Alpha Industries’ Heritage MA-1 bomber jacket stays true to classic military specifications, and is ideal for those looking for a vintage bomber jacket look and a weightier style for cold weather. Classic MA-1: The MA-1 was the first pilot jacket to transition to civilian fashion.BEST BOMBER JACKETS AND FLIGHT JACKETS FOR MENĮvery Alpha Industries bomber jacket has the recognizable details of a historic flight jacket, with a wide range of style variations to suit personal preferences. What started as a jacket to protect airmen from the elements has become a versatile closet staple for men looking to showcase their style while keeping warm. The MA-1 was one of the first outerwear garments to make the leap from military issue to civilian favorite when it became synonymous with the punk culture of the 1980s. The US Air Force created the popular MA-1 bomber jacket in 1955 when it removed the fur collar from the B-15 bomber jacket. It featured many of the details we associate with bomber jackets today, including a short blouson style body, tight-knit waistband and cuffs, and a leather outer to provide protection from wind. The first standard flight jacket, the A-1, was introduced by the U.S. "All the variations of this jacket will be produced if there is demand, including the later gold-colored variant," Pidcock and Worden wrote.There’s a reason why bomber jackets are engineered for warmth: The earliest bomber jackets for men were designed to keep pilots warm during flights in open-air cockpits. Still The Right Stuff plans additional offerings, including a limited edition "Signature" version of the flight jacket with its orange lining substituted by white silk and autographed by Worden. The blue jacket is £450 (pound sterling), which at current exchange rates is about $740 (US). Orders for the replica Apollo flight jacket have just begun through Alexander Leather Jackets in Scotland. " is a truly authentic copy of the clothing we wore during the Apollo days," Worden wrote. Fortunately, the zippers, studs and snaps were still available from the government contractor that produced the pieces for NASA. The jacket soft-goods sourced, the astronaut and attorney turned attention to the hardware. The Apollo flight jacket is "very flattering and distinctive and has many uses from driving or flying to leisure and golf." (STRS) "We couldn't find the original cloth material so we, at great expense, contracted a company to reproduce exactly the material in the jackets we wore," Worden said. They did the same for the jacket's lining, having the iconic flame-orange Rayon material recreated from scratch. The jacket's outer shell was fabricated from cotton thread, which Still The Right Stuff had dyed to the correct shade of blue and then sewn on correct-for-the-period machines using the same weave pattern as the vintage coats. "It soon became apparent that the material of the correct weave and quality was not available 'off the shelf,' so the Right Stuff team set about to solve that problem," Worden and Pidcock wrote.Īs vintage fabric for the jackets was no longer available, Worden and Pidcock had to have new material woven. Getting hold of a real jacket however, turned out to be the least of the challenges to producing a faithful replica. With the help of some friends, Worden was able to source two of the original jackets for examination and patterning, including Apollo 7 astronaut Wally Schirra's jacket, which is displayed at the U.S. "The answer," Worden explained, "was to offer authentic Apollo-era flight jackets to a small but dedicated group of space enthusiasts."Īpollo 7 astronaut Wally Schirra's original NASA flight jacket, as seen on display the U.S. "What could we do to keep the flame of exploration foremost in the minds of people who care?" "We discussed ways and methods of remembering the past greatness of the Apollo flights," Worden wrote in the letter that will accompany each of the jackets sold. Worden, collaborating with British attorney Steve Pidcock, has founded "Still The Right Stuff" to create what Worden labels as the "Apollo Flight Jacket." But working with a space enthusiast out of London, Worden has now reproduced the distinctive NASA outerwear as a museum-quality replica, which is being offered for sale. – An Apollo astronaut, looking to keep the "right stuff" forefront in the public's eye, has recreated his iconic NASA-issued blue flight jacket down to the last button.Īl Worden, who in 1971 flew to the moon as the pilot of the Apollo 15 command module Endeavour, wore out his original flight jacket years ago.
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