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Help Date AN-J-2 USN Flight Jacket


M60 Driver
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Just got this jacket into my store and can't find much info on this style, an AN-J-2. Lots of posts on what is clearly a closely related jacket the M421 series, but not this model. Any further info on this jacket would be appreciated and thanks in advance.

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pararaftanr2

Hi M60 Driver,

Your jacket is the third generation of US Navy summer flight jacket from WWII. The M-421a, with two external pockets, was first, followed by the M-421b, with three external pockets and finally, your AN-J-2 with four pockets. These jackets followed the progression of the Navy's summer flight suits and changed each time the flight suits were improved. Essentially, they were simply the top half of a flight suit. The M-716 jacket mentioned has the same details as your jacket, however, it's label reflects it's post war reversion to a Navy, rather than Army/Navy spec. and a post war Navy contract number. Your jacket, with an N-288s contract prefix, is of WWII vintage and was probably produced in the Summer of 1945. Hope this helps. Regards, Paul

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Thanks all for the info. The jacket came in a small lot and I will be posting pics of the various items in the "latest finds" section. I do know the aviator attended flight school in 1943, was discharged from active duty later in the 1940s and then went back to active flight status around 1950 flying P2 Neptunes out of Kodiak.

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  • 4 months later...
Here is the tag

 

I have seen this same style jacket in the past. To the best of my knowledge it is in fact the second or later WW-2 version of the M-421A. That would make the production date post 1943 and beyond.

 

Chees, Dave

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As Paul said ... it is true third pattern of Navy summer jacket from late WW2 ( see the N288 contract ) the jacket is similar to late war summer M668 flight suit which have also two chest pockets and round collar...

Nice find!

 

The best regards,

Jerry K.

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