Description
Introduced in 1952, the US Navy's G-1 flight jacket was built to the MIL-J-7823 specification, succeeding the earlier 55-J-14. While the Air Force was moving toward nylon flight jackets, the Navy stuck with leather, maintaining the familiar G-1 design that had become a staple of naval aviation.
Around the same time, Japan's souvenir jacket culture was taking shape, with American servicemen bringing home embroidered jackets featuring elaborate Japanese artwork. At the center of it was Kōshō Shōkai, the predecessor to Tōyō Enterprises, which produced distinctive fabrics featuring eagles, tigers, and dragons for sale at US military exchanges. Some servicemen took things a step further, replacing the standard linings of their G-1 jackets with these colorful Japanese prints.
This jacket from Buzz rickson's recreates that tradition, pairing the classic Navy flight jacket with a reproduction of Kōshō's original souvenir jacket fabric and a period-style Yokosuka Navy Exchange label. It's a great piece of history, with the most interesting detail tucked away on the inside.
