Original Items. Only One Group Available. This is an original U.S. WWII Army Air Forces cold-weather flying clothing group consisting of a very heavily worn AN-J-4 shearling winter flying jacket and a substantially better preserved pair of Type B-1 shearling flying trousers by Werber Sportswear of Newburgh, New Jersey. The jacket retains a partial specification label reading AN-6553-AN-J4, an AAF shoulder decal, and a CONMAR front zipper, while the trousers retain their complete data label, integral suspenders, and original TALON zippers. The two garments are compatible as WWII high-altitude flying equipment, although they were certainly married together recently.

Heavy shearling flight clothing was developed to protect aircrews operating in the extreme cold encountered in unpressurized aircraft at altitude. The familiar Type B-3 jacket had filled this role from the prewar period into the early years of WWII. In 1943 the Army and Navy moved toward greater standardization of flying equipment, resulting in the AN-J-4, a joint Army-Navy shearling jacket intended to replace earlier heavy winter jacket patterns. Specialist documentation places standardization of the AN-J-4 on May 17th, 1943.

This is a good overall set to fill out a display in your collection, consisting of a very rough and torn “Jacket, Winter Flying AN-6553” often referred to as an AN-J-4, with an AAF decal on the left shoulder, and a good pair of “Type B-1 Trouser” with their integral suspenders.

This jacket is not marked as a B-3 but shares many design characteristics and is of the same period. There is a tag on the interior which is now very torn apart. We can make out a few words:

JACKET, WINTER FLYING
AN-6553-AN-J4
S…..R
….
…..

The "Jacket, Winter, Flying, Type AN-6553" (commonly designated AN-J-4) was a standardized joint-service heavy winter flight jacket introduced in 1943 during World War II for both the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) and U.S. Navy. It succeeded older shearling models like the B-3 and M-445.

This example is very rough overall with a large tear in the right shoulder. There are many period leather repairs to the exterior of this jacket, so it saw extreme period combat use before being stored away and left to rot. Please advise that hanging this on a hanger will only further damage it, and the tear should be repaired before displaying it. The front CONMAR zipper is not currently working well so we would advise against using it. There are many pieces loose or tearing across the jacket with the leather heavily cracking and crazing all across.

The included B-1 trousers retain their complete data tag:

TYPE B-1 TROUSER
SIZE SMALL
SPEC. NO. 94-3085
ORDER NO. 42-22266
PROPERTY
AIR FORCE, U.S. ARMY
WERBER SPORTSWEAR
NEWBURGH, NJ

There are some small tears in the material near the right thigh pocket. The TALON front zipper is oxidized but works fine. Both TALON leg zippers are retained and work fine. The integral suspenders are in good shape.

The Type B-1 trousers predate the AN-J-4 jacket as a pattern, and their Order No. 42-22266 places this particular pair within an earlier wartime procurement cycle.

Condition is the defining consideration for this set. The B-1 trousers remain quite suitable for display, but the AN-J-4 jacket has suffered severe deterioration and should not be subjected to the stress of conventional mannequin or hanger display without substantial support. The large right-shoulder tear, extensive leather cracking, multiple repairs, separating material, and problematic CONMAR zipper all require careful handling.

Even in this condition, the group preserves several desirable and identifiable features, including the jacket’s surviving AAF shoulder decal, CONMAR zipper, numerous period repairs, and the trousers’ complete Werber Sportswear data tag, Specification 94-3085, 1942-series order number, integral suspenders, and functional TALON hardware. Together they provide a particularly useful study group illustrating the progression of U.S. Army Air Forces heavy cold-weather flying clothing during WWII.

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 10
Shoulder to sleeve: 23.5
Shoulder to shoulder: 17.5
Chest width: 20.5
Waist: 21.5
Front length: 25.5

Waist: 17.5
Rise: 12
Inseam: 27.5