Pretty Green Parka Review

Liam Gallaghers' Pretty Green Parka..


OK lets clear up a few mysteries....in various pics of Liam the question has been asked..

Is he wearing the M-65 fishtail parka he bought from us..or his Pretty Green Parka...??

The answer is both.....




The picture on the left is a promo shot of Liam for his Pretty Green Parka and the picture on the right is his Pretty Green Parka standing alone.

Now, lets play a little game......can you guess what it is yet ?..

Lets spot the difference :)

Most could not....we can. And the only other guys in the world to have handled enough kit to know agree with us too. I can tell you now...point blank...the parka Liam is wearing for the Pretty Green Promo is in fact a US MIL issue M-65. And the picture on the right IS his Pretty Green Parka.

His Pretty Green parka is made of heavy cotton and is not quarpel treated. The M-65 is made of light cotton and is quarpel treated..hence the sheen. Also, exact postions of poppers, zip etc give away the fact that the parka he is wearing to promo the Pretty Green is in fact an M-65.

Add this to the fact that we sold the M-65 and indeed the 1st Model M-1951 to him ourselves we can easily see the creation of the Pretty Green Parka and it was even mentioned to us at the time, he wanted to create his own parka.

Here is how to do it.

Take one M-65 fishtail parka, remove the hood. Make this exact same parka out of a similar material to the 1st model M-1951 parka, do not quarpel treat it, add a button to the collar to do it up and you have a Pretty Green Parka. Simple.

And if you check enough pics of Liam in his "fishtail parka" you can see for sure that he swaps between the two.

Still not sure ??...check again......this my friends is a simple M-65 !!! minus its hood

And this is The Pretty Green Parka
Can you see it now ?......

Of course you can :)...if you have even seen one unissued M-65 parka....its staring you in the face

Now...please don't think im knocking the Pretty Green Parka....in all fairness its the best replica fishtail parka I have even seen. Its excellent quality, the cut is perfect and side by side, it is hard to spot the difference...(as this little exercise has shown).

However, the question remains....are you going to pay £250+ for a replica ? when you can actually buy the original for under £100 ?......

So unless you value a little round badge at over £150.....I say, save yourself the bucks, buy an M-65 and un button off your hood.

Thanks for playing :)

Copyright FishtailParkas.com 2009. No part of this article may be copied, transmitted, stored or used in anyway without the express permission of fishtailparkas.com . If you wish to use this article simply contact me.

The M-1965 US Army Field Jacket

U.S. Military M-1965 Field Jacket

The M-1965 Field Jacket (or M65 Jacket) was very similar to the evolving line of field jackets that started in World War II with the M-1943 Field Jacket. Through experience in Korea and Vietnam, the design was upgraded with small improvements.

Evolution of the M1965 Field Jacket

In 1950, the very successful World War II M-1943 Field Jacket was replaced by a modified version, the M-1950, nearly identical to the M-1943 but with the addition of inside buttons for a liner. The M-1950 was quickly replaced by the M-1951 Field Jacket, which modified the front closure buttons with a zipper and the pocket closure buttons with metal snaps. The M-51 Field Jacket was the same shell material and same lining materials as the M-1951 Parka.

The M65 or M1965 Field Jacket

In 1965 the Army began upgrading the M-1951 Field Jacket to the latest in the design series, the M-1965 Field Jacket (also known as the M65, M1965, or M-65). As the M-51 parka was replaced with the M-65 parka, the M-51 Field Jacket was replaced with the M-65 Field Jacket. Again, similar materials were used.

Later variations of the jacket were known as "Coat, Cold Weather, Field" with color OG-107 (olive drab) followed by the same jacket with camouflage patterns. The changes were not so much in the basic design as to the details.

The M-1965 Field Jacket is the most broadly adopted military coat ever both in worldwide military application and the public consciousness. The Field Jacket can be seen on our screens, films and music videos the world over. It has been widely copied and is available from many sources both as military surplus and as commercial copies.

Like the M-1943 Field Jacket, the M-1965 jacket still had four large cargo pockets and an internally tied draw string waist, but the wrist closures were provided with velcro (hook and loop) fasteners. The pockets used metal snaps to close. The front fly tab closed with snaps too, over a heavy zipper. A zipper along the back of the collar hides an attached hood that could be pulled out when needed. A storm flap could be closed over the throat with a velcro tab.

