WWII US NAVY FLIGHT JACKETS M-422, M-422A , M-421A , M-445A , AN-J-3A , AN-6552

[joeryen]

Hi! Anyone who knows what this can be? I was told it was a wartime jacket. It has no usn on the stormflap, so should be a m-422? And no Usn on the collar, have found some trace of an U, but cant say what color it has been. It has a conmar zipper, the left side pocket is almost 1 inch wider than the right one (20 mm). And it has stitches from a 4.5 inch patch on the right chest. Thanks, Joe Sweden

[bazelot]

That a Gordon & Ferguson M-422A. It was heavily refurbished though. Hide looks sound and collar looks original.

[bazelot]

Extremely rare early 85956 contract Willis and Geiger M-422A and it is in stellar condition. Everything is in outstanding condition and there is close to zero wear on it. Leather is basically brand new. It is a size 46 and is HUGE (pit to pit is 26", shoulders are 21" and sleeves are 26"). It is basically a tad too big for me . The zipper is a beautiful M39 Talon painted brown. It is the only jacket with this contract number I know of.

 

[bazelot]

Details:

[bazelot]

Back

[JDK]

Very nice jacket and in a HUGE size. These normally run big to begin with.

 

JD

[todd022]

I just acquired a Brill Bros ("white tag") size 38 G-1, and I'm ecstatic about it! However, I currently wear a 38s in men's suit jackets, but this G-1 feels tiny! Is this really how they are supposed to fit? The end of the cuff is about an inch above my wrist...feels real dorky.

 

Advice? should I look for a 40?

[todd022]

Not trying to just increase my post count, but I can't seem to edit my original post. I wanted to include pics so readers can provide better feedback. Thanks for any input.

 

 

 

[joeryen]

That a Gordon & Ferguson M-422A. It was heavily refurbished though. Hide looks sound and collar looks original.

Ok, thanks

[bazelot]

Fried Ostermann M-422A fully refurbished

 

Leather is bulletproof and very heavy. Knits, waistband, lining and collar were professionally redone by Zoltan in the bay area (each stitch line was match and it is really hard to tell anything was replaced. The leather has fantastic patina hard to display on pictures.

[bazelot]

Lining and collar

[Colonel FOG]

I am seeking to identify an M-422 style jacket. Any clues to its authenticity would be appreciated.

 

[bazelot]

It is an H&L Block M-422A. It all looks original. What is the white backing on the lining?

[KASTAUFFER]

It looks like a silk escape map sewn into the lining.

 

Nice jacket!

 

Kurt

[Colonel FOG]

It is an H&L Block M-422A. It all looks original. What is the white backing on the lining?

It's an "escape map" for pilots flying in the China-Burma-India theater.

 

[Colonel FOG]

The jacket is now best-identified as an H&L Block M422A USN/USMC aviator's jacket, belonging to a VJ-12 pilot stationed at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal from July 1944 to Feb 1945. These pilot's flew B-26 Marauders as escorts for single-engine aircraft going to/from Guadalcanal and Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides. However, the reason for having a Chinese blood chit remains a mystery to me.

http://www.b26.com/page/the_b-26_marauder_in_us_navy_and_marine_corps_service.htm

[KASTAUFFER]

I recently acquired this very nice example of an M-422A US Navy Flight Jacket to a pilot from Bombing Fighting Squadron One who flew off the USS Bennington in 1945.

 

 

The Squadron patch represents the logo of the "Royal Flushers" which was the nickname of VBF-1. It is an canvas screened patch. The pilot also removed the 'ENS" rank from his nametag as he had moved up in rank.

 

Bombing Fighting Squadron One, designated as VBF-1 was formed at the Naval Air Station in Fallon, Nevada in December 1944 and commissioned on 2 January 1945, to become the fourth squadron in the Veteran Air Group One. Following Japan's surrender and the end of World War II in the Pacific, VBF-1 was disbanded on 1 November 1945.

 

Flying F4U Corsairs, the VBF-1 squadron was assigned to the USS Bennington (CV-20) in the Pacific on 17 June 1945, where it was based for the remainder of WWII. The squadron's pilots participated in strikes against the Imperial Japanese homeland and against her fleet at sea from 10 July 1945 until Japan's surrender on 15 August 1945, including attacks against the Nagato on 18 July 1945, and the battle of Kure from 24 July 1945 through 28 July 1945.

