Soviet Leather Flight Jackets?

[Will]

Does anyone have any information on these?

I'm trying to determine if there were specific approved styles worn by Soviet pilots from WW II into the Cold War period.

I've found a few photos in books or the net showing Soviet pilots wearing leather jackets, but I can't quite tell whether there was any uniformity to them as there was with the US A-2 jackets, for example.

Anyone have any info or photos?

[Commissar]

As far as I know there were little regulation to the soviet pilot leather jackets, the only ones I've seen have always been very long and black or very dark brown, sometimes with and sometimes without a fur collar.

[Will]

That's my impression as well. I've found a few photos on the net of Soviet pilots in Korea during the Korean War, and they appear to be wearing leather jackets that are waist-length, or slightly longer, some with zippered chest pockets and others without.

[Jeffrey Meffert]

They were also worn in the Spanish Civil war by the "volunteer" airmen there. I have a leather jacket and pants which may date from that time period and are shown on yuri. Sorry for flash artifact in photographing book but scanner is malfunctioning. Photo shows middle falcon wearing us style leather jacket with leather pants.

[Will]

Yesterday I acquired a copy of an Osprey publication titled "Mig 15 Aces of the Korean War". As I had hoped, the booked contained a number of good photos of Soviet pilots wearing various types of flight jackets, both leather and cloth.

If anyone is interested I can try to scan some of the photos.

[DougD]

Hi Will,

Yes, images would be great to see, thanks!

DougD