What size flight jacket do you wear?

[Big J]

Hi all!

I'm kind of interested to know what size flight jackets you guys wear. I'm a measured 49 inch chest, so I always go for a size 50, but I'm pretty confidant that flight jackets were never issued in sizes above 48[huh] (original flight jackets in size 48 seem pretty rare).

Maybe this is because pilots are smaller guys (so they have more room to move in cramped cockpits?), or maybe changes in diet, nutrition, and lifestyle have made modern guys bigger than WWII men? Or maybe, like me, you buy jackets when you're in your 40's, and are getting a little 'larger' than you were when you were 20?. I just don't know.

So, I'm kind of interested to find out what sizes people wear. Maybe I'm the odd one out, and most of you guys are slim like Sloan?

 

[nick123]

40-42. I've seen instances here where bigger guys look great in their A-2s. All about how you wear it-size makes little difference to me. Sometimes I'm envious of the bigger dudes. I look like a little twig.

 

[2jakes]

Hi all!

I'm kind of interested to know what size flight jackets you guys wear. I'm a measured 49 inch chest, so I always go for a size 50, but I'm pretty confidant that flight jackets were never issued in sizes above 48[huh] (original flight jackets in size 48 seem pretty rare).

Maybe this is because pilots are smaller guys (so they have more room to move in cramped cockpits?), or maybe changes in diet, nutrition, and lifestyle have made modern guys bigger than WWII men? Or maybe, like me, you buy jackets when you're in your 40's, and are getting a little 'larger' than you were when you were 20?. I just don't know.

So, I'm kind of interested to find out what sizes people wear. Maybe I'm the odd one out, and most of you guys are slim like Sloan?

I’m 6’ 3” & wear a size 42 A-2 style leather jackets. Lately I favor my A-1 which wears more like a sweater .
I owe my trim probably to my bicycling & playing tennis any chance I can get when I’m not working.
My job consisted of carrying a video camera & running around all day covering all types of news topics.
I’m semi-retired but still active.

I have noticed that for the most part in period films of the 30s-40s, the jackets as you mentioned appear to be
on the smug or trim style.
Although the pilots & stature for the most part were of a smaller build, there were exceptions like Jimmy Stewart
wearing his A-2 jacket.

I usually wear on the trim side my clothes & jackets .
A photo in black & white of me & I look like one of
those fellows from “Norman Rockwell”...
with the pant cuffs rather short !

 

[Stand By]

40-42. (and I'm 5'7" and 155 lbs).
And that's only because, at 48, I get walked by all the dogs every day for 1.5 hrs each morning and I still ride my bikes everyday to work (10K each way) and back in all weathers, all seasons - same as when I started my career as an apprentice. I tell you, if I didn't ride, with the beer I drink (just one a day as a rule - for medicinal purposes. It takes the edge off a world gone completely mad) and the chocolate I eat every afternoon, otherwise I'd look like William Shatner.

 

[Doctor Strange]

You're right that the WWII generation, who'd grown up during the Depression, were mostly considerably smaller/lighter than today's average 20-year-old. Much less a 60-year-old like me!

I'm usually a 48 or 50, but it's always all about my gut girth, not my shoulders/chest/arms.

Of course, with every maker's sizing being different, I've owned everything from 44s to 52s (and Ls, XLs, and 2XLs). My best-fitting jackets are ones that were either custom-made to my size (Good Wear Dubow, Wested Raiders) or ones where I had the sleeves shortened after buying (Schott casual racer). Standard sizes are always wrong for me, one way or another, with too-long sleeves being the most frequent issue.

 

[Dumb&dumber]

I am like you and have an original Irvin pre-war,
which I can wear.The Irvin is pit 2 pit 26"/28" ( front/back )
See my posts its all there.

 

[Worf]

As Doc said, it varies with the maker and the jacket style. I've worn A2's that "kinda" fit from size 46 to 54 and everything in-between. My problem is not gut so much as shoulders and arms. My current fave is a very light, almost Octagon colored Good Wear that I inherited from Butte via John Calder I believe. I've a Black U.S. Authentic that's swimming on me that I've already had downsized once that will need to be replaced soon.

Worf

 

[Grayland]

I'm a size 40 with a fairly slim gut and I had a size 40 BK house A-2 that fit me great. I got rid of that and now have a size 42 BK Werber contract (which I understand is a slimmer contract) that also fits great, although I feel the sleeves are a tad long. It all depends on the maker and contract.

