Batman Leather Bomber Jacket

 The first nylon jacket was developed in 1944, called the B-15 Pilot Jacket, with a shearling collar, knitted sleeve cuffs, and intended for pilots of high-altitude bombers of the United States Air Force. A novelty in the design of this truly historic jacket is a pocket on the sleeve of the jacket.

Pilots of US Air Force Jet Aircraft

For the first time, such a zip pocket appeared on the left of the sleeve of the B-15 military jacket, developed in the early 1940s especially for pilots of US Air Force jet aircraft. It was used to store the little things necessary for the pilot and was called "service", although another name was also in use - "cigarette" pocket (the pilot's nervous work required that a pack of cigarettes be always at hand, and they usually put it in this pocket). Also, over the pocket, special compartments were sewn for storing pens and pencils, which were needed by the pilots to plot routes on the map.

The Jacket That Became Part of The History Of Aviation Clothing

later, this pocket appeared on the sleeves of another military jackets: on the legendary batman leather bomber jacket, it's modern version

Brown Buffalo Leather

The same detail can be found on many modern replicas of these models, which are now produced by the most well-known clothing brands, especially since the "service" pocket has not lost its practical relevance even today. The shape has changed, pockets with flaps have appeared, but in essence, the pocket has the same functionality.

 You can still put a pack of cigarettes in it or any other things that should always be at hand: a lighter, a phone, or keys, unless the route is now more convenient to plot not with a pencil, but in Google Maps on a smartphone.

After several years, the B-15 was discontinued. This was dictated by a change in the design of aircraft, an increase in flight speed and altitude, as a result of tougher weather conditions in the aircraft cockpit. The new requirements were to keep the pilot warm at temperatures ranging from minus 18 to plus 15 degrees Celsius.

In 1955, by special order of the US Air Force, a model of the MA-1 jacket was created, which was named (English flight jacket), that is, a flight or A2 Pilot Vintage Black Flight Bomber Men's Leather Jacket | Mens Bomber Jacket or (English bomber jacket), since it was worn by pilots of heavy bombers. Later, a short name (bomber) was assigned to a jacket of this cut.

The Famous Orange Lining of The Bomber

Contrast lining first appeared on the MA-1 Flight Jacket. However, this did not happen immediately: initially, this model was characterized by a gray-green lining, but in 1963 its color was changed to bright orange. And this was done for the following reason: in the event of an emergency landing or ejection from the cockpit, the landed pilot put on such a jacket inside out so that the rescue teams could more easily see him from the air. On the inside of the jacket, explanatory inscriptions in Asian languages ​​were sometimes even applied, informing that the owner of the jacket was an American pilot and asks to be escorted to the American embassy for a fee.

The orange lining was also used in later modifications Flight Jacket - jackets and some others. And over time, it was used in the design. Today, this already more decorative element can also be easily found on replicas of these same batman leather bomber jacket produced by Alpha Industries and many other brands.

The MA-1 and B-15 were originally produced in two colors: Sage Green and Midnight Blue. Blue was the official color used by the military, but was soon replaced by Sage Green. During the Korean War (1950-1953), mismatched flight clothing of different time periods and colors was not common. Perhaps the green color was finally adopted, because it merged more easily with the environment when the pilot had to camouflage himself on the surface of the earth.

Modern Bomber Jackets

As the years passed, the popularity of the bomber jacket only increased. Today, bomber jackets are produced, a recognized leader in the production of military-style clothing. A jacket that resembles a bomber jacket in style can be found in the collections of almost all Fashion Houses. American varsity jackets are bomber jackets too! The iconic College leather jackets are also a transformation of the legendary bomber jacket.

In the online store of leather jackets "Bison store" there is always an assortment of replicas of the legendary jackets of the Second World War,