I hear the holy grail of flight jackets thrown around a bit, but honestly this is a strong contender. And if not the holy grail, then definitely the Cadillac. When the Air Force became its own service branch in 1947 they wanted to distinguish themselves from their Army cousins, and chose to change to an all blue uniform. This included the new nylon flight jackets that had recently been introduced... A true classic was born with the beautiful L-2A.
Tried and tested in the air above the Yalu River as well as the bars in Seoul, the L-2A was not only comfortable in the cockpit, but stylish on the ground and well liked by pilots... Until they realised that blue wasn't the most inconspicuous colour for escaping when shot down in snowy Korean mountains, and the now classic sage green was introduced in 1955.
Condition
If you've never seen one of these in person, then an L-2A never disappoints, with a rich deep blue colour that really could never be properly captured by any repop. And this one completely lives up to that. The body is completely solid with the nylon in great condition. There are three small holes, but all have cauterised so won't expand. The zip has been recently replaced with a period correct Crown spring loaded zipper. The waist ribbing and collar are original, though the collar is a little rough. The cuffs have been replaced professionally at some point. A solid and very wearable example of these rare and in-demand jackets.
Sizing:
- Tagged Size 38
- Fits a modern medium/large
- Pit to pit 22"
- Shoulder to shoulder 19"
- Shoulder to cuff 24"
- Collar to hem 24"