The AN-J-3a flight jacket was jointly developed by the U.S. Army Air Corps and Navy Air Corps in the 1940s to standardize flight jackets, and was adopted only by the U.S. Navy in 1943. The AN-J-3a is an intermediates-zone flight jacket developed for pilots flying at low to moderate altitudes. In many respects, it shares the same features as the legendary G-1 leather flight jacket of the U.S. Navy, which was created after the war, but there are a few differences, such as a slightly shorter length and two holes on the left chest. At the time the AN-J-3a was adopted by the Navy, the Army Air Corps had already developed and deployed cotton flight jackets for the intermediate zone, and it is assumed that a combination of these reasons prevented the Army from adopting the AN-J-3a.

The Army Air Corps (later the U.S. Air Force) and the Navy Air Corps still provide different clothing and equipment, and the G-1 flight jacket, which is very famous in the Navy, may not have been adopted as a mainstream jacket if the AN-J-3a had not been developed and adopted. Although the AN-J-3a is hidden in the history of flight jackets, it is definitely an important jacket, and is a wonderful item that has led to many successor jackets.

The jacket presented here is a rare item with very little wear and the leather is in good condition. The label is usually worn to the point of being unreadable, but on this particular jacket the label is still in good condition. The wool ribs are also in very good condition except for some insect bites on the back side of the right sleeve. The lining has some wear and tear, but nothing that would make it difficult to wear. There is a name tape mark on the chest and a patch that has been removed on the left shoulder. The collar boa has some wear. In actual use, leather collars like the A-2's may rub against the neck when turned around, but the G-1 has a boa to protect it from the cold, so this is unlikely to happen. The G-1, however, has a boa to protect it from the cold. It is an excellent jacket, both historically and for wear. This is not a typical G-1, but something with more value. This is a used item and cannot be returned. Please understand.

Size: 36

Size (flat):

Shoulder width 48cm Body width 49cm Length 64cm Sleeve length 62cm

(The ribs are stretchy, so the actual body width will be larger. Measured at minimum)