G-1 military flight jacket
Encyclopedia
The "G-1" military flight jacket is the commonly accepted name for the fur-lined-collar World War II
-era flight jacket of the United States Navy
, Marine Corps
, and Coast Guard
. Asimilar jacket used by the United States Army Air Corps
/ United States Army Air Force was usually called the A-2 jacket
).
, Naval Flight Officer
, Naval Flight Surgeon, Naval Aircrewman, etc.) and is arguably best known as the leather flight jacket worn by Tom Cruise
in the film Top Gun
.
, since the term "G-1" was not used as a label for this fur-collared military-issued jacket until after World War II
. However, the term "G-1" has come to be used for this style of naval leather flight jacket. Technically, prior to the end of World War II, and starting in 1940 when it was officially named by the U.S. Navy, the jacket had the military spec number of M-422.
, the most famous of U.S. Military jackets, hence the name of ANJ-3 (vs. A-2). The M-422A replacement of the loved and famous A-2 was, however, in the form of a non-fur-collared version of the "G-1", currently referred to for obvious reasons as the G-2. In 1988, the U.S. Air Force reinstated the A-2 jacket for all USAF flight crew personnel.
For a very brief period from 1979 until early 1981, issuance of the G-1 to new USN, USMC, and USCG flight crew personnel (i.e., officer flight students and newly-designated enlisted Naval Aircrewman) was discontinued as a budgetary economy action, with those personnel being issued summer weight green Nomex flight jackets identical to those issued to their U.S. Air Force counterparts. Replacement of worn-out G-1 jackets for extant Naval Aviation personnel was also discontinued during this period. This action was reversed by Secretary of the Navy action in early 1981, and those USN, USMC, and USCG flight-crew personnel who had not received G-1 jackets were issued one retroactively.
Modifications to USN, USMC, and USCG uniform regulations in the 1990s reduced the type and number of permissible insignia on the G-1, but concurrently permitted wear of the G-1 jacket off base with service uniforms.
The first Navy designation of "G-1" came under the 55J14 specification.
The earlier jackets are generally considered to be of higher quality than the post-Vietnam-era jackets, as the earlier jackets were constructed of goatskin and had a real mouton collar. Current model issue jackets (although there are exceptions) are constructed of cowhide and have a synthetic collar.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era flight jacket of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, and Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
. Asimilar jacket used by the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
/ United States Army Air Force was usually called the A-2 jacket
A-2 jacket
The Type A-2 leather flight jacket is a military flight jacket closely associated with World War II U.S. Army Air Forces pilots, navigators and bombardiers, who often decorated their jackets with squadron patches and elaborate artwork painted on the back...
).
Usage
The G-1 remains a current uniform-issue item in Naval Avaition for officer and enlisted aviation personnel on flying status in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard (i.e., Naval AviatorNaval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
, Naval Flight Officer
Naval Flight Officer
A Naval Flight Officer is an aeronautically designated commissioned officer in the United States Navy or United States Marine Corps that specializes in airborne weapons and sensor systems. NFOs are not pilots per se, but they may perform many "co-pilot" functions, depending on the type of aircraft...
, Naval Flight Surgeon, Naval Aircrewman, etc.) and is arguably best known as the leather flight jacket worn by Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
in the film Top Gun
Top Gun
Top Gun may refer to:* Top Gun is a 1986 film starring Tom Cruise.**Top Gun , soundtrack to the movie**Top Gun , a number of games based on the movie...
.
Development
More technically, the jacket may be considered the U.S. Military flight jacket developed in 1947 and used in the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, since the term "G-1" was not used as a label for this fur-collared military-issued jacket until after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. However, the term "G-1" has come to be used for this style of naval leather flight jacket. Technically, prior to the end of World War II, and starting in 1940 when it was officially named by the U.S. Navy, the jacket had the military spec number of M-422.
Operational use
This jacket was brought to use by the U.S. Navy in the 1930s, and standardized by the Navy in 1940 as the M-422A. In 1943 this jacket, also named by the Army Air Forces and the Navy as the ANJ-3 (Army Navy Jacket 3) replaced the iconic Army Air Forces A-2 jacketA-2 jacket
The Type A-2 leather flight jacket is a military flight jacket closely associated with World War II U.S. Army Air Forces pilots, navigators and bombardiers, who often decorated their jackets with squadron patches and elaborate artwork painted on the back...
, the most famous of U.S. Military jackets, hence the name of ANJ-3 (vs. A-2). The M-422A replacement of the loved and famous A-2 was, however, in the form of a non-fur-collared version of the "G-1", currently referred to for obvious reasons as the G-2. In 1988, the U.S. Air Force reinstated the A-2 jacket for all USAF flight crew personnel.
