Chaqueta de vuelo Type B-15 de la Segunda Guerra Mundial de W.& C. Clothing Co., especificación 3220, forro de alpaca, cuello de moutón, talla 40

Property from a private aviation and military outerwear collection: a circa 1944 Type B-15 by W.& C. Clothing Co., Specification No. 3220, retaining its alpaca lining, mouton collar and CONMAR zipper. It is the transition piece between the romance of leather and the efficiency of postwar nylon.

The Piece

An increasingly difficult wartime flight jacket to encounter with this degree of completeness, this Type B-15 belongs to the short and significant chapter of U.S. Army Air Forces outerwear that bridges earlier leather flight garments and the nylon systems that later defined the jet age. Issued in olive cotton with a dense alpaca-pile lining and full mouton collar, the B-15 was conceived as functional airborne equipment for cold-weather cockpit use; in this example that functional severity has matured into the quiet softness of age honestly absorbed.

The silhouette is one of the great American military forms: broad collar, deep-ribbed waistband, offset zipper line and compact blouson body. The offset zipper served cockpit ergonomics, the shearling collar with throat latch sealed against wind at altitude, the alpaca pile was the thermal core before synthetic insulation, and the utility sleeve pocket anticipates the MA-1. Mouton at the neck, alpaca at the body, corduroy at the pocket interiors and cotton across the shell give the jacket warmth and atmosphere.

The key identifying wartime features survive. The Specification No. 3220 label remains present, the W.& C. Clothing Co. attribution is legible, the CONMAR zipper with leather pull still closes the front with period-correct authority, and the left-shoulder Air Force marking remains faintly visible, now a ghost of service. The alpaca lining keeps its body, depth of pile and insulating density across the jacket, and the mouton collar remains plush, dimensional and uncollapsed, one of the most critical indicators of preservation in early B-series jackets. The cotton shell carries a softened, time-earned patina and retains structure without stiffness.

Produced during WWII and phased out relatively quickly, original B-15 jackets, especially early specification variants such as 3220, survive in a shrinking pool. As a transition between the heavy leather A-2 era and the lightweight MA-1 era, original examples appeal to military collectors, designers, textile historians and connoisseurs of twentieth-century outerwear. This one relies on correctness, survival and the authority of materials no longer used in this way.

Details

• Maker: W.& C. Clothing Co.
• Model: U.S. Army Air Forces Type B-15 flight jacket, Specification No. 3220
• Era: Circa 1944 production window
• Material: Cotton flight satin shell, jungle cloth tone; full-body alpaca pile wool lining; natural mouton shearling collar with throat latch; corduroy pocket linings
• Hardware: CONMAR metal zipper with leather pull tab
• Markings: Faded U.S. Air Force insignia on the left shoulder
• Size: 40 (fits approx. Large)
• Measurements: Shoulder 48 cm · Chest 59 cm · Length 63 cm · Sleeve 69 cm (approx.)
• Provenance: Private aviation and military outerwear collection

Condition

• Strong vintage integrity with wear consistent with age and use; not over-restored, silhouette and wearability intact.
• Minor surface patina across the shell and a few scattered marks, including a small paint mark on the back panel.
• Stress wear to the sleeves and sleeve ends, with small holes along creases.
• Light fraying at the rib cuffs and knit extremities.
• Small localized repairs, including minor repairs at pocket edges, and areas of stress; small wear at the zipper base.
• Damage is localized and consistent with some 80 years of aging, not structural failure.

Authenticity & Care

Original wartime construction identified by the legible Specification No. 3220 label, W.& C. Clothing Co. attribution and period CONMAR zipper. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

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