Wait one minute! Could THIS be the jacket the Aero Thunderbay is modeled on?

[Worf]

1. Two piece back..... Check!
2. Snap cuffs............ Check!
3. Mouton Collar....... Check!
4. Bottom Belt.......... Check!
5. One zip and 2 hand...... Check!

The ONLY difference is the lack of a shearling lining which this COULD have had considering it's fitted with a lining zipper on the inside.

What ja think?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vtg-1950s-F...pt=UK_Men_s_Coats_Jackets&hash=item462cce5644

Worf

 

[thor]

Very similar design. If the sleeves were longer I'd probably jump on it.

 

[Peacoat]

Looks pretty close, but it is hard for me to get a good look at the lower pockets to tell if they are hand warmers.

 

[Dinerman]

It would go along with the Thunder Bay name. Although the listing says 1950s, from the hardware, the Franco Canadian looks like it's later '60s. Those Canadian makers kept a lot of older style designs in production for a long time.

 

[tmitchell59]

I had plans to do a post on this jacket. I bought it from a dealer in Chicago. She knew nothing of it's history. It has the Acme zipper slider on the left side. I bought it because it was a cool looking jacket and sized as a 44 which I can wear. While on the Aero site I saw and read the history of their Thunderbay. I looked at theirs and mine and thought this is it. Given the founders relationship with the Thunderbay I wrote Aero and recieved this reply from Ken Calder:

Hi Terry



Thanks for thinking of us when you got your new jacket. It looks to be in great condition, well done on your purchase

It’s very similar to mine and is probably a slightly later (improved?) version by the same maker.

When I got mine it had no label and had been through several replacement zippers so there was no way of telling which side the original was fitted on but I always suspected it was Canadian….one of the reasons we called ours Thunder Bay.

Yours is topstitched round the breast pocket, looks better than mine which isn’t, we’ve added the top stitch to the Aero version.

Your belt loops are tucked into the waistband seam, my original and the Aero version are cut into the waistband, bike jacket style, yours will be stronger.

Mine, and the Aero, has a waistband on the back, which I prefer, otherwise they are identical including, if I recall correctly, the colour of what was left of the quilting when I got it (now replaced) and surely these were both made by the same firm……..can you read the makers name on the label?



Regards



Ken

I would guess mine is also a Franco Canadian brand. Mine has not makers label. I wrote back with that information. Nice story, nice jacket. I was wearing it today.

 

[LouisBailie]

Looks very close to my new jacket but with the smaller sizes for the 46 coat vrs my size 50. Mine is HH vrs the steer hide.

 

[Peacoat]

Worf: Good eye.

TMitchell: Thanks for posting the pics and the story.

I think we can feel fairly confident that Ken's original jacket was a Franco Canadian, and that is what our Thunder Bays are based on. The only discrepancy is the lack of a shearling lining in the ebay listing. But as Worf pointed out, there is a zipper for a lining, which could have been shearling. Plus, the lining could have evolved over time. Start out as a removable and then to a permanent, or the other way around.

Good job to both of you.

 

[Worf]

^^^^^ Thanks for the love Peacoat. TMitchell's jacket is VERY close to what we have now from Aero. Did Ken ever know the brand of the jacket he had.... I wonder.

Worf

 

[Peacoat]

^^^^^ Thanks for the love Peacoat. TMitchell's jacket is VERY close to what we have now from Aero. Did Ken ever know the brand of the jacket he had.... I wonder.

Worf

No, according to Ken's message to TMitchell, the jacket had no label. But Ken always "suspected" it was Canadian. That was the reason for calling it the Thunder Bay.

 

[Worf]

Breaking News! Ken wrote me an email (knock me over with a feather). He say's he's viewed this thread and that he's certain that his jacket has been identified and he'll be updating the Aero website to reflect this information. Wow..... I'm absolutely floored.

Worf

 

[tmitchell59]

Breaking News! Ken wrote me an email (knock me over with a feather). He say's he's viewed this thread and that he's certain that his jacket has been identified and he'll be updating the Aero website to reflect this information. Wow..... I'm absolutely floored.

Worf

Great! Nice of him to comment. He is a man who likes his leathers.

 

[Peacoat]

Breaking News! Ken wrote me an email (knock me over with a feather). He say's he's viewed this thread and that he's certain that his jacket has been identified and he'll be updating the Aero website to reflect this information. Wow..... I'm absolutely floored.

Worf

Now that is a real feather in your cap. Maybe Ken will credit you with putting it all together. Jamaica Bay will be proud.

 

[Hide'n'seek]

Here is the original jacket of Ken's that Aero have used .

 

[tmitchell59]

Here is the original jacket of Ken's that Aero have used .

Thanks for posting these pics.

 

[Welsh dan]

Almost the same jacket. The shearling is a different shade though.

 

[handymike]

Very Nice! If it got cold here, I'd get one

 

[Welsh dan]

I only paid £30 for it in a charity (thrift) shop so I'm very pleased. There is no makers mark but I think it's horsehide and I think it was made in canada. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[George Holmes]

What year were these made, I have one which is at least 50 years old or more.