On 15 Sep 2003 09:07:14 -0700, (Michael) wrote:

No leather in it though... cotton
shell with an alpaca lining. Much warmer than an A-2 (or a B-3 if you
wear an F-3 suit under B-10) and much easier to mass produce.

I think it was about the time of The Great Santini when the fighter?
pilots of the USAF persuaded the guvmint to give them back their
leather jackets.

Cotton of course is better than nylon, but it still burns. Pilots
continue to favor leather today, though they aren't consistent about
this. I've never seen a pilot at the local airfield togged out in
leather helmet or trousers. Probably, like the Great Santini's pals,
they like the leather jacket for its WWI and WWII associations.

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9

see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com
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