How the US Air Force Lost Its Leather Bomber Jackets9525373

With the invention of aircraft, necessary was created: a method for pilots in addition to their passengers and keep warm at high altitudes. Because development of flight technology soared through the two World Wars, leather bomber jackets and accompanying leather pants and perhaps leather flying cap had become the standard. Fleece-lined leather jackets were issued to flight personnel goods course.

After Second world war, aeronautical engineering continued to safely move in a lot, and soon the jet age was developed. From the mid-1950s the leather bomber jacket was not longer the ideal item of clothing for pilots and the like flying in US Air Force airplanes.

It absolutely was all as a result of new jet planes. These can fly at high altitude. If the fliers' bulky, heavy jackets became wet with the rain when they walked on the aircraft, this type of water would freeze at high altitudes. This made for cold and unhappy airmen. Also, the jets were a great deal more streamlined in design than previous aircraft. There wasn't any longer any room for bulky jackets in cramped cockpits full of complicated equipment. The pilots and navigators needed to move easily round the cockpit and enter and then leave it without impediment. The bigwigs in the USAF begun to regard these classic waste clothing as safety hazards.

The designers were briefed: what was required would have been a lightweight yet warm jacket which was appropriate for the flight personnel operating the modern jet airplanes. The bell tolled for that bulky, leather items. Bomber jackets had become relics consigned to usaf military documentaries.

The initial manufacturers chose to make use of cotton. The end result wa the B-15 jacket. This experienced a wool collar with pile (similar to fur), that has been carried over from the earlier B-10 leather bomber jacket. The B-15 failed to last long since it was way too lightweight and failed to keep flight personnel warm. The B-15 was reinvented, on this occasion created from nylon, as well as fur collar was dropped since it was found to interfere with the straps used.

The next development right after the nylon B-15 flight jacket was the MA-1 jacket. Developed by the usa Air Force, the Intermediate Weight Flight Jacket, or MA-1, was created from excellent nylon sufficient reason for polyester interlinings (padding). This stood a useful combination. In scorching temperatures the flier could wear the jacket open and also be comfortable. Upon entering the aircraft, the flier could zip the MA-1 closed and become as warm as toast at high altitudes.

That it was the MA-1 flight that succeeded in usurping completely the leather bomber jacket as US Air Force issue. The initial MA-1 jackets were issued around 1949 or 1950 to United states of america Air Force and Navy pilots and Flight crews. Small numbers were also issued to Army flight personnel. While there were many design modifications subsequently, mostly as a result of new textiles, new sewing techniques or new aircraft cockpit design (of late in 1980), the MA-1 flight jacket is just about the standard in USAF flight jacket. Read more.

Midnight blue was along with originally employed for MA-1 jackets by way of the military, but later it turned out changed to sage green, for camouflage purposes. Over the Korean War, (1950-1953), as air force history, the leather bomber jacket was present in the military. These fliers were often motley crew. Some fliers still wore their beloved leather flight jackets, whilst some wore B-15 jackets and yet others blue or green MA-1 jackets.

Today, modern fashion MA-1's are available in a number of colors, such as traditional ones, and black, red, blue, silver, grey, yellow. An original leather bomber jackets are becoming collectors' items, and you will find some leather craftsmen who make beautiful replicas on the fleece lined leather jackets of old.