A friend (73) bought this for-real bomber jacket years ago from a WWII vet and now wants to sell, but we have no idea what it is worth.  He had the chance to buy the pants that went with it at the time, but passed, and now regrets that of course.  I looked on Ebay and there are a jillion modern-day copies, but this is the real thing.

Patton w/ a jacket like this:

www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_combat_ww2_airborne_flying_jackets.php

The cut is exactly like the picture of Patton above, right down to the seams on the sleeves and the cut of the pocket.  There are actually 2 different shades of leather, but that doesn't show well in the pic.  The Patton pic does not have the 2 leather collar "belts" that air crews used to seal up their necks at altitude.

The label says:
Type B3
(some long order numbers)
Perry Sportswear, Inc.
Newsburg, N.Y.
Property of
Air Force, US Army

There is some minor cracking on the leather, but the inside fleece is in excellent condition.  The size is 44R

Any help in location a resource for this would be appreciated.

Depending on the condition, it may be worth a shitload, especially if it is painted.

Ya gotta post pics.

Quoted: Ya gotta post pics.

Yup.

Quoted: Ya gotta post pics.

I'm not that techno-capable.  It is jsut like the B&W pic of Patton, though.
It does not have any paint on it.
My boss's dad flew over Schweinfurt (sp?) and still has the jacket w/ paint, but not in good condition.

tag

always liked the A-2

Quoted: Quoted: Ya gotta post pics. I'm not that techno-capable.  It is jsut like the B&W pic of Patton, though. It does not have any paint on it. My boss's dad flew over Schweinfurt (sp?) and still has the jacket w/ paint, but not in good condition.

General Patton wouldn't allow the excuse of lack of techno-capability to get in his army's way. You at least have to make the link hot:

www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_clothing_combat_ww2_airborne_flying_jackets.php

The B3 Shearling jacket is highly sought after today by jacket enthusiasts, especially in a large size like 44R.  It was most often worn by crewmembers of high-altitude bombers that were open to the elements, like B-17s and B-24s.



A little cracking is expected as the jacket is nearly 70 years old.  Leather condition is important.  If there is any dry rot the value will drop.  Any paint or patches is a plus.  If you can, try to find out the history of the jacket: who wore it, what did the owner do during the war, did he get any special medals, etc.  This will add more value to the jacket.

Also, if you want you can go over to www.thefedoralounge.com/ and post this question over there (since I'm no jacket expert).  The site is down at the moment but those folks can tell you pretty much anything you want to know about it, especially if you provide pictures.

Cheers!

Quoted: The B3 Shearling jacket is highly sought after today by jacket enthusiasts, especially in a large size like 44R.  It was most often worn by crewmembers of high-altitude bombers that were open to the elements, like B-17s and B-24s. i23.photobucket.com/albums/b367/thunderw21/B-3jacket.jpg A little cracking is expected as the jacket is nearly 70 years old.  Leather condition is important.  If there is any dry rot the value will drop.  Any paint or patches is a plus.  If you can, try to find out the history of the jacket: who wore it, what did the owner do during the war, did he get any special medals, etc.  This will add more value to the jacket. Also, if you want you can go over to www.thefedoralounge.com/ and post this question over there (since I'm no jacket expert).  The site is down at the moment but those folks can tell you pretty much anything you want to know about it, especially if you provide pictures. Cheers!

That is exactly it, thanks.  Th leather on the sleeves seems to be a higher quality, thicker, than the body leather, and colored just like your pic.  The collar belts are what George apparently took off of his, and the stitching on the back is just like this.

Wow! An original WW2 bomber jacket in a big man's size? Yep; people will pay a pretty penny for those, specially if it has original squadron patches and has any unique feaures, like nose art or blood chits.