Most jackets had an information label sewn into the back at the top, just under the collar.

Photo below shows PFC Glen Zachery with mail bag and a group of other soldiers in M-65 jackets, 19th Army Postal Unit, Yong Son, Korea, 14-15 December 1970.

As with the Parka, A liner for the M-65 field jacket was a separate item of issue. It was made of a nylon quilted outershell (in matching color to the jacket), with 5 oz. polyester fill. When needed, the liner buttoned into the jacket including buttons at the wrist of each sleave.

The label belowt reads "Liner, Cold Weather Coat, Mans" and you can see some of the quilting.

Originally, the M-65 was issued in olive drab color only. Later, desert camo and other patterns were utilized. By the mid-1990s a changeover to camoflauge pattern took place in all services. For years both olive drab and camo could be seen, but by late 1997 most US services were camo only, predominately either the green/brown woodland pattern or the tan/brown desert pattern.

What you find here for sale are all original early issue US MIL Olive Drab Field Jackets all complete with original liners.

M65 Field Hacket in the media.

* Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle in the movie Taxi Driver.

o Trent Reznor in Taxi Driver -influenced music video I’m Afraid of Americans (by David Bowie)

o Ludacris is seen wearing a M-65 field jacket in Taxi Driver -influenced music video “Slap”
* Adam Baldwin as Ricky Linderman in the movie My Bodyguard.
* Scott Patterson as Luke Danes in the series Gilmore Girls.
* Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester in the series Supernatural.
* Paddy Considine as Richard in the movie “Dead Man’s Shoes“.
* Sylvester Stallone as John Rambo in the movie First Blood and as Rocky Balboa in Rock Balboa

* Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator in the movie The Terminator.
* Götz George as Horst Schimanski in the German tv series Tatort.
* Osama Bin Laden is often seen wearing an M-65.
* Ahmad Shah Massod is known to have worn an M-65 field jacket during the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s.
* Al Pacino as Serpico in the movie Serpico.
* Linda Cardellini as Lindsay Weir in the series “Freaks and Geeks”.
* Michael A. Goorjian as Heroin Bob in the Film SLC Punk!
* Jason Lee as Earl Hickey in the series My Name is Earl
* Nike Sportswear releases the M-65 as a fashion garment.

Liam Gallagher Sports An M-65 Fishtail Parka At Wembley Stadium

Thursday, 09/07/09 was a long damn day……

The BBC picked me up at 10am to take me down to Hendon for filming for Car Booty…..!!….Yes, someone found a parka in their attic and they wanted me to value it etc…..comical !!

Then they dropped me off in Wembley. Where I waiting around for my bro to finally get down there too as we were off to Oasis. Having taken a complete M-51 with me for the filming I was left wondering around with it…..and in the end decided to keep it on for the concert as it was sure to get cooler…

I soon realised I was the only person out of the 60,000 packed into Wembley wearing a genuine or indeed any kind of Fishtail Parka….

Then, after The Enemy and Kasabian the big moment came….

Oasis are now on stage…….and I was now the second person in Wembley wearing a genuine Fishtail Parka…..

The fact that it was indeed the same parka he bought from us, just kinda made it all even better !! :)….

After a long day, the very toughest months of my life…..it all seems worth it again. Thanks Liam :)

More pics and video to come.

 

Copyright FishtailParkas.com 2009: No part of this article may be copied, transmitted, stored or used in anyway without the express permission of fishtailparkas.com

Lambretta Who Parka, Official Review...

Lambretta Clothing Gets Into A Parka...
Copyright fisthailparkas.com 2009

As you all know, Lambretta released their "WHO" parka sometime back now and so many of you have been asking my thoughts on its etc...that I thought its about time I responded...:)

OK, I'm sure most of you will agree, some of you wont and "lambretta" will certainly be sulking but....lets cut the crap, its a piece of shit !!

If it was simply being marketing as a parka i.e. a coat for the cold weather, then yes, its a good parka, warm and relatively well priced. However, its being peddled as actually being as a viable real life mod fishtail parka ???

For one, its made by Lambretta ?.....Now for us, Lambretta once made really nice scooters, then folded and, are now nothing more than a name owned by Scooters India who make 3 wheel scooters for swerving around cows in the ever sophisticated Indian traffic system.

