Posted by MyBomberJacket.com on 12th Apr 2023

Bomber Jacket History Those Chilly Cockpits

The bomber jacket—or MA-1 to be technical—has a history stretching from the middle 1900's to today. It started as a jacket that was designed to keep men warm in cramped and chilly cockpits. This fashion item has become a redesigned outerwear staple geared toward me as a modern man. Here is a brief summary of its history.

1930's: B3 Leather Bomber Jacket

Around 1934, the B3 Leather Bomber Jacket became a favorite of the bomber crews during World War II. It was designed for open cockpit and high altitude flyers before cockpits had air pressurization. This garment was made with genuine Shearling (sheep wool left on the tanned skin.) It kept men from freezing at the high altitudes. The B3 Leather Bomber Jacket was issued to Marine, U.S. Navy, and Army Air Corp air crews. In years following, men put the A-2 jacket on first, then wore the B3 Leather Bomber Jacket on top for extra protection and warmth. The jackets were colored "midnight blue."

1940s: A standard is set by the A-2 and B-15

Innovation spurred design changes from the B3 Leather Bomber Jacket. Materials used to make the outerwear changed from fur and leather, to waterproofed nylon and wool due to changes in the cockpit. Influence in the design today's leather bomber jackets come from the A-2 and the B-15. Horsehide leather with snap button closures, two front flap pockets and a neck flap, is the main characteristic of the A-2.

The B-15 has an obvious connection with modern MA-1 bomber jackets. The B-15 jacket had a fur collar only (cutting down on overall jacket bulk compared to the Shearling in a B3 Leather Bomber Jacket,) a zip pocket located on the sleeve, and the pockets (slash) that, to this day, are also on MA-1 bomber jackets.
While the B-15 had more design differences when compared to the A-2; the B-15 has only a slightly different design from the modern MA-1.

1949-1950: Introducing the MA-1.

The switch to MA-1 jackets, occurred sometime between 1949 to 1950. Changes were: a knit collar replaced the fur collar because the fur got in the way of a parachute harness. The jacket became reversible because an orange liner was added (to help promote rescue visibility in the event of a plane crash.) A nylon waterproof body became the standard. The color of these jackets were changed during the Korean and Vietnam wars to sage green for camouflaging soldiers who went to places that had plant life and dense vegetation.

Mid-1950s: Bomber Jackets Become Popular with Civilians

After the Korean and Vietnam wars, the MA-1 was worn by civilians. Non military people could enjoy the warming qualities of the bomber jacket. Traditional bomber jackets keep people warm in temperatures of 14 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, so they were ideal for people who needed a jacket that could be worn from autumn until the middle of spring.

Changes were made in this era as well. The wool cuffs and collar were exchanged for acrylic knit (to keep insects away.) Manufacturers put in a non quilt liner, and sometimes applied extra water repellent treatments for wetter climates.

Late '60s-'80s: The Bomber Jacket Appeals to the Rebellious

People in Europe and Australia led the charge to wear the bomber jacket outside the U.S. military. A that time MA-1 manufacturers shifted from exclusive military contracts to civilian clothing production in the late '60s through the '80s. A variety of subcultures were born throughout the U.S., Japan and Europe. These rebels were attracted to the leather bomber.

English punks wore denim, T-shirts, and other military themed gear like M-65 jackets. Punks often gravitated to jackets dyed in burgundy—a color never used by the military.

1980s: The bomber jacket goes Hollywood.

Film played a big role in spreading the fashion trend of the leather bomber jacket to the public. Action star Steve McQueen (in The Hunter in 1980,) showed the world how badass looking bombers could be. In 1981, Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones ran from rolling boulders and cracked his whip in Raiders of the Lost Ark. He was wearing a custom brown bomber jacket inspired by the A-2.

1986's Top Gun featured Tom Cruise's "patched-out" A-2 leather jacket. Films have looked back at punk style, as shown in This is England, or American History X, showing leather bombers counter culture groups of the '80s and '90s wore.