KASTAUFFER Posted December 21, 2016 Author #326 Posted December 21, 2016 Thats a great looking jacket. I bet its for WWII. He would not have been a pilot but could have had a different spot in a bomber crew. Not sure what squadron the patch is for, but it looks like a WWII patch. The nametag does too. Kurt
Navybean Posted December 22, 2016 #327 Posted December 22, 2016 Thats a great looking jacket. I bet its for WWII. He would not have been a pilot but could have had a different spot in a bomber crew. Not sure what squadron the patch is for, but it looks like a WWII patch. The nametag does too. Kurt Thanks Kurt Jacket patch appears to be from VF901 a reserve group that flew out of Spokane WA from NAS Spokane late 40s early 50s. The station was a shared airfield with the USAF at Geiger for about 2 years or so. Great patch and thanks to a few forum members was identified as VF901. I have another M422 from NAS Spokane that I will see about getting some pics of this week end Both jackets were found locally here in Spokane ( I know go figure).
Navybean Posted December 23, 2016 #328 Posted December 23, 2016 OK as a match to the last jacket VF-901 from NAS Spokane I have another M422A/ Possibly early G-1 jacket with rare NAS Spokane Squadron Patch. I really like this jacket, I purchased direct from vet (he later added NAS Sandpoint patch to the jacket but it is from much later time frame). The NAS Spokane patch is original to the jacket and was there when the vet served at the air station
Navybean Posted December 23, 2016 #332 Posted December 23, 2016 while I had the camera out I decided to take pics of my M-422 flight jacket (not M422A but a M422). Jacket has the correct pocket sizes, early tag with M422 nomenclature and the jacket has a great 1943 era Stars and Bar painting on the back. Great coat I have had for about 20 years or so.
Navybean Posted December 23, 2016 #334 Posted December 23, 2016 more pics note there is no USN on the back of the collar.
jerry_k Posted December 23, 2016 #337 Posted December 23, 2016 M422 is a rare stuff! Thanks for pics! Cheers, Jerry
KASTAUFFER Posted December 23, 2016 Author #338 Posted December 23, 2016 M422 is a rare stuff! Thanks for pics! Cheers, Jerry On Willis and Geiger tags, the "A" is often worn off the M-422A designation. Im pretty sure this is an M-422A. Kurt
Navybean Posted December 23, 2016 #339 Posted December 23, 2016 On Willis and Geiger tags, the "A" is often worn off the M-422A designation. Im pretty sure this is an M-422A. Kurt Kurt I am not so sure, the collar matches the smaller size of the M422 (from memory the M422 has smaller collar then the M422A as this jacket does 2 1/2 I believe?) the pockets on the M422 are different sizes ( I believe the left hand pocket) then the M422A as this jacket has, I believe the M422A has a wide left pocket with pencil hole? This Jacket has a narrower left pocket then all of the M422A jackets I have. The 422 is strong on the tag no appearance evidence of missing A. I could be wrong but I believe this is a M422 not a M422A
KASTAUFFER Posted December 23, 2016 Author #340 Posted December 23, 2016 Here is the contract #s for the W&G Geiger jackets that I know about. I also have some for the M-422WILLIS AND GEIGER INC. CONTRACT-Nos.290A SPECIFICATION M 422AWILLIS AND GEIGER INC. CONTRACT-N Xs-290 SPECIFICATION M 422aWILLIS AND GEIGER INC. CONTRACT-No. S-74892 SPECIFICATION M 422Monarch Mfg. Company CONTRACT-No. 79633 SPECIFICATION M-422Willis & Geiger contract N156s 16957 specificationM422Willis & Geiger contract NOs 85956 specification M422Based on this it looks like it might be an M-422. The contract number is confusing though because it appears it is from the time M-422As were the current contract.
KASTAUFFER Posted December 23, 2016 Author #341 Posted December 23, 2016 Here is an M-422 from the Monarch contracthttp://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/15380-wwii-us-navy-flight-jackets-m-422-m-422a-m-421a-m-445a-an-j-3a-an-6552/page-4Look at how much different it looks than this one. The collar is not as wide.
