MONARCH Pre WW-2 REPRO AN-J-3, A-2 Type HORSE HIDE LEATHER FLIGHT JACKET BUILD

Description: For a proposed build you are now admiring one of my custom made hybrid type Monarch jackets. In this case, a AN-J-3 (leather collar) & civilian version patterned from Monarch's pre WW-2 and first USN mil spec M-422 (First Generation) flight jacket contract. However, recreated using elements from the front panel, wind flap and grommet type zipper assembly to include epaulets as utilized on an early 1930s mil spec Security Togs A-2 (as seen in the last pic within the descriptive images) design. Exactly what I have found that more often than not Monarch once manufactured for their private sector sales. All done using their mil spec jacket patterns from back in the day. Built to suit in sizes 36 through 48. Priced here using a dark brown colored Italian horse hide. However, your jacket can also be made using goat hide. If goat hide is used verses horse hide your jacket can be done at a 5% saving under the quoted price. Let me tell you about this jacket! The Monarch AN-J-3 (A-2 style leather collar verses mouton collar) model contract I am proposing for this build all predates WW-2. This particular jacket could have been made for the civilian market and something that I am keenly aware that Monarch once offered during the life of the company. Through my collecting I have found these same vintage mil spec jackets that Monarch produced for the government were constantly offered to the private sector (to include the AN-J-3) in a civilian version. In this case, all created by me using pre War patterns once used by Monarch for the military. Likewise and leading up to my developing this model jacket, I have completely restored many originals from this same model jacket and followed that exact same design here. Accomplished by reverse engineering those original jackets that I patterned prior to restoration and now recreated using those same vintage patterns. Subsequently, I've made these same Monarch jackets one of my concentrations for reproducing. One of the more premier pre War, WW-2 & Korean War era jacket makers for the military. A jacket in which I greatly admire because of its style, comfort and overall look. Above all other makes this particular jacket is one of my more favorite vintage jacket maker for both civilian & mil spec jackets. Let me tell you all about what you can expect with one of my custom builds! Arguably the most form fitting of all the USN leather flight jackets, this make jacket is best suited for those with an athletic build yet extremely comfortable if correctly sized to the individual. This version is by far the most flattering of all WW-2 model flight jackets. Not overly long or bulky like many of the other USN type flight jackets and utilizes less 90 degree angles with this design. To begin I use vegetable tanned hides from an Italian tannery. However & as previously mentioned this jacket can be done in either horse hide or goat hide. The hides I have that are readily available are 1.0 to 1.2 mm thickness in both horse & goat hide. Which given wear will do nothing but improve its look. As a more economical option goathide can be utilized in lieu of horsehide. Historically, goathide was almost exclusively used by the USN to build most all of their flight jackets. On the other hand, the USAA more often than not used horse hide. In any even I have a hand full of color options when using either goat or horse.. To include seal brown, chocolate, pigment over dyed russet and black. When it came to using horse hide for a true USN mil spec jacket, there is a single known exception. That particular horse hide flight jacket was produced late war by W&G with their AN-J-3A 288-35805 contract. A pattern that I have developed and now offer. Furthermore this same W&G jacket utilized a new design that incorporated numerous changes as compared to all previous models. Albeit still recognizable as W&G made, this newly designed jacket allowed for greater range of motion as compared to their WW-2 M-422 and M-422A models. If interested in an unusual historically correct USN horse hide flight jacket please ask and I will be happy to show you! An over dyed russet is a most interesting technique. More often that not used by Monarch and other same era jacket makers on some but not all of the early M-422, M-422A and AN model jackets. Given wear, the dyed russet will eventually loose portions of it's top coat. Thereafter revealing russet undertones to the high wear areas and patina like no other. In addition I recently sourced a seal brown colored vegetable tanned goat hide. Done to my color and thickness specifications. All three of the different color goat hides I have available which was originally utilized on Monarch's per WW-2 era jackets. Please contact me with regards to those options. My lining of choice for this particular build is the same rayon lining material seen used on the example within the descriptive images. That is an upgraded lining sourced out of the UK. It is an RAF blue colored rayon material that is cotton backed. Either dull purple or seal brown colored knits can be used for your proposed build. Historically Monarch utilized seal brown colored knits on their pre WW-2 M-422 jackets. On the other hand, the WW-2 era Monarch jackets used unique dull purple colored knits as seen my example jacket. Also used for both their USN military issue and civilian jackets. Subsequently, I have had both those same colored knits specially made. I happened to choose to use the dull purple for the example seen. This proposed jacket is priced to come with a superior pre War grommet type reproduction Talon zip and Art Deco type fantail pin locking slider. Exact as used by the early 1930s Security Togs A-2. However, should you choose not to use a grommet type zipper assembly a WW-2 era type Talon zip can be substituted for a savings. For the main label I am using an early per War Monarch civilian model. Not to mention, those original AN-J-3 jackets that have surfaced have never been found to bare a true mil spec label. Rather those labels seen attached to those original vintage jackets are always found to have a secondary manufacturer or private sector distributor's label. Most notably this jacket is stitched using 100% silk thread. Through my restoration work I discovered that all pre War mil spec USN flight jackets were originally built using a brown colored silk thread. In keeping with that same Pre WW-2 era USN jacket jacket construction technique I have utilized this same silk thread with this build. A point that I take great pride in. As I was the first and only vintage jacket reproducer to have discovered that all leather pre War USN flight jackets were in fact stitched in silk complete. Thus prompting me to correctly incorporate this same silk thread into my pre War USN type flight jacket reproduction builds. Furthermore, by using my original M-422 jackets (I own at least one original jacket from each of the three pre War M-422 model (not to be confused with the War era M-422A & AN models and completely different later model jackets) leather flight jacket makers. I have found an exact color match to that originally seen silk thread used on my pre War Monarch M-422. Just as originally intended, this thread always nicely contrasts any color hide & greatly compliments the overall look of the jacket. In addition, pound for pound silk thread is stronger than steel and far superior to anything used back in the day. Recently, I retired my 50 plus year old Reece 101 keyhole buttonhole machine. Going forward all of my jackets will be built using my brand new upgraded buttonhole machine. Necessary to create high quality button holes for the pocket flaps and throat latches for this particular build. I have added a short video of my new button hole machine stitching a Monarch.pocket flap.A good example of exactly what you can expect with your Monarch jacket. There is a waiting period for this build. If you are interested and want your jacket before the coming season I suggest you start this process now rather than waiting until the last minute as these builds take time. Please look at my other jacket options available. To include another option for a AN-J-3 model jacket I build as seen here with eBay item # 11383400135. That particular model build more closely follows the War era AN-J-3A and an over all slightly less complicated build. If interested please contact me David Sheeley at your earliest convenience to discuss your build.

Price: 2050 USD

Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia

End Time: 2024-08-23T15:59:01.000Z

Shipping Cost: 50 USD