 

The jacket was made by Gordon and Ferguson which is a popular manufacturer because of the quality of the leather.

 

This jacket looks like he wore it during the war and then put it away for good. Its in remarkable condition.

 

[KASTAUFFER]

 

[KASTAUFFER]

[KASTAUFFER]

[KASTAUFFER]

[mch979]

I have a Willis and Geiger M422, contract S-74892, size 38, looks unworn.

 

Anyone know the difference between the M422 and M422a specs?

 

Also have a Willis and Geiger AN 6552, size 38, contract N 288s 32357.

 

Also an Gordon and Ferguson, M 422a, size 40, Contract, NXs. 416

 

Fried Ostermann, M 422 A, Contract 1408, Ext. A

 

B-3, HLB Corp, Size 44, Contract 42-5112-P

 

Can anyone suggest the value of these jackets in a general sense. These jackets are in good to excellent condition.

[mch979]

The birth of the ANJ-3 (as was the advent of all AN-specs clothing) was from a joint meeting between the Navy and AAF clothing departments in 1943 to compare and combine the best design features for efficiency sake. It was intended that the A2 would be replaced by the ANJ-3, and the Navy would continue with the ANJ-3a. But…HH Arnold ordered that flight clothing for the AAF move to textile instead of animal base, for lightness and cost, etc. If you look at a B-10 jacket, which was an AAF jacket used in 43 and 44 etc… it has Navy style pockets with buttons and fur collar… like the Navy jacket…and may have other design features like the pencil pocket that was in the Navy jacket… this did not happen by accident.

 

The ANJ-3 did actually exist. But I doubt any contracts were let, as the A2 was replaced by the B-10 in 1943. Anyone who has an A2 knows that it is not warm, and it is a bad design from an arm movement point of view… The ANJ 3 would have solved those issues, but was not to be, because of the B-10.

 

20 years ago, I did a lot of research on Navy flight jackets for Mr. Aoka through his US agent Norman Hatch at the National Archives. I was able to find the original spec documents for the M 422 and M 422a, as well as information on the early M 422 and M 422a contracts, contract numbers, and numbers of jackets per contract. These data are all still in my files in the states. I live in Germany now.

 

Does anyone know how the M 422 design came to exist?… That is an interesting story with some intrigue.

[bazelot]

The birth of the ANJ-3 (as was the advent of all AN-specs clothing) was from a joint meeting between the Navy and AAF clothing departments in 1943 to compare and combine the best design features for efficiency sake. It was intended that the A2 would be replaced by the ANJ-3, and the Navy would continue with the ANJ-3a. But…HH Arnold ordered that flight clothing for the AAF move to textile instead of animal base, for lightness and cost, etc. If you look at a B-10 jacket, which was an AAF jacket used in 43 and 44 etc… it has Navy style pockets with buttons and fur collar… like the Navy jacket…and may have other design features like the pencil pocket that was in the Navy jacket… this did not happen by accident.

 

The ANJ-3 did actually exist. But I doubt any contracts were let, as the A2 was replaced by the B-10 in 1943. Anyone who has an A2 knows that it is not warm, and it is a bad design from an arm movement point of view… The ANJ 3 would have solved those issues, but was not to be, because of the B-10.

 

20 years ago, I did a lot of research on Navy flight jackets for Mr. Aoka through his US agent Norman Hatch at the National Archives. I was able to find the original spec documents for the M 422 and M 422a, as well as information on the early M 422 and M 422a contracts, contract numbers, and numbers of jackets per contract. These data are all still in my files in the states. I live in Germany now.

 

Does anyone know how the M 422 design came to exist?… That is an interesting story with some intrigue.

 

That would be very interesting to post the results of your research here whenever you get back to the States. Could you post pictures of your jackets?

[mch979]

 

That would be very interesting to post the results of your research here whenever you get back to the States. Could you post pictures of your jackets?

I tried to upload but the photo files apparently are too large.

 

Does any one know if collector Jeff Spielberg has a Tex Hill AVG jacket?