M-422A Gordon & Ferguson Co.

The US Navy’s Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAero) first issued the M-422 jacket to aviators in 1938.

These jackets were the first American piece of uniform to be used in combat, being worn by the famous Flying Tigers, pilots of the American Volunteer Group which started operations in April 1941 in China.

The USN specification required seal brown goatskin with a reddish brown mouton (lamb’s wool) collar and rib-rack cuffs with single layer waistband. We reproduce all these details exactly including the “USN” letters stenciled under the collar.

The Gordon & Ferguson M-422A design is perhaps the most popular of the USN jackets. Its distinguishing ‘trademark’ characteristic is the wider pencil slot pocket, salmon red lining, pointy collar and of course slim fit. Our jacket is an exact replica of the original.

We make the version with the back piece sewn over the front panels as that’s how the original example we used for patterns was but we can make it the other way around if so desired. There have been original examples with both configurations.

We use the same specification chrome tanned, drum-dyed, light seal brown goatskin leather that was used in the originals.

This is our upgraded version of the jacket. We did extensive research and development and were finally able to match the color, grain and weight of the hides exactly to original. Other improvements include a heavy weight mil-spec rayon lining in the correct WWII weight and color and of course the fur collar in correct brown shade. We guarantee you that our M-422A jacket is the closest reproduction of the WWII originals available in market today.

Jacket portrayed with Medium Brown mouton fur.