The Army Air Corps had introduced their A1 bomber jacket in 1927, and when the CCC needed a simple to produce winter jacket, they took heavy inspiration from their USAAC brothers. Introduced in the mid 1930s, the jacket would change from the A1's leather to a thick melton wool shell, with a cossack style knit collar, heavy knitted cuffs, and an elasticated waist.
There are multiple variations of these rare jackets, and this features matching heavy wool for the collar and cuffs, and a lighter elasticated waist, which like everyone of these I've seen, has lost its elastic. There are 7 buttons down the front, one of which looks like a replacement, and inside the button placket an awesome CCC ink stamp.
Even more interestingly, this is the actual jacket that was photographed and printed in Lightning Magazine's Military Jacket book! A little piece of vintage history, which I didn't actually realise until well after I'd bought it.
Condition
For its age, this is in spectacular condition. The collar and cuffs, bar a couple of small moth nips are in amazing shape. The wool shell is still heavy and thick, there are a couple of areas of wear across the shoulders - likely from where someone has worn a pack - but this does not affect the structural stability of the piece and is unnoticeable. Overall amazing condition, for a rare and much in-demand piece.
Size
- No tags but fits like a modern medium/large
- Pit to pit 22.5"
- Shoulder to shoulder 18"
- Collar to cuff 25.5"
- Collar to hem 27"