Sheepskin Bomber Jackets Historical View

Since the earliest days of flight one inherent problem for the aviator was how to stay warm in the open-air cockpit. Initially, turn of the century pilots did not experience the extreme cold temperatures of high-altitude flight, as they were limited by the technology and the inability of their aircrafts to go beyond 10,000ft. into the sky. However, on December 26 ^th , 1910, a well-known pilot of the day by the name of Archibald Hoxsey changed all of that when he flew his Wright Model B aircraft to what was then the astonishing record height of 11,474 feet.  Not long after, in 1912, the French pilot Roland Garros shattered that record by taking his aircraft to the unheard of altitude of 18,405ft. As the capabilities of pilots and aircrafts continued to develop and higher altitudes were attained, the need for better protective clothing offering warmth and safety became apparent. Thus many pilots turned to sheepskin and leather in an effort to protect themselves from those harsh conditions associated with high altitude flight.  The use of sheepskin (aka Shearling, a singular layer skin, the inside is the fur side of the sheep, and the outside is the flesh side of the sheep) for warmth is nothing new, as it dates back to biblical days when sheep herders would wrap themselves in sheep pelts to stay warm during frigid days and nights. 

The wearing of leather with sheepskin linings served multiple purposes for the early aviators, by utilizing leather to block the flow of cold air and sheepskin to retain body warmth.   With the onset of World War I there were new demands for warmer clothing, as several of the aircrafts being flown could reach altitudes of 20,000 feet or greater. At that height temperatures ranged from -12 to -21 degrees Fahrenheit.  As a result, entire sheepskin and leather suits were manufactured by companies under contract with the French and US Governments to produce Sheepskin lined boots, jackets, pants, mittens, along with flight suits and helmets.  By the 1920’s this became the standard wear of the aviators of the day.

The utilization of sheepskin became so commonplace, that it was in continuous use throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s by both civilian and military flyers alike. In 1934 the US. Army Air Corp took delivery of a new high altitude flight suit of which the, “Jacket, Flying, Winter, Type B-3 “was born. The B-3 jacket was issued to all pilots and flight crews of bombers along with Sheepskin lined pants known as “Trousers, Flying, Winter, Type A-3”. These, along with Sheep lined mittens, leather helmets, and boots became the standard flight uniform throughout the remainder of the 1930’s and 1940’s until the end of World War II in 1945. A number of other sheepskin jackets were contracted for during this period by the US Army Air Force to include the D-1 mechanics jacket, and the B-6 light weight sheepskin flight jacket.

While the United States Navy did not have many open cockpit aircrafts or any high altitude bombers during World War II, there was a need for extreme cold weather flying clothing and not to be outdone, the US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics developed what was known as the M-445 and the M-444 jackets both of which were made from sheepskin.  Examples of reproductions of these jackets can be seen on this website.

The Axis powers of World War II also made good use of Sheepskin in their respective flight jackets and flight clothing. Photographs and documentary videos of Japanese pilots  attacking Pearl Harbor during the opening strike of World War II, wearing sheep lined flight uniforms with fur lined leather flight helmets, can be found everywhere on the web. Likewise the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) had sheep lined flight suits similar to the US air crews, with large wide collars for warmth retention around the head, neck and face. Photos can also be found of Italian air crews wearing sheepskin flight gear, but not to the extent of the other Axis power flyers.

Our British allies were able to create an image that we still remember today, of young airmen wearing one of the most famous sheepskin jackets of World War II.  Probably the most iconic photographs of airmen wearing sheepskin jackets can be found in old photographs of RAF pilots from the famous 1940 Battle of Britain and their counterparts of the RAF Bomber Command.  The Irvin and Warings sheepskin jackets of that period were synonymous with the young daring adventurous pilots and air crews of those days. If you can find an original RAF Irvin jacket in good condition today, rest assured that it will come with a hefty price tag.

By 1943 the technology of heat distribution as it related to the science of the human body in a cold weather environment, began to outpace the need for the use of sheepskin in flight clothing. New synthetic materials were developed having the warmth of sheepskin without the weight and bulkiness associated with that hide. Additionally, electrically heated flight clothing had advanced to the point where it was no longer necessary to wear several layers of clothing and a sheepskin jacket over the flight gear. The life span of sheepskin as a means of life support at high altitudes was coming to an end.

World War II ended on September 2, 1945 and with it ended the need and use of sheepskin in most flight wear. The civilian Army & Navy surplus market was flooded with excess sheepskin flight jackets that could be purchased for pennies on the dollar. In the early 1950’s sheepskin jackets like the B-3, B-6, and the D-1 could be purchased for around $10.00 to $18.00 depending on which jacket you wanted to buy. Some young men who were air crew members who made it home with their jackets wore them in civilian life with distinction as a badge of honor, while others simply left them balled up in their trunks or overseas bags, wanting to forget the carnage of war and anything associated with it.

The jackets were purchased by numbers of young men, working construction jobs outside in the cold winter weather, or young thrill seekers wearing them while riding around on their motorcycles or just by guys who thought the sheepskin jacket made them look cool, like the Hollywood types who wore them such as Steve McQueen, James Dean and a few others. In time the coolness factor wore off and sheepskin jackets slowly disappeared.  Periodically the fashion industry would reach back and pull the B-3 sheepskin jacket out of the past and give it some modern-day trim and other features and it would sell for a while, but eventually it would fade back into history only to be pulled out again in another ten years or so. Many of the original examples of the World War II jackets are gone now. They just fell apart due to the tanning methods and coatings that were applied during the manufacture of the jackets. If you are lucky enough to find an original in good condition without rips, tears, or dry rot it will have a fairly expensive price tag. Original sheepskin jackets with World War II artwork will be even more costly, possibly in the four or five figure price ranges.  Reproduction sheepskin jackets are much more accessible and less costly. You also have the added benefit of knowing that you are not helping an original World War II artifact meet its demise.

If you are in the market for a real sheepskin jacket, buyers beware. Sheepskin is a commodity and therefore fetches a prime price due to the cost of the real sheepskin and the labor expertise that's require to assemble such jackets. In an effort to make it affordable, some companies will use a leather shell with a man-made fabric fleece that imitates the original. Although price can be substantially reduced, it is a far from the authentic shearling jacket in warmth and quality.

And just for the record, I’m the happy owner a number of sheepskin jackets, originals and reproductions, and I wear them all………..Uh ..the reproductions of course.

• Pictures 1-5 taken at The United States Air Force National Museum, Dayton Ohio