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


KASTAUFFER
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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

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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).

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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

post-45737-0-24296100-1482457614_thumb.jpg

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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.

post-45737-0-96859200-1482457849_thumb.jpg

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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

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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

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Here is the contract #s for the W&G Geiger jackets that I know about. I also have some for the M-422

WILLIS AND GEIGER INC. CONTRACT-Nos.290A SPECIFICATION M 422A
WILLIS AND GEIGER INC. CONTRACT-N Xs-290 SPECIFICATION M 422a
WILLIS AND GEIGER INC. CONTRACT-No. S-74892 SPECIFICATION M 422


Monarch Mfg. Company CONTRACT-No. 79633 SPECIFICATION M-422

Willis & Geiger contract N156s 16957 specificationM422

Willis & Geiger contract NOs 85956 specification M422

Based 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.

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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...

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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

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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

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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...

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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

image.jpeg

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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

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  • 2 months later...

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/

 

post-158216-0-79721000-1489662251_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

Thank you

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