As to why they completely missed the opportunity to seriously cash in on the massive rise in values on vintage Lambretta scooters, by remaking the vintage style with modern parts etc and ignoring all request from serious players to buy all the original presses, designs etc to do exactly that. Then instead selling off the name under licence for a range of "asda" style plastic mod clothing is beyond me entirely !!

Anyways, its happened, a great opportunity has been missed and in the place of gorgeous looking, affordable priced, modern and reliable Lambretta scooters we have........The Lambretta Who Parka...

Which neatly bring my back to the fact it is, in whole, a piece of shit !!

And not because they have stuck "who" on the back, or used copy US MIL patches but because they have done all of that on a cheap shit repro parka......who no self respecting mod would let his dog sleep on.

What you want on your parka, is entirely up to you.....but please....if you want a mod parka...then get the real deal !! US Army Fishtail Only !!

And don't say, you can't them.....because I have been doing them for years..here they are !!..


So in conclusion, if you are thinking of buying a Lambretta Who Parka then I would also suggest buying a 3 wheel Lambretta and sticking lights and mirrors on it, a few crash bars and maybe even a fox tail aerial.

Because you going to get the exact same result......riding round on a plastic contradiction looking like a complete and utter TIT !!

Copyright FishtailParkas.com 2009. No part of this article may be copied, transmitted, stored or used in anyway without the express permission of fishtailparkas.com . If you wish to use this article simply contact me.

Finally, A True Quadrophenia "WHO" Parka !!

As I'm sure all of you know, sometime back Lambretta clothing knocked out a "who parka".

Basically, a khaki green M-65 styled fishtail parka repro with "who" on the back etc....Modelled on The Who’s 1972 Quadrophenia Album cover. (Black and white one)

A lot of you have been asking why I don't stock this Lambretta Who Parka or more importantly, why I don't also do a quadrophenia Who parka ?...

Firstly I don't stock this Lambretta Who Parka simply because I do not stock anything that is not Genuine US Military Issue and the second question:...

Why don't we make one ?

Well we did and WE DO !!;

We first made a "Quadrophenia" tribute p arka around 4-5 years ago. It was a genuine M-1951 as on the album and styled exactly the same, it sold via private auction within days of being released to a US private bidder to be used in a stateside Quadrophenia production.

And thanks to all of you who have been pestering me over this, you will be pleased to hear...we are making them again :)

The Who Quadrophenia Parka !!

There will be two options...M-65 or M-51 and both custom made to order.....:)

I wanted to create something accessible to all, as I know not everyone can stretch to a custom M-51...so, here it is :)...

The True Quadrophenia Parka..... A 100% genuine issue M-1965 fishtail parka using all genuine US MIL issue patches, complete with genuine Wolf Fur hood !!! The Original Who Parka from the Original Specialist… Only £199 Worldwide delivery available..

<<<ORDER NOW>>> Simply <<<CLICK HERE>>>

Now, compare that to your 3 wheeled lambretta trike with lights and mirrors and tell me what you would rather be riding :)

Copyright FishtailParkas.com 2009: No part of this article may be copied, transmitted, stored or used in anyway without the express permission of fishtailparkas.com

Please Send All Orders, Enquries To The Website

Hi,

just a real quick post as I have noticed quite a few people posting, orders or questions etc to the blog.....

I dont come on here enough to pick up what your saying in a timely manner, so please give me a call or drop me an email via the contact page :)

Thanks

Kind Regards

Kane

Kane Western
Ownerwww.fishtailparkas.com
M1965 and M1951 genuine US army issue fishtail parkas
0845 226 0425 or mobile 07531 438330

M-65 XS Fishtail Parka Mystery Solved !!!

Before you consider getting MUGGED by paying 150 EURO plus for a bog standard XS M-65 Parka...

Read This !!

Many of you are looking for XS M-65 Fishtail Parkas under the impression that one:there is some kind of world drought and two: they really are Extra Small !!

Well, let me help you here, Neither Is TRUE !!..

Fact One: An Extra Small..is really not very SMALL !!

The Small M-65 Fishtail Parka measures exactly 25 inches from armpit to armpit, the EXTRA SMALL measures 24.5 inches from armpit to armpit. Hence, 50 inch max chest on the SMALL and 49 Inch max chest on the XS.

The difference between the two being exactly ONE damn inch !! ALL other measurements, length, sleeves etc are EXACTLY the same.

Now, I am making this information known and very clear because I hate seeing people ripped off and sadly.....that’s what is happening at the moment.

