December 7th Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 305:
Description
World War II US Army Air Forces B-3 Shearling Flight Jacket. The B-3 was the standard cold-weather flying jacket worn by bomber crews, particularly those flying high-altitude missions over Europe and the North Pacific.
The jacket is constructed of thick, brown leather lined throughout with natural, high-pile sheepskin shearling, designed for extreme cold protection. The exterior leather shows a deep, crackled patina and wear consistent with genuine operational use and age, while the heavy shearling collar retains its color and loft. The jacket features two leather waist adjustment straps, heavy-duty zipper closure, and leather reinforcements along the seams. The original specification tag is visible in the collar, confirming the jacket as TYPE B-3, in SIZE 42, with a visible portion of the contract number ORDER NO. 42-511 dating it to the early to mid-WWII period.
A remarkable feature of this jacket is the double personalization painted on the chest, suggesting it was owned by two separate airmen or had unique crew nicknames. The names BARNEY and CHICK are hand-painted on the chest leather. Barney is prominently painted in bright yellow script on the left side, and Chick is painted in white/cream script on the right side. This distinct dual naming adds significant character and a unique history to the garment. The heavy shearling lining is present throughout the body and sleeves, with shearling cuffs visible at the sleeve openings. The original zipper works perfectly.
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