Original German WWII Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot Leather Flight Jacket Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Development of protective flight uniforms and equipment began with the advent of military aircraft in WWI and continued on into the Weimar and the Third Reich eras, resulting in three distinct one-piece combination pattern flight suits being approved before WWII and worn for the duration of the war.

Regulations of July 4TH 1940 and April 24TH 1941 introduced two piece protective flight suits for fighter pilots designed to increase the wearers mobility and not be as restrictive in the close confines of a cockpit. The two piece flight suits consist of separate jacket and pants and was commonly referred to as the “Kanalanzug”, (Channel Uniform).

Officers and certain senior NCO’s were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms and were allotted a clothing allowance. Generally speaking officers bought nice quality, private purchase, uniform items but they could also choose to buy their uniforms directly from the military clothing depots. Besides the standard issue flight garments Luftwaffe personnel also utilized a wide variety of private purchase leather jackets in contradiction of regulations. These private purchase jackets appear to have been quite popular as they can be commonly seen in period photographs.

This example is a very high quality, German made private purchase, non-regulation, milk chocolate brown leather construction fully lined, waist length, flight jacket with a lay down collar. The jacket features a vertical, front, zipper closure by RITSCH. The jacket has two horizontal slash breast pockets also with brass RITSCH zippers. The straight cut, non-adjustable, sleeves have a short vertical slash to the outside sleeve seams with a single PRYM snap closures to the cuffs.

The collar has a period done added leather reinforcement to the top fold due to the flight use, an aspect that shows this jacket was really used in flight so often that the pilot’s head movement rubbed the collar down. Extraordinary, a common repair for frequent combat pilot jackets.

Slip on loops and buttons for shoulder boards, complete with two matching Major’s epaulets with fine silver/aluminum wire over dark yellow wool bases. Left breast features a very early droop tail BEVO embroidered Luftwaffe eagle with black wool backing hand-stitched to the leather.

All the buttons, snaps and the zippers still function.

The jacket is roughly size 40″ chest; a nice LARGE size for WW2!