Started by Ed Land in Kansas in 1959 Flite Wear by Land MFG would become widely known for making the flight jackets worn by NASA and other test pilots. Ed was initially employed by Fruhauf, a band uniform company and sometime maker of small batch flying clothing for the Air Force and aircraft manufacturers. When the Fruhauf owners threw away a government contract wanting to focus on band uniforms, Ed would take the contract out of the bin and found Land MFG, and it's brand Flite Wear. Flite Wear would most famously make the jackets worn by Astronauts of the Apollo era, but also manufactured for many of the aircraft makers of the age.
This is a super rare example of a NASA contract flight suit as worn by all astronauts and test pilots during the mid-late 1960s and beyond. These can clearly be seen being worn by all the crews of the major moon missions, Apollo 11, 12, 13 etc, especially when they returned to earth on various aircraft carriers. A very rare chance to own a piece of mankind's greatest achievement,
Condition
Excellent condition, some marks showing a NASA patch removed from the chest, but otherwise perfect.
Size
- Tagged a 36 short.
- Fits large
- Pit to pit 20"
- Shoulder to shoulder (approx raglan) 19"
- Shoulder to cuff (approx raglan) 22"
- Collar to crotch 32"
- inside leg 27"