Makers at this time (1941-3) used whatever was at hand. At least they had the good sense to make the whole jacket from black fleece and not create a black and honey coloured jacket. Now that would be rare indeed!

A piebald Irvin, eh? lol If I were to take up skiing in a serious manner, I'd be tempted by the idea of one in a white colour all over.... There's a seller based in germany on eBay sells what are claimed to be recreations of a Luftwaffe "Snow Bear" jacket that looks very much along the lines of a B3 or Irvin in an ice-white colour.... I know nothing of the accuracy of the jackets, though others suggested that the product isn't all that quality wise. Pity!

Love the look of the Irvin with the pink fleece... all it needs is for the outer facing to be black and voila, the Bertie Bassett Model Irvin lol

I'm using the Summer season to try and shift some stuff on eBay - hopefully by the time it gets cold enough again, I'll have a nice ELC 1940 pattern Irvin around me...

 

[Windsock]

Here are some more pictures of the black fleece Irvin. The zips are Lightnings. It is very comfortable to wear. The black fleece is softer than on most Irvins I have handled.

That's too big for you- Send it over!!

 

[aswatland]

Really, Andrew! I wonder why you might say that?

 

[Smithy]

Love the look of the Irvin with the pink fleece... all it needs is for the outer facing to be black and voila, the Bertie Bassett Model Irvin lol

Edward you cannot be serious, you'd look like a fuzzy liquorice allsort!

I'm using the Summer season to try and shift some stuff on eBay - hopefully by the time it gets cold enough again, I'll have a nice ELC 1940 pattern Irvin around me...

If you are after a repro Irvin, I recommend the Eastman 1940, it's pricey but beautifully made, shape and pattern are bang on. Only the zips give it away that it's a repro and most wouldn't even notice that. Great jacket, I've lived in mine for the last 6 months.

 

[Windsock]

Really, Andrew! I wonder why you might say that?

am I sounding like your wife!?!

 

[aswatland]

am I sounding like your wife!?!

I hope not! When I told i was getting a black Irvin she imagined black leather. She got quite a shock to discover it was black fleece.

 

[Smithy]

Actually Ethan raised quite an interesting thing earlier...

Does anybody have any period pictures of aircrew wearing a black Irvin? I seem to remember seeing one of a bomber crew member wearing one, but that's a long time ago. Most of my resources and research is on Fighter Command in the first two years of the war so nothing that I have.

Anybody have anything?

 

[Windsock]

Edward you cannot be serious, you'd look like a fuzzy liquorice allsort!




If you are after a repro Irvin, I recommend the Eastman 1940, it's pricey but beautifully made, shape and pattern are bang on. Only the zips give it away that it's a repro and most wouldn't even notice that. Great jacket, I've lived in mine for the last 6 months.

Actually Tim your description on the other thread with something like rolling about on the floor of pubs and stuffing it in overhead storage on trains sounds like original period treatment- well even though they weren't worn off base it may have happened

I'd have one of those too if I were in your shoes.

 

[Edward]

Edward you cannot be serious, you'd look like a fuzzy liquorice allsort!

Yip, hence the Bertie Bassett reference... lol

If you are after a repro Irvin, I recommend the Eastman 1940, it's pricey but beautifully made, shape and pattern are bang on. Only the zips give it away that it's a repro and most wouldn't even notice that. Great jacket, I've lived in mine for the last 6 months.

Yeah, that's the one I've narrowed it down to. I gather that though they are slightly more expensive, the Eastman fleece is superior to Aero, and on balance I just prefer the four-panel 1940 design over the later 8 panel model.

Now all I have to do is rob a bank....

 

[Windsock]

Actually Ethan raised quite an interesting thing earlier...

Does anybody have any period pictures of aircrew wearing a black Irvin? I seem to remember seeing one of a bomber crew member wearing one, but that's a long time ago. Most of my resources and research is on Fighter Command in the first two years of the war so nothing that I have.

Anybody have anything?

Not me either, and I have been trying to collect period shots. I do have one of a RAAF trainee in Canada wearing one of those very dark fluffy teddy bear suits and it has a black fleece collar.

I've got an idea- they were issued only to Night Fighters

 

[aswatland]

I came across this one of an Australian in a black Irvin.

 

[Smithy]

Not me either, and I have been trying to collect period shots. I do have one of a RAAF trainee in Canada wearing one of those very dark fluffy teddy bear suits and it has a black fleece collar.

Any chance of posting the pic Andrew, I would love to see it.

I've got an idea- they were issued only to Night Fighters

Camouflage when one had to bale out during night ops