Fall 2026 Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 330:
Description
RARE Korean War USAF N-2A Blue Phase Flight Jacket. Korean War Era USAF Type N-2A Heavy Flying Jacket with Attached Fur-Trimmed Split Hood, Size Large, Spec. No. MIL-J-6278, Order No. AF-33(038)-18828, manufactured by Aviators Clothing Co., Inc. Offered here is a scarce example of the Type N-2A heavy flying jacket in the short-lived Air Force Blue "Blue Phase" livery, produced by the Aviators Clothing Co., Inc. under Korean War-era Air Force contract AF-33(038)-18828. The jacket retains its complete, crisp, and legible spec label sewn into the interior collar, confirming the maker, size, drawing number, stock number, and contract order – the full identifying data collectors look for in an original, unaltered example of this pattern. No individual recipient or unit history is documented with this jacket, and the story here rests entirely in the specification data and contract markings sewn into the garment itself. With the creation of an independent United States Air Force in 1947, aircrew cold-weather gear was gradually converted from wartime olive drab to a distinctive Air Force Blue, giving rise to what collectors now call the "Blue Phase" of Air Force flight clothing. The Type N-2A, built to Specification MIL-J-6278, was designed as a shorter, cockpit-friendly alternative to the parka-length N-3A, intended for aircrews flying in heavy cold and extreme cold environments over Korea and other Cold War theaters of the early 1950s. Pilots downed behind enemy lines, however, quickly found the bright blue shell dangerously conspicuous against snow and terrain, and by the mid-1950s the Air Force phased in the Sage Green N-2B in its place – a changeover that makes surviving Blue Phase N-2A jackets, particularly in larger sizes and strong original condition, genuinely uncommon on the collector market today. The jacket is executed in heavy Air Force Blue nylon twill over a quilted lining, with a substantial mouton hood interior and a long-haired fur ruff trimming the attached, center-zip split hood, which opens flat across the shoulders or zips up around the face. The main front closure combines a heavy-gauge zipper with a protective button-over storm fly, slanted front pockets close with snaps, and a zippered utility pocket on the upper left sleeve retains its original leather zipper pull tab. Knit cuffs and a knit waistband, both original to the garment, complete the design, and the maker’s label remains sewn inside the collar with its type, specification, size, stock, and order details fully legible. The Air Force Blue shell retains rich, largely unfaded coloration throughout, and the original spec label is crisp and completely legible. The fur ruff is full and well-preserved with only light matting, and the mouton hood lining shows scattered thinning consistent with age. The zippers and snaps appear intact and operable, and the knit cuffs and waistband survive in generally sound condition, with minor pinpoint moth nips and a couple of small holes visible at one cuff and along the waistband, consistent with age and light service wear. A genuinely scarce surviving example of the fleeting Blue Phase N-2A, combining a fully intact contract label with strong original color, fur trim, and hardware in a desirable large size.
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