The German dealer, is making a big drama out of the fact he has XS M-65, claiming world stock droughts etc etc and charging poor sods unaware of the real sizing of these, a damn fortune for what is basically a SMALL M-65 minus one inch !!

As for this world drought. Its very simple….He has XS because we sold them to him !!

I sold him the XS shells he has right now for the simple reason I give little value to XS as any different from Small for obvious reasons and in shifting a lot of overstock, we shipped off a bundle of our XS's as Smalls.

Unaware, he was then going to attempt some scheme to double profit from them by filling people full of shit.

Now, I have no problems whatsoever with where you buy, what you buy or from whom just pick the choice that is best for you !! Simple :)....

However, don’t get mugged, paying nearly double on something that ain’t worth double !!

If you are of smaller build, then whether you take a Small or Extra Small, there really will be NO difference in how it fits !!

And if you are unsure remember, there is a reason we are the Worlds Number One. There is absolutely nothing anyone out there selling these knows that was not learned from us.

Blue M-1951, The Unicorn Has Been Slain !!

Blue M-1951, The Unicorn Has Been Slain !!
Copyright Fishtailparkas.com 2007

Finally !!......

Caught the bugger and its only taken me 17 years !!.....




I had heard from many quarters the rumours of a Blue M-51. Even spoke with eye witnesses who had seen and purchased one back in the day, saw some fuzzy pics of what was claimed to be one but, up until bank holiday of August this year, never got my grubby mitts on one !!..





It bugged me, it made little sense and all I had to go on was the rumour that they existed at some point. However, my own logic and too many years handling and dealing with this stuff told me the opposite. Why would the US Army produce a Blue M-51 ?...Like anything the army produce, they come in any colour you like as longs as its green. The Navy would have wet weather gear not extreme cold and the USAF were issued the standard olive drab just like the GI's.

Soooo.....could there be a Blue M-51 Fishtail Parka ???



This semi logic coupled with the fact that I have probably seen and handled more M-51's than any man alive, or at least any man alive who did not happen to work in a 1950's US MIL Supplies Depot locked away in a little room labelled PARKAS, told me not !!...



I firmly believed that if I ain't seen one that's because they don't exist or at least if they existed they were not US MIL Issue !!...



Well I was WRONG !! and Thank God, I was RIGHT !!....



On our way back from the Isle of Wight Rally this August just gone, after 4 days of little sleep, loading vans and attempting to fix two very temperamental vintage scooters, we spotted one !



Galloping through the mist without a care in the world, thinking we would not notice, in walked the Blue Unicorn.



First my apologies to the poor guy wearing it, who in the the excitement to literally rip his parka from his back, dissect and photograph (yes photograph and yes we are obsessive) its every stitch, button, label and nuance, we did not even ask his name !!...



So without any further ado; Sorry Mate, and thank you for your patience with two obsessive parka fans !!



With my guilt trip slightly eased now I can say that, after careful deliberation and analysing every aspect of this Blue M-51, confirmed to have been bought in the exact same period all these rumours are coming from. I am mixed with pride and sadness to say: It ain't an M-1951 !!....



None of the markings, cut, material, buttons, stitching, zips, poppers etc are as one would find on a genuine M-51 Fishtail Parka and surely my logic is right in saying, everything would be the same bar the colour ? agree ?...of course you do. US MIL kits follows certain lines such as talon, crown zippers, scovill poppers, double stitching in specific areas, double lining in others. Stuff only someone as parka mad as us would know !!



So for us at least, we will say that there is no US MIL Issue Blue M-1951 Fishtail Parka.

But there is a very rare and interesting little piece of the parka history wondering around in a light shade of blue and if you spot it, say hi to the owner from us and thanks !!...

No part of this article may be copied, transmitted, stored or used in anyway without the express permission of fishtailparkas.com

Fishtailparkas.com
Copyright 2007

The MA-1 Flight Jacket, A Timeless Classic

Copyright FishtailParkas.com 2007

The MA-1 Flight Jacket, The Beginnings of an Icon..

Coming soon to fishtailparkas.com will be a stock of Original 50's-80's Issue MA-1 Flight Jackets.

These are the real deal, not modern day alpha repro shite !!

The MA-1 flight jacket is 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 and Specifications...

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.

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 along 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.

No part of this article may be copied, transmitted, stored or used in anyway without the express permission of fishtailparkas.com