US Navy (USN) Pilot. MADE BY HIGHLY REGARDED EARLY 1940’s U. This flight jacket was standardized as the M-422 spec. By the US Navy in March of 1940, after which the design went through several spec. Revisions, culminating as the AN-J-3A flight jacket in October of 1943. Was the most widely produced of all the USN intermediate leather flight jackets of the 1940’s, seeing action in every battle that USN/USMC aviators took part in: from U-Boat hunting in the Atlantic and invasion patrols on D-Day, to the decisive Pacific engagements at Midway, Guadalcanal and the Marianas Turkey Shoot. A testament to the good looks and great function of this flight jacket design is that, with only subtle changes, it continues to be issued to USN airmen right up to the present day – now known as the G-1. THE M-422a IS THE MOST RECOGNIZED FLIGHT JACKET THAT THE US NAVY USED DURING WWII. THOSE JACKETS MADE BY H. BLOCK ARE EASILY IDENTIFIABLE BY THEIR MAROON COLORED SATIN LINING AND THEIR YELLOW USN MARKING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BACK OF THE COLLAR. FINDING ONE FROM SUCH A WELL RESPECTED MAKER SUCH AS H. BLOCK MAKES THE TASK EVEN THAT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER AND PRIZED DUE TO THEIR WARMTH, COMFORT AND STYLISH GOOD LOOKS. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT THE COLLAR ON THIS COAT WILL MOST LIKELY NEED TO BE REPLACED AT SOME POINT, THIS VERY HARD TO FIND PIECE OF VINTAGE MILITARIA WOULD MAKE A NICE ADDITION TO ANYONE’S WW2 US NAVY COLLECTION. Original Early WWII US Navy M-422a Flight Leather Jacket. Goatskin leather shell construction with beautiful vintage patina. Brand front zipper closure with inner half storm flap. Genuine Mouton fur collar with leather backing and leather chin strap. Stenciled yellow paint’U. Marking on the back side of the collar, which points that this jacket is made by H. Block-one of the original WW2 US Government contractors that produced these M-422A jackets. Two front patch pockets with button-down’scalloped’ flaps. Left pocket has small’pencil’ pocket hidden under the flap. Dark Brown wool elastic knitted cuffs and waistband (cuffs look like later replacements). Brown poly inner lining later replacement, but you can still see the remaining original maroon satin lining fragment below the collar-see pics. There are traces of the removed pilot name patch on the left chest see pic. No tag or size markings. Measures approximately 22 chest (pit to pit) and 19′ shoulders (seam to seam) laying flat. Leather shell is in overall good condition with beautiful patina, but still pliable and without any rips or holes. Mouton collar is all original with some bolding spots-please see pics. Knitted cuffs are in great condition, waistband looks original, stretched, but without any rips or holes. Zipper (looks like a later, but still vintage replacement) works fine. What you see-is what you get. Clean and without any funky odors. Comes from smoke-free, pet-free house. Great looking leather jacket for any WW2 collector, re-enactor, hipster or vintage motorcycle rider. Super rare, original WWII US NAVY M-422a Flight jacket in great, wearable vintage condition-DON’T MISS YOUR CHANCE! PLEASE SEE OUR OTHER AUCTIONS. The item “Vtg 1940s WW2 USN M-422a WWII US NAVY Flight LEATHER Bomber JACKET G-1H&L BLOCK” is in sale since Monday, November 25, 2019. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Militaria\WW II (1939-45)\Original Period Items\United States\Uniforms”. The seller is “rattlerhd” and is located in HOME OF THE BRAVE. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Featured Refinements: WW2 Jacket