For a very brief period from 1979 until early 1981, issuance of the G-1 to new USN, USMC, and USCG flight crew personnel (i.e., officer flight students and newly-designated enlisted Naval Aircrewman) was discontinued as a budgetary economy action, with those personnel being issued summer weight green Nomex flight jackets identical to those issued to their U.S. Air Force counterparts. Replacement of worn-out G-1 jackets for extant Naval Aviation personnel was also discontinued during this period. This action was reversed by Secretary of the Navy action in early 1981, and those USN, USMC, and USCG flight-crew personnel who had not received G-1 jackets were issued one retroactively.
Modifications to USN, USMC, and USCG uniform regulations in the 1990s reduced the type and number of permissible insignia on the G-1, but concurrently permitted wear of the G-1 jacket off base with service uniforms.
Commercial exploitation
Commercial versions of the jacket have been available on the consumer market. Official military suppliers which also sold similar spec jackets to the public include Cockpit USA, Cooper Sportswear, Orchard M/C, Brill Bros, Schott, and Excelled. After the success of Top Gun, shopping-mall leather stores carried a variety of G-1 variants, with such features as removable fur collars and sewn-on patches, including the ever-popular Gulf of Sidra Yacht Club patch. As of 2010 Orchard M/C was still selling 1986 MIL-labeled jackets to the general public. These are new production and come in goatskin and cowhide varieties stamped USN, USCG, or USMC. Premium jackets are offered by many companies, including Lost Worlds, Gibson and Barnes, and Eastman. L.L.Bean is also selling a mouton-insulated version of the A-2.Specifiations
The military specifications under which the naval flight jackets were made, in the order of latest to earliest, are- MIL-J-7823E(AS) 1971,
- MIL-J-7823D(WP) 1966,
- MIL-J-7823C (WEP) 1962,
- MIL-J-7823B(WEP)1960,
- MIL-J-7823A(AER) 1961,
- MIL-J-7823(AER) 1951,
- 55J14 (AER) 1947,
- AN-J3A 1943,
- AN 6552 1943,
- M-422A 1940,
- M-422 1940
The first Navy designation of "G-1" came under the 55J14 specification.
The earlier jackets are generally considered to be of higher quality than the post-Vietnam-era jackets, as the earlier jackets were constructed of goatskin and had a real mouton collar. Current model issue jackets (although there are exceptions) are constructed of cowhide and have a synthetic collar.
Manufacturers
The makers of the Navy's jackets of the above specifications, in rough chronological order from the current supplier to pre-WWII include- PHARR BRAND NAME APPAREL (2004-current supplier),
- EXCELLED SHEEPSKIN & LEATHER COAT CO., 1999–2004,
- SCHOTT BROS., INC., 1998,
- COOPER SPORTSWEAR MFG. CO., INC, 1989–1996,
- BRILL BROS., INC., 1968–1987,
- ORCHARD M/C DIST. INC., 1986,
- FERGUSON OF OKLAHOMA, 1976,
- IMPERIAL LEATHER & SPORTSWEAR INC., 1976,
- IMPERIAL FASHIONS, INC., 1974,
- THE MARTIN LANE CO., INC., 1968–1969,
- GREGORY SPORTSWEAR INC., 1967,
- IRVIN B. FOSTER SPTSWEAR CO., 1962–1963,
- STAR SPORTSWEAR MFG. CORP., 1964–1967,
- IRVIN B.FOSTER&SONS SPORTSWEAR CO., INC., 1961,
- RALPH EDWARDS SPORTSWEAR, 1961–1964,
- BREIER OF AMSTERDAM, INC., 1960,
- CALIFORNIA SPORTSWEAR COMPANY, 1960,
- CAGLECO SPORTSWEAR, 1957,
- J.A.DUBOW SPORTING GOODS CORP.,
- WERBER SPORTSWEAR, INC.,
- A. PRITZKER & SONS, INC.,
- AVIATORS CLOTHING CO., INC.,
- B.-G. INC.,
- STAR SPORTSWEAR MFG.CO. LYNN, MASS.,
- BURJAC SPORTSWEAR INC.,
- L.W.FOSTER SPORTSWEAR CO.INC.,
- ARNOFF MFG. COMPANY,
- AMERICAN SPORTSWEAR CO.,
- BOGEN & TENENBAUM,
- EDMUND T.CHURCH CO. INC.,
- FRIED, OSTERMAN CO.,
- GORDON & FERGUSON CO.,
- H.&L. BLOCK,
- WILLIS AND GEIGER INC.,
- Monarch Mfg. Company.