KASTAUFFER Posted December 23, 2016 Author #342 Posted December 23, 2016 Here is a thread on contract numbers http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/1590-us-navy-contracts/ based on what it is saying, your jacket would be from a 1942 contract ( 16957 is in that range ). Kurt
mch979 Posted December 24, 2016 #343 Posted December 24, 2016 Fantastic piece Kurt. Do you know the exact year of manufacture and what are the main differences in design between this and the -422a might I ask? Thanks, Will The first M422's were produced in March of 1940, but this spec was superseded by the M422a in October of 1940. The main difference and the reason for the spec change from M422 to M422a was the sleeve length was determined to be too short on the M422's… I have copies of the original specs from the M422 thru the 55J14s. There were a few other differences also, but I have forgotten them since it has been 20 years since I researched the origin of the M422/G1 style jacket back in the early 1990's. It is correct that the process for the new design happened in 1938 in Philadelphia Navy Yard, and I once knew the names of the two officers who were tasked with evolving the design, and I have copies of original correspondence between them and Willis and Geiger…attached is a photo of my earliest W&G contract # 74892. It won't upload…you can email me or whatever for a photo...
jerry_k Posted December 24, 2016 #344 Posted December 24, 2016 On Willis and Geiger tags, the "A" is often worn off the M-422A designation. Im pretty sure this is an M-422A. Kurt Yes I know but it dosent looks like worn off Cheers, Jerry
KASTAUFFER Posted December 24, 2016 Author #345 Posted December 24, 2016 The first M422's were produced in March of 1940, but this spec was superseded by the M422a in October of 1940. The main difference and the reason for the spec change from M422 to M422a was the sleeve length was determined to be too short on the M422's I have copies of the original specs from the M422 thru the 55J14s. There were a few other differences also, but I have forgotten them since it has been 20 years since I researched the origin of the M422/G1 style jacket back in the early 1990's. It is correct that the process for the new design happened in 1938 in Philadelphia Navy Yard, and I once knew the names of the two officers who were tasked with evolving the design, and I have copies of original correspondence between them and Willis and Geigerattached is a photo of my earliest W&G contract # 74892. It won't uploadyou can email me or whatever for a photo... Based on your research and the contract number of the WG jacket being discussed here, is it an M422 or an M422a? Kurt
mch979 Posted December 24, 2016 #346 Posted December 24, 2016 Based on your research and the contract number of the WG jacket being discussed here, is it an M422 or an M422a? Kurt It is clearly marked and M422… Contract is S-74892… sorry I can't post a photo…it will not upload...
KASTAUFFER Posted December 24, 2016 Author #347 Posted December 24, 2016 It is clearly marked and M422 Contract is S-74892 sorry I can't post a photoit will not upload... Sorry, I was referring to this jacket. Images have to be smaller than 500 kb to post. You have to shrink them or reduce the resolution. Kurt
KASTAUFFER Posted December 24, 2016 Author #348 Posted December 24, 2016 Here is a Monarch tag for an M22.
pararaftanr2 Posted December 24, 2016 #349 Posted December 24, 2016 Gentlemen, Just some observations. Kurt, in your post #341, you list the WG contract that matches the label in the OP's jacket as an M-422. With the N156 prefix to the contract, it would appear to me to be pre-war. I don't recall if "N156" prefix represents the Philadelphia Naval Yard, or the Brooklyn Navy Yard, but Dustin could clarify that if he sees this. The label itself appears to have been re-stitched. You can see where they even stitched around the size tag, so this was not done at the factory. Also, if I recall correctly, wouldn't this jacket, if an M-422, have had a reddish colored lining, rather than the brown seen here which came later? Maybe the jacket was re-lined at some point? An interesting discussion, for sure. Regards, Paul
Silvio Posted March 16, 2017 #350 Posted March 16, 2017 Here is mine AN-J-3A Jacket salty with some rips and tears,probally replaced liner,cuffs,waistband,Conmar zipper C.D.Bray started as a NAP in 1939 He flew the PBY-4 in VP-1 and saw action against the japanese in the Dutch-Indies and australia After WW2 he served in Korea,Still researching his career and i know he served as a HELO pilot in 1956 in HC-2 on CVA-15 last stationed at the Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Center in the helicopter squadron. He retired in 1961 he served 27 years in the Navy and was a member of the silver eagles For those interested here is the thread http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/280861-ww2-pilot-cdbray-vp-21/ Thank you
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