US Army M42 Paratrooper Jump Jacket

What can I say about this jacket, quite possibly the most iconic, and certainly one of the most sought after items of clothing from WW2. Designed in 1941 by the then Captain William P. Yarborough, Test Officer for the newly formed parachute divisions. The new jacket featured four pockets, each slanted to allow easy access when wearing all of the required parachute gear, and each pocket with both bellows and a second set of studs to allow for plenty of carrying space. The 8oz cotton twill would be very light, so light infact that following experience of use in North Africa and Italy, prior to the jump on D-Day, regiment riggers reinforced many with grey canvas around areas of wear. These jackets were only produced for a year or so between 1942-43, and would quickly be replaced by the m1943 field jacket, so examples are rare, and with the popularity of airborne/special forces collecting, one of the hardest pieces to find!

The main zipper is the classic Crown zip, and both of the knife pocket zips are Serval. Looks to be an early PQD made example without a tag in the pocket and metal pit grommets.

Condition

Good solid condition. There are some areas of wear to the rear and the sleeve. There is some light corrosion to the studs and zipper which should both be used with care. The zipper is missing two teeth but still operates smoothly. This came without a belt but I've made a replacement following the correct pattern, and from original matching fabric so it's good for display.

Size

• No tag, but likely would have been a 38
  
• Pit to pit 20.5
• Shoulder to shoulder 18"
• Shoulder to cuff 23"
• Collar to hem 29"