Reproduction of the German Airforce (Luftwaffe) Flight Jacket from WWII. This was the mid-weight model, worn throughout the War by pilots and aircrew of fighters, bombers, and transports. They acquired the nickname "Kanaljacket" at some point after the Battle of Britain in reference to the English Channel. (Kanal = Channel in German.) Thus in English, "Channel Jacket".

This is one of the few reproductions of these jackets made. Ours was copied directly from an original and all the details were duplicated. The shell fabric is a tight woven cotton poplin, in the darker Feldblau shade. The front zipper is genuine Ri-Ri brand- one of several brands used in WWII and currently the best quality made anywhere. It is correctly made in off-white plastic- a feature peculiar to Luftwaffe flying jackets as well as some Paratrooper smocks and grenade bags. The cuff zippers are reproductions of the WWII "Zipp" brand, in nickel plated steel. All snaps are made by Prym in Germany.

The collar can be closed in the raised position via a leather strap underneath. There are internal cuffs to prevent the wind from going up the sleeve, and the zippers allow one to tuck gloves or gauntlets inside. Inside the body, a pair of web belts and slides allow the waist to be tightened. Two slash pockets are provided on the front, and a larger internal pocket is provided on the left breast, accessed from the outside.

The lining and collar are faux fur- that looks realistic and is extremely warm. Yes, we inquired about using real fur but opted not to as it would make the price nearly triple. Plus it might upset a Twitter mob.

Notes:

Fit: Order your normal chest size. If your chest measures 44 inches, then order a Large. Not a medium, an XL or 3XL. We have been sizing patterns for 30 years- we didn't just fall off the turnip truck. Again, order based on chest size and the drop down box sizes.

Fit #2: Yes, we are very well aware that the lining is thick. The the sizing compensates for that. Yes, I'm sure as I myself did the sizing scale. Do not order a larger size than you normally wear thinking you need to compensate for something I forgot or was unaware of. There are no conversions, special equations, or AI consultations necessary. Measure your chest (if you don't know it) and that's your chest size. Simple.

How to find chest size: Place a cloth tape measure around your chest at the widest point, usually about nipple level. In this case, it's 45.5 inches which is rounded up to either a 46 or XL. It's that simple.

Zipper: Is left opening- like those everywhere in the World except the USA.

Care: Technically the the faux fur is washable but we strongly discourage machine washing- we recommend hand wash cold and hang dry.

Hair Magnet: If you have pets, be prepared for furmageddon. The dark blue cotton is a magnificent magnet for hair of all kinds and carrying a lint roller in the pocket would be a good idea.

Imported