MA-1 Flight jacket

[Atticus Finch]

Is it a Masland contract (most seem to be)? How does the sizing compare to your N2-B?

Lee, its actually a S. M. Knopf. Its from 1953 and is from the last N-2A contract. As compared to the N-2B, it is much more substantial. Heavier (wool insulation), bigger and longer.

My N-2B is nothing special. Its an early-eighties Alpha that I bought to take when I go to Wisconsin. But as I mentioned earlier, it is short so my butt freezes the entire time I wear it. Needless to say, it is no longer invited to go on winter trips up north.

AF

 

[Atticus Finch]

Is it possible that by the time the N2A rolled around, cockpits were better heated and so pilots tended only to feel the need of a jacket more often....

Not sure about this. I do note that in many Korean Conflict era photos, air crew wear their N-2As directly over flight suits without insulated trousers...the guy to the left in the last photo being an exception. But I think he just may have been cold natured 'cause he's got his hood up, too.

AF

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ Good point and interesting photos, but it's worth observing they're still wearing them over flight suits which means they don't have to worry about the gap between bottom of jacket and top of pants. Civilians, who don't usually wear overalls, need longer jackets to compensate for the fact that pants don't extend up as high as overalls or flight suits.

 

[Sloan1874]

Out of interest, were N-2Bs etc as variable in fit as A-2s were?

 

[alsendk]

The N2B look exceptionally good on you Kowalski. It`s new to me, that this model ever existed.

Two years back I bought an MA-1 jacket from:

http://www.pilotmall.com/product/Knox-Armory-MA-1-Sage-Green/Flight-jackets

I was surprised how cheap it was. I really liked the picture of it, mostly becourse of the glittering shiny nylon outer shell, which not only looks like nylon, but also melts like nylon...found out due to a candlelight accident.
There`s no label inside the jacket, saying from which country it originally comes from, but it really is warm and comfy to wear.

Questions: could it be anything else but nylon?
Would China be the most certain place for the making of this jacket?
Does it look at all like a real contract made original jacket from a distance?

 

[Seb Lucas]

Not really. Nylon but probably not DuPont 6/6- a cheaper nylon. Asian manufacture - Vietnam or China.

 

[Doctor Strange]

alsendk - As I'm sure had already been said on this thread, "Knox Armory" is actually Alpha's budget line.

http://www.alphajacketsonline.com/alpha-knox-armory.php

 

[regius]

The reason I would like to see the Steve McQueen jacket's tag is to determine what series it is. Issued 1980s Alpha F-series jackets have vertical stitching on the windflap. They are the "ground crew" MA-1s that were made after the jacket was no longer authorized for flight. They have polyester insulation, not wool, and they have green liners, not orange. Otherwise, I don't recall seeing an original Alpha contract with vertical windflap stitching.

AF

Post Edit: I know it has an orange liner, but the McQueen jacket really looks like an F-series MA-1 to me. Or a repro. It has pocket flaps and they didn't appear on MA-1s until the E-series jackets were introduced in the early seventies...

Gents, let me post a pic soon to clear the smokescreen , mine definitely is not a modification, picked up in dirty condition from my local NYC Japanese vintage store (you know they carry rare stuffs). Dry cleaned it and it's good as new!

 

[bn1966]

Great N2-A pics Atticus, thanks Just looking at the prices of them on the 'Bay'. Have asked for measurements on an XL.

 

[regius]

Steve McQueen Alpha MA-1 with vertical flap stitching.

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[regius]

Needless to say, the knits were replaced (with Goodwear A2 knits, I got a little creative). It works nicely.

 

[kowalski]

Steve McQueen Alpha MA-1 with vertical flap stitching.

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wow !!!:eeek: your jacket ? where bought it ?? price ? cute .... cuffs it oryginal ?
I found on ebay ; disastrous state and small size

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/US-AIR-FO...593?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d45b5db51

 

[Atticus Finch]

Steve McQueen Alpha MA-1 with vertical flap stitching.

Thank you, Regius. The tag is a bit tough to read, but your jacket appears to be a 1978 E-series, which must have been the very last of the orange lined MA-1s. That date and the vertical stitching on the flap fit in exactly with the 1976 Greenbrier seen earlier in this thread. It also comports with the vertical stitching on the early eighties F-series "ground crew" MA-1s. Interestingly, when I posted a photo of my 1982 Alpha N-2B the other day, I noticed for the first time that it also has vertical stitching on its wind flap.

As you may already know, the MA-1 and the L-2B were removed from flight status in the late 'seventies because their nylon tended to melt during cockpit fires. They were replaced by nomex jackets which eventually became designated CWUs. Even though the MA-1 lost its orange lining, it continued to be issued for another decade, but only to ground crew. Those jackets don't have the word "flyers" on their tags, as does yours. So you may have a very rare bird, there. In addition to being a jacket like McQueen wore, it may be the last flying MA-1 ever made.

Thank you for posting.

BTW, here's the tag from a 1987 F-series, "ground bound" MA-1. The poor thing claims only to be a jacket...not a "flyers" jacket.

AF

 

[regius]

AF, thank you for the useful comment! I once researched into MA-1s but lost interest for a while so I don't remember the details. I only know about the pocket flap vs no flap, wool cotton filling vs. synthetic etc. I also have a Buzz Rickson one with heavy filling, same color lining and with a more bulky sleeve, a very good jacket though. My McQueen MA-1 is in mint condition apart from the label. I didn't retain the original knits as they were ripped a little. I think this brown knits look pretty good. I may sell this one day. I don't know.

 

[Sloan1874]

My AI N-2B arrived today. Very impressed with quality and warmth, looks good on (I think I would describe it as Atticus Fit ) and at £47, a complete steal. Not mil spec colour, but very happy with it - makes the old parka I had as a kid look pretty lame - a jacket for when the weather gets properly evil.

 

[kowalski]

it was ?

http://slamxhype.com/blogs/steve-mcqueens-final-outfit/

 

[Sloan1874]

A couple of pics my N-2. Won't labour it, as it doesn't fit entirely with the FL ethos.

 

[kowalski]

Sloan nice jacket , in color?? brown? oliv ? size ?

 

[Sloan1874]

It's brown - the colour's pretty subtle, it has a slight green/gold sheen to it. It's a medium - not too over-sized, very warm. Cost me 235pln, new and tagged.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Last night I dug through e-Bay for the USA made jackets and after looking over 20 or 30 it was evident none of the measurements provided matched and only one of the jackets would fit me right!