Everyone who visits this site knows how much I love flight jackets, and you really can't get a more definitive pattern than the L-2B. Much lighter and (in my humble opinion) more wearable that it's MA-1 elder brother, the L-2B really is the archetypal jacket if you're into flight wear. And this is really the definitive version, when this jacket really came of age in the skies of Southeast Asia. So the story goes (and I may be wrong), in the late 50s Fruhauf Flying Apparel invented the rescue orange lining for its flight jackets. The Air Force had learnt hard lessons in Korea with the colours of jackets for downed pilots, and whilst green was great for not getting shot at, it also made it hard for rescuers to spot you. Earlier L2-B patterns had a green/brown silk lining, but in with this 1960 iteration the lining was changed to the now famous rescue orange, which could be flipped and reversed when the rescue chopper approached. A military classic was born, and a design feature that would go on to become a punk, and eventually, streetwear icon.
This particular example, dated 1968 was manufactured on a USAF contract, but clearly issued at some point to a US Army helicopter pilot. Whilst I haven't found anything on the veteran, Captain Poorer was a pilot (qualification wings present) with both the 1st Infantry Division, and the US Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker. It seems that the tapes on this piece were changed at some point (no unusual with flight jackets), but the puckering and warping of the nylon around the patches show these have been there a long time.
Condition
This is in used, but good shape. There are a few moth nips to the cuffs and waist, and a few small marks on the shell, but otherwise a great example.
Size
- Tagged a size large and fits true to size
- Pit to pit 23"
- Shoulder to shoulder 20"
- Shoulder to cuff 24"
- Collar to hem 23"