Leather has been used to make coats, jackets and other types of apparel for centuries. Its unique characteristics make it a particularly useful material for this application. While cotton and wool is somewhat delicate and susceptible to damage, leather is not. It's able to withstand countless years of use while showing little-to-no signs of aging. This, along with its stylish appearance, is why so many people prefer leather garments. However, there's one type of leather jacket that's become synonymous with classic style: the bomber jacket.
What Is the Leather Bomber Jacket?
The leather bomber jacket is a type of all-leather jacket that was originally developed by the U.S. Army's Aviation Clothing Board in September 1917. In World War I, airplanes had open instead of enclosed cockpit. So, when flying at high altitudes -- often tens of thousands of feet above the ground -- pilots and crewmen had to battle extreme cold temperatures. This prompted the Aviation Clothing Board to develop a new type of jacket. Dubbed the "bomber jacket," it featured an all-leather construction with a wraparound collar, zipper with wind flaps, cuffs and waists. Some leather bomber jackets also featured a fur-lined interior for additional warmth.The Sheepskin Leather Bomber Jacket
Of course, the leather bomber jacket has evolved over the years. In 1926, Leslie Irvin invented the sheepskin bomber jacket, which as the name suggests was made with sheepskin leather instead of cow's hide. The use of sheepskin proved highly beneficial in creating a superior level of comfort for pilots and crewmen. Irvin's sheepskin bomber jacket was such a success that he became the primary supplier of jackets to the Royal Air Force during World War II. It's important to note, however, that due to steep demand for the sheepskin leather bomber jacket, Irvin was forced to hire subcontractors to help produce the jackets. This resulted in several variations being made. Some of the sheepskin leather bomber jackets had different colors, features or variations in the design. Granted, these nuances were typically subtle, but it resulted in numerous designs nonetheless.A-2 and G-1 Leather Bomber Jackets
Of all the leather bomber jackets designed throughout history, the two most recognized are the A-2 and G-1 jackets. The G-1 jacket was a leather bomber jacket with a fur-lined collar that was distributed to the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Coat Guard during World War II. Even after all of these years, however, it's still issued to naval aviation officers and personnel on flying status. If you're a movie fan, you may recall the A-1 leather bomber jacket being worn by Tom Cruise in the 1990s Hollywood blockbuster "Tom Gun." It's simple, classic yet still offers a remarkable style that's not found elsewhere. For these reasons and others, the G-1 remains a popular leather jacket style. The A-2 leather bomber jacket was designed a successor to the A-1 jacket., which was first adopted in the mid-to-late 1920s. It was worn primarily by U.S. Army Air Force pilots, navigators and crewmen, many of whom decorated the outside of their jackets with patches and artwork. In 1943, the U.S. Army was forced to declare the A-2 leather bomber jacket as "Limited Standard." This meant that only replacements for service members could be ordered. No new pilots or crewmen would receive the A-2 due to its limited supply. Instead, new pilots and crewmen would be issued cloth-based aviation jackets like the Type B10 and Type B-15.
