The MA-1 Flight Jacket, The Making Of A Classic
Copyright fishtailparkas.com 2007

The MA-1 flight jacket.. Perhaps the most popular clothing item ever designed for the United States military forces. It's official name is "Jacket, Flyers, Man's Intermediate Type MA-1" (MIL-J-8279). Numerous US Military manufacturers have been involved in their production since the early 1950's. MA-1’s were still issued until recently when the CWU45/P Nomex took over as the standard flyers issue jacket.

History of MA-1 Flight Jacket.

The MA-1 jacket was first developed in the late 1940's. A new flight jacket was needed at that time because the emergence of the jet age created new requirements for pilot comfort and safety. Prior to the invention of the jet aircraft, fleece-lined leather jackets were issued to flight personnel.

However, the new jets could fly at much higher altitudes and in much colder temperatures than propeller aircraft. When the heavy, bulky leather jackets became wet from rain or perspiration, the water would freeze at high altitudes, making the jackets cold and uncomfortable. In addition, new jets were more streamlined in design and their cockpits were cramped. Speedy, unimpeded access to and from the cockpits became even more critical for safety. Rather than the bulky leather jacket, a sleek, more lightweight and warm jacket was needed for this new jet technology.

To meet these needs, a new type of flight jacket was developed. The material selected for the jacket was high quality nylon. Nylon had been discovered prior to World War II, but it was not used in flight clothing until after the war; possibly because the demand for nylon for items, such as parachutes, consumed the available supply during the war. The initial nylon flight jacket was designed in about 1944. It was called the B-15 flight jacket (MIL-J-6251).

The B-15 was similar to the MA-1 except it had a mouton fur collar. After a few years, the B-15 was discontinued and the MA-1 was introduced. The first MA-1 jackets were issued between 1949 and 1950 to the United States Air Force and Navy pilots and flight crews. Small numbers were also issued to Army flight personnel.

MA-1 jackets first appeared outside the U.S. in very small quantities in the mid to late 1950's, probably on the black market and at sales of government surplus in Europe. In the early to mid 1960's, more MA-1 jackets appeared in Europe as manufacturers began to export MA-1 jackets and other military clothing to European Air Forces and commercial customers.

Today, the government orders MA-1 jackets only for the use of ground crew personnel not associated with flight; such as security police, base maintenance and line repair personnel. Pilots and flight crews are currently issued the CWU 45/P jacket. Thus, the orange lined MA-1 has entered a special place in history, where it will remain one of the most popular flight jackets ever produced.

MA-1 Design

The MA-1 has undergone various design modifications during its long history of use, but its classic, highly functional design remains basically the same. The original design was detailed in U.S. Government specification MIL-J-8279. Changes were signaled by adding a new letter of the alphabet to the original military specification number. For example, the MA-1 specifications progressed from the original number, J-8279, to J-8279A, J-8279B, J-8279C, etc. until the most recent number, J-8279F, which was issued in the early 1980's.

The MA-1 as originally designed, was made from high quality nylon outer shell and a nylon lining. In between these nylon layers was a double faced wool material for warmth. After a few years, the wool interlining was replaced by the newly developed polyester fiber fill interlining. The polyester replaced the wool because it made the jacket much lighter and provided superior warmth.

The MA-1 introduced two major design changes from its predecessor, the B-15: The MA-1 discarded the mouton fur collar and substituted a knit collar. This was done because the fur collar interfered with the parachute harness worn by the aviators.

In later models (J-8279D, about 1960), the MA-1 jacket was made reversible and added a bright Indian Orange lining. If the airplane crash landed and the pilot escaped, he could reverse the jacket to the orange side for a highly visible signal to rescue personnel.

Other changes have been made to the original MA-1 design over the years, such as:

Early models contained a front tab where the pilot could clip his oxygen mask when not in use (8279 + 8279A). After several years, advances in airplane design and pilot helmet oxygen systems made the clip-on arrangement unnecessary, and the front tab was removed. Early models also had sewn loops to hold the wires running from the radio to the pilot's helmet. When radio improvements made this unnecessary, the sewn loops were removed.

The early MA-1 flight jackets were used by the Air Force and had the United States Air Force decal on each sleeve. This was dropped in later MA-1 models when the jacket began to be used by other branches of the military.

The MA-1 and its ancestor, the B-15, were originally produced in two colors; Sage Green and Midnight Blue. Blue was the original color used by the military, but it was soon replaced by the sage green color. During the Korean War period (1950-1953), mixing flight clothing from multiple time periods and colors was not unusual. Presumably, the green was eventually adopted because it blended more easily with the environment should the pilot need camouflage protection on the ground.

The MA-1 was designed as a "intermediate weight" jacket. Its purpose was to keep the pilots and crews in warm temperatures ranging from 14 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 to +10 degrees Celsius); with an extended usable range of 0 degrees 60 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 to +15 degrees Celsius). Other lighter or heavier jackets were designed for comfort in warmer or colder temperatures.

Technical Details of the MA-1

Each MA-1 is engineered to the highest quality standards. Consistency in construction in all flight jackets ensures that each MA-1 looks identical and meets these strict standards. Important authentic details of the MA-1's include: Each MA-1 jacket requires 57 separate sewing operations. These operations are highly engineered and each has a distinct quality purpose. The utility pocket, originally called the cigarette pocket, involves 8 sewing operations. The white specification label is stitched in the left pocket. The labels are sewn inside so that they will not show if the jacket is reversed.

Each MA-1 is engineered to the highest quality standards. Consistency in construction in all flight jackets ensures that each MA-1 looks identical and meets these strict standards. Important authentic details of the MA-1's include:

Each MA-1 jacket requires 57 separate sewing operations. These operations are highly engineered and each has a distinct quality purpose. The utility pocket, originally called the cigarette pocket, involves 8 sewing operations. The white specification label is stitched in the left pocket. The labels are sewn inside so that they will not show if the jacket is reversed.

When comparing the authentic vintage MA-1’s to other “modern” copies, look for the following special quality details in construction to assure authenticity:

For extra strength - edge stitching on pocket flaps, bar tacks on interior and exterior pockets to prevent tearing, reinforced pocket snaps, double needle lap seams on sleeves, top stitching on the jacket back and cuffs.

Neatly constructed utility pocket with a ¼ inch taper and square corners in the bellows construction, with the precisely positioned pencil point protectors

The knit at the bottom of the jacket is attached to the shell of the jacket (not sewn to both the shell and the lining during the attachment, because this construction can cause twisting in the waistband), and the knit is stretched uniformly over the bottom width of the coat

The quilt on the storm flap is constructed using a 3 inch quilt on the points, with a tolerance of only +/- ¼ inch.

The commonly seen Alpha MA-1 “repro”, which is sold to the commercial market, has several deviations from the government specifications. And although alpha has made its best efforts to produce something that looks like the real thing, sadly it falls a long way off.

For the true connoisseur who wants things as they should be, when seeking a genuine MA-1, accept no substitute.

We only deal in genuine Issue 1950’s-1980’s MA-1 Flight Jackets.

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