 

[IXL]

My A-2 is a size 38 and is plenty big. I'm 5'11", 157lbs this morning .

 

[Big J]

I’m 6’ 3” & wear a size 42 A-2 style leather jackets. Lately I favor my A-1 which wears more like a sweater .
I owe my trim probably to my bicycling & playing tennis any chance I can get when I’m not working.
My job consisted of carrying a video camera & running around all day covering all types of news topics.
I’m semi-retired but still active.

I have noticed that for the most part in period films of the 30s-40s, the jackets as you mentioned appear to be
on the smug or trim style.
Although the pilots & stature for the most part were of a smaller build, there were exceptions like Jimmy Stewart
wearing his A-2 jacket.

I usually wear on the trim side my clothes & jackets .
A photo in black & white of me & I look like one of
those fellows from “Norman Rockwell”...
with the pant cuffs rather short !

True, but Jimmy Stewart's got an unfair advantage; between bombing nazis, he was moonlighting as a movie star. He was gonna look good no matter what he wore!

 

[Carlos840]

I can't wear an A2 jacket unfortunately.
I am very V shaped, thin waist and wide shoulders and every single A2 i have tried has had shoulders far to small for me to fit in.
It seems that most size 42 A2 have 18.5" or less in the shoulders and i need 19.5" minimum.

 

[Dumb&dumber]

The GW or ELC or Aero A2's in 46" have 19" up to 21" Shoulder to shoulder seam..
Try it out.

 

[alsendk]

My Irvin is size 42, and is a perfect fit for me. But isn`t a 52 US size the same as a 42 UK size?

 

[Dumb&dumber]

A US and UK 42" is approx a EU 52"

 

[Justhandguns]

I am 5'11", 163lb, weighted in the gym not long ago. Most of my jackets and flight jackets are a comfortable 40, I also have a 38 BK A-2 which gives me a good slim "Japanese fit", except that I cannot wear anything other than a polo shirt underneath.

 

[Gromulus]

Although the pilots & stature for the most part were of a smaller build, there were exceptions like Jimmy Stewart
wearing his A-2 jacket.

Actually Jimmy Stewart had a very small build. At 6'3" he weighed 143# and had a hard time entering the service as a new recruit since he didn't make the 148# weight cut-off. Supposedly he gained some weight to gain accpetance but most say he used his influence to get a "pass".

Anyhow, I am 5'7" 215# and usually wear a 46 short in a modern A-2.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Others have mentioned that men in days past were generally thinner than today, which one need only take a look around a Wal Mart parking lot on a Saturday afternoon to prove to themselves (I don't mean that in a sneering way, by the way). Another thing is the cult of muscles which grips modern people; today the ideal male form is heavily muscled with big shoulders, pecs, and biceps, but in days past skinny muscle was preferred and before that a barrel chest with skinny arms and sloping shoulders was preferred*. It is no surprise that a vintage A-2 jacket cut to fit a skinny man with normal sized shoulders won't fit someone today who is overweight or who works out a lot.

* The latter particularly so in the Victorian and Edwardian periods, something that is totally ignored in internet discussions about Scholte and the "drape" cut.

 

[Gromulus]

Others have mentioned that men in days past were generally thinner than today, which one need only take a look around a Wal Mart parking lot on a Saturday afternoon to prove to themselves (I don't mean that in a sneering way, by the way). Another thing is the cult of muscles which grips modern people; today the ideal male form is heavily muscled with big shoulders, pecs, and biceps, but in days past skinny muscle was preferred and before that a barrel chest with skinny arms and sloping shoulders was preferred*. It is no surprise that a vintage A-2 jacket cut to fit a skinny man with normal sized shoulders won't fit someone today who is overweight or who works out a lot.

* The latter particularly so in the Victorian and Edwardian periods, something that is totally ignored in internet discussions about Scholte and the "drape" cut.

"Cult of muscles".... I like that.

 

[Dumb&dumber]

I am 6'3" and 184lb, V shaped, working for a security and VIP protection Co.
Trim and fit.
I wear GW 46"-48" ,ELC 46" in A-2's and Aero 48" IRVIN. My real WW2 jackets A-2 Dubow 46" fits snug.
My real WW 2 IRVIN size 8 ( I believe ) is very roomy even with a RAF sweater/ jumper.

 

[Justhandguns]

50 years apart, spot the differences?