Newbie Question: What Have I Got Here?

[oldcrow]

Hello all, oldcrow reporting aboard. First post. I'm proud to be a new member to your forum. So much information available here.

I am hoping that I can get some answers on a Navy G-1 Leather Flight Jacket that I have just recently acquired. The inside label reads:

JACKET, TYPE G-1
US NAVY BUREAU OF AERONAUTICS
SPEC. 6101 (AER)
CONTRACT #6850
I. Spiewak & Sons, Inc.
NEW YORK, N.Y. WPL #7001

Is this an authentic G-1 Leather Flight Jacket? (It doesn't have the standard MIL-J-7823E(AS) identification).

Did I. Speiwak & Sons, Inc. ever produce a G-1 Leather Flight Jacket for the U. S. Navy? (On the research that I have done, I am unable to locate their name on any of the manufacturer's lists that provided flight jackets to the Navy.)

If I. Spiewak & Sons did make this jacket for the Navy, when was it produced?

And the final question, if this an authentic Navy Leather Flight Jacket produced by I. Speiwak & Sons, Inc. for the Navy, is it a desirable jacket to own.

Let me take this opportunity to thank you in advance for taking the time to answer a "newbie's" question.

 

[kampkatz]

Welcome aboard, Oldcrow. If you could submit a few photos of the label and various jacket angles, it might be easier to answer your questions.

 

[johnnyjohnny]

welcome...i'm no bonafide expert on label contract numbers, but this certainly has a contract number which, as far as i know, refers to it's being built according to military contract...and at that time spiewak was not in the business (if they ever were) of making 'replica' mil jackets

it sounds as if you have an older one as it references the bureau of aeronautics, an archaic phrase that was changed on more recent jackets...of course, i'm going off the top of my head and the nearly 1000 g-1s i've seen on ebay and elsewhere...i'm sure someone here will have the exact specifics

but definitely, spiewak is one of the prized makers, one of the best, and they also made a-2s on contract during ww2...i don't know about g-1s then, but i suspect so

if it fits, definitely a keeper, if not, could make you some $

 

[aswatland]

Welcome to the forum Oldcrow. The simple answer to your question is Spiewak did NOT have any contracts with the US navy to produce the G-1. Your jacket is a repro just like the A2 made by the same firm, a somewhat poor immitation of their classic Wartime A2.

 

[dhermann1]

Welcome aboard, Oldcrow. You obviously saluted the officer of the deck, and then the flag as you boarded. You'll fit right in. No answer at all about the jacket. [huh]

 

[oldcrow]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome to the forum. As for as the G-1 jacket is concerned, thanks for the answers that I received. Though not exactly what I was wanting to hear, it will still make a fine knock-about jacket. Again, thanks.

 

[johnnyjohnny]

swatted

aswatland, i respectfully request to know which a-2 manufacturers you have listed as contract suppliers for post ww2 a-2s, so i could compare it to the one that i have

my information is that spiewak was one of a number of manufacturers of post war a-2s that followed required specs, per the u.s. govt a-2 contract, for spiewak's a-2 to be used as official and accepted uniform in the air force

if or if not so, i'd like to also know what other companies you believe were the only ones to be called contracted suppliers, from '88 to the present

thanks