The A-1 soon gave way to the A-2 in the ‘30s, which switched out the buttons for a more secure zip closure and featured a fold-down collar, inspiring a vintage and instantly recognizable silhouette.ĭuring World War II, technological advancement allowed planes to fly faster and at higher altitudes, which brought the need for even warmer pilot jackets. It also featured a button closure and flap pockets. ![]() Specs for the A-1 included a knit waistband and cuffs for better insulation, and was often made of horsehide, sheepskin, or goatskin leather. In 1927, the US Army produced the first standard flight jacket: type A-1. ![]() What we know as the bomber jacket today likely got its name from these aircrafts and their pilots. The first pilot bomber jackets were made of leather and fur, both highly insulating materials that were well-suited to the cold, open-air cockpits of WWI bomber planes. In World War I, aerial bombing was a common war strategy, especially in Europe, which led to the development of bomber aircraft and the training of fighter pilots – known as “aces” – to carry out strategic bombing raids. But how was the classic bomber jacket created, and why has its fashion appeal endured for decades? In this post, we’ll take you through the history of the bomber jacket, including a closer look at design variations, some little-known facts, and its place in the Alpha Industries’ legacy. All rights reserved.Whether you need a bomber winter jacket for low temperatures, a lightweight layer for spring, or a military-style sherpa jacket, there’s no denying that a good bomber is a wardrobe must-have. For more information or to order an Apollo Flight Jacket in the interim, email Alexander Leathers at: through to for more photographs of Still The Right Stuff’s replica Apollo flight jacket.įollow on Facebook and on Twitter at collectSPACE. "Please enjoy this reminder of our greatest days in space and remember we can do the impossible again," Worden said, "if we keep the space exploration flame alive."Ī website for Still The Right Stuff will be online soon. "All the variations of this jacket will be produced if there is demand, including the later gold-colored variant," Pidcock and Worden wrote. Still The Right Stuff plans additional offerings, including a limited edition "Signature" version of the flight jacket with its orange lining substituted by white silk and autographed by Worden. The blue jacket is £450 (pound sterling), which at current exchange rates is about $740 (US). Orders for the replica Apollo flight jacket have just begun through Alexander Leather Jackets in Scotland. " is a truly authentic copy of the clothing we wore during the Apollo days," Worden wrote. Fortunately, the zippers, studs and snaps were still available from the government contractor that produced the pieces for NASA. The jacket soft-goods sourced, the astronaut and attorney turned attention to the hardware. "We couldn't find the original cloth material so we, at great expense, contracted a company to reproduce exactly the material in the jackets we wore," Worden said. They did the same for the jacket's lining, having the iconic flame-orange Rayon material recreated from scratch. The jacket's outer shell was fabricated from cotton thread, which Still The Right Stuff had dyed to the correct shade of blue and then sewn on correct-for-the-period machines using the same weave pattern as the vintage coats. ![]() "It soon became apparent that the material of the correct weave and quality was not available 'off the shelf,' so the Right Stuff team set about to solve that problem," Worden and Pidcock wrote.Īs vintage fabric for the jackets was no longer available, Worden and Pidcock had to have new material woven. Getting hold of a real jacket however, turned out to be the least of the challenges to producing a faithful replica. With the help of some friends, Worden was able to source two of the original jackets for examination and patterning, including Apollo 7 astronaut Wally Schirra's jacket, which is displayed at the U.S. Although plentiful in photos taken of the astronauts in the mid-1960s and early 1970s, physical examples of the coat are few and far between today. Like his fellow Apollo astronauts, Worden wore his jacket whenever he flew in NASA's T-38 supersonic jets to go where he and his crewmates were training for spaceflight and the geology they would likely encounter once on the moon. ![]() flight jackets ever produced," Worden and Pidcock describe in the release announcing Still The Right Stuff's inaugural offering. "These jackets were only issued to the elite, 'The Right Stuff,' and as such are surely one of the rarest and most desirable U.S. (Image credit: NASA/Still The Right Stuff) Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden seen wearing his original NASA-issued blue flight jacket.
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