Luftwaffe Pilot's Leather Jacket

**FtrPlt** · 06-16-2013, 07:46 PM

Is the tag in the collar "L" as in L=Large? If so, what was the sizing system in use in France in the 1940s? Probably not S, M, L, and XL.

Very dangerous grounds with these jackets.

by don_kihotis7

Cool it's exactly the same. So it's definitely a French made jacket.
But i didn't understand, why it is a post war jacket since it was sold for 700 euros and it has all the loops and provisions for shoulder boards?

The two jackets shown aren't the same. One has zips angled up and away from center, the other down and away.
One has lower pockets with buttons, the other (presumably) snaps.
One has buttoned wrists, the other snaps.

One needs to be highly suspect when looking at these (in my opinion). Someone with basic knowledge can convert an otherwise innocuous vintage cycling jacket into a very expensive and super-rare Luftwaffe flight jacket in less than a few hours. All that's needed is some period thread, two buttons, and some leather to make the loops for the boards. Sans any badging, your total upgrade investment is probably $10. If you want to be exotic, get a repro eagle and boards and slap them on. Then put the jacket in front of a bright lamp for a few weeks. Remove the repro badging and 'voila', instant shadowing to back up your 'rare Luftwaffe jacket' sales pitch. Sorry to sound so cynical.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 06-16-2013 07:46 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**stonemint** · 06-17-2013, 04:26 AM

I agree with the above. I would never touch one of these without provenance--it is just too easy to take a civilian jacket and slap some boards and loops on it and call it Luftwaffe.

If you want a true Luftwaffe issue jacket, I would suggest the Reichsverteigung leder jacke--they come up for sale every now and then:

(This one here from the legendary Harry Luftwaffe collection):

**don_kihotis7** · 06-17-2013, 09:49 AM

Hi guys thanks for your opinions.
The Reichsverteidigung jackets are stunning indeed. But they cost a bit less than 2000 euros.

**FtrPlt** · 06-17-2013, 11:37 AM

by stonemint

I agree with the above. I would never touch one of these without provenance--it is just too easy to take a civilian jacket and slap some boards and loops on it and call it Luftwaffe.

Look on Ebay.de. On any given day there will almost always be at least a handful of various leather jackets all claiming to be ex-Luftwaffe pilot jackets. There were very few issue Luftwaffe leather flight jacket styles. Other than the style illustrated above, the only other ones I can think of are the white, blue, and brown sheepskin versions of the Kanaljacke. All the rest are privately acquired/converted civilian jackets.

**stonemint** · 06-18-2013, 12:30 AM

by FtrPlt

Look on Ebay.de. On any given day there will almost always be at least a handful of various leather jackets all claiming to be ex-Luftwaffe pilot jackets. There were very few issue Luftwaffe leather flight jacket styles. Other than the style illustrated above, the only other ones I can think of are the white, blue, and brown sheepskin versions of the Kanaljacke. All the rest are privately acquired/converted civilian jackets.

They also do the same thing with leather overcoats (which are all now Gestapo coats)--you would think the Gestapo had over a million members!