Since the early days of aviation, the leather jacket has been fashion de rigueur for pilots. Because leather is windproof, these jackets were a favorite of pilots in open cockpits. By the 1930s the military issued A-2, G-1, and B-3 jackets that were often adorned with and painted squadron patches and the name of the aircraft or unit the owner flew with. Although leather jackets are no longer worn into combat, they are still a large part of pilot culture—and they are prized by collectors of all genres.
Jackets on Display
Aviation museums have become repositories for flight jackets, including one of the most storied, the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. According to Alex Spencer, curator of European, British, and Commonwealth military aviation, military flight clothing, and memorabilia, the museum boasts 25 flight jackets in its collection, most from World War II and a few from later conflicts and wars.
