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

[grogsie_86]

Original or repro?

 

 

[grogsie_86]

[grogsie_86]

[grogsie_86]

[grogsie_86]

Any help appreciated!

[KASTAUFFER]

Looks real to me.

[bazelot]

yes it it an original one.

[jerry_k]

Fake do not bid it !

[grogsie_86]

Fake do not bid it !

 

What makes you say that Jerry?

[dustin]

Sarcasm is banned here Jerry! (sarcasm)

Grogsie Jerry is not being serious

[grogsie_86]

Sarcasm is banned here Jerry! (sarcasm)

Grogsie Jerry is not being serious

dammit, I feel like I've let my dry English humour heritage down

[jerry_k]

Come on guys, let's take some chill out here:)!

 

Jacket is super cool Grogsie, I wrote that becouse I noticed it listed on Epay.

 

Cheers,

Jerry

[grogsie_86]

You had me worried Sir Jerry..

[Klaxon]

Around Christmas I got what I hoped might be a legit ANJ-3 flyers jacket. It's been almost impossible to find any concrete info on this mysterious jacket.

I was lucky enough to have a friend who nows Mr. Aota the author of Full Gear and had him look at my jacket. He said after looking at it somethings that just made me more thirsty for knowledge regarding the ANJ-3. According to his research which he says spans 30+years this is what he had to say.....

 

"The leather jacket is not AN-J3. It should be civilian jacket in WW2, probably made by Willis and Geiger. According to my serious research on AN-J3 over 30 years, I couldn't find any evidence that AN-J3 was issued in Army. Many dealers call it AN-J3, but no collectors believe it."

 

" I explained it on the page 126 of FG in Japanese in detail. In my opinion, even Navy didn't order AN-J3. So any AN-J3 doesn't exist. Maybe some test samples exist, but I claimed a prefatory column on Free and Easy magazine in 2007; "If someone find an AN-J3 with original label, I will buy it at 20 thousand dollars or more!" But no one talked me about that:)))"

So it would seem he's thoroughly convinced that it was never contracted by the Army or Navy...."The spec of AN-J3 was published in April 15, 1943, and AN-J3A was done in Oct 5, 1943. I guess Army and Navy didn't order their leather jackets between these days. Army decided AN-J3 as standard in April 27, 1943, but also they decided B-10 intermediate jacket which was quite similar style cloth outfit with aplaca lining in July 22, 1943.

Perhaps the ANJ-3 and the B-10 were both being reviewed and considered for issue.

Anyways here are some pics of the jacket in question.

The zip has been replaced at some point. Looks like a 1950's Talon. Not an uncommon sight on WWII flight jackets. Never had a label other than a small cheese cloth label in one of the front chest pockets. Everything about it construction wise looks like a ANJ-3A, G-1 style jacket. many "G-1" features but with a few A-2's thrown in. I nice jacket regardless of whether or not it's the holy grail of flight jackets. Any insight from advanced flight jacket collectors would be great.

 

[Klaxon]

Here are some more detail shots of the jacket, specifically the collar....

[Klaxon]

details of the under arm panels and gusset back

[Klaxon]

Waistband, pocket and pocket lining with tag remnants.

[bazelot]

It is indeed a Willis and Geiger, great jacket, thanks for posting. The ANJ3 jacket is indeed a myth. No one has ever found one with a government contract.

[Klaxon]

Thanks for the info. I figured Mr.Aota knew what he was talkig about but since he'd never actualy seen one it still left me with some doubts. So if none exist then they most likely never made samples. Would be cool to see the specs/drawings of the ANJ-3. It seams weird that a civilian jacket wouldn't have a tag on it but then again it's weird that a military jacket wouldn't have a tag either. If it's 40's it's still at a time when branding wasn't as important so could be. You recognized it as a W&G so I take it you own or have seen this same jacket before? Did it have a tag idetifying it as a W&G or your identification is that based on materials/construction used?

Cheers,

Matt

[bazelot]

Thanks for the info. I figured Mr.Aota knew what he was talkig about but since he'd never actualy seen one it still left me with some doubts. So if none exist then they most likely never made samples. Would be cool to see the specs/drawings of the ANJ-3. It seams weird that a civilian jacket wouldn't have a tag on it but then again it's weird that a military jacket wouldn't have a tag either. If it's 40's it's still at a time when branding wasn't as important so could be. You recognized it as a W&G so I take it you own or have seen this same jacket before? Did it have a tag idetifying it as a W&G or your identification is that based on materials/construction used?

Cheers,

Matt

It is based on the construction.

[bazelot]

It looks like this thread is dying. I have around 50 WWII Navy flight jackets I haven't posted yet on the thread. I will try to post some of them in the coming days

[Navybean]

50 USN jackets? Holy @€]¥ !!!!

 

I thought I was lucky to have 10.

[bazelot]

50 USN jackets? Holy @€]¥ !!!!

 

I thought I was lucky to have 10.

 

Yes, I went a bit overboard

It takes a lot of space as well......

[bazelot]

Let's start with a Beautiful Ed Church M-422A, pictures are not so good but jacket is in excellent condition:

 

 

[bazelot]

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