Leather Jacket Guides

Before the A-2 became the flight jacket most people picture, pilots of the US Army Air Corps were issued the A-1 flight jacket: a short leather jacket with a knit collar and a row of buttons down the front. It was standard issue for only a few years, yet its waist-length, knit-trimmed shape set the pattern that later flight jackets followed.

Where Did the A-1 Flight Jacket Come From?

In the 1920s most military aircraft had open cockpits, and flying meant sitting in a cold, fast stream of air. Pilots layered up in sweaters and heavy flying clothing. On November 7, 1927, the Air Corps standardized the Type A-1 jacket, a waist-length leather jacket intended to take the place of the sweater.

The original was cut from chocolate-brown sheep leather, often described as capeskin, and lined in brown cotton. It had one real weakness: sheep leather wore out quickly under daily service. That durability problem led directly to its successor. In May 1931 the Air Corps adopted the A-2, made at first in horsehide, and the A-1 was phased out of standard issue, although examples stayed in limited use for years afterward.

Because so few originals survived that hard use, most A-1s you see today are reproductions or modern interpretations.

What Are the Defining Details?

An A-1 is easy to spot once you know what to look for:

• Knit collar. A stand-up knitted collar that buttons closed at the throat, rather than a leather or sheepskin one.
• Knit cuffs and waistband. Rib-knit trims seal the wrists and hem against drafts, the feature it passed on to the A-2 and many jackets since.
• Button front. A row of buttons closes the body. There is no zipper on an original.
• Two low pockets. Flapped pockets placed near the waist, each closed with a button.
• A short, slightly full body. The waistband gathers the leather, so the body blouses a little above it, while the sleeves stay fairly slim.

How Is the A-1 Different From the A-2 and G-1?

A-1 vs A-2

The A-2 kept the A-1's short body and knit cuffs and waistband, then changed almost everything above the belt. The buttons gave way to a zipper backed by a wind flap, the knit collar was replaced by a leather shirt-style collar with hidden snaps at the points, and shoulder straps were added. The pockets became patch pockets with snap-down flaps. You can read more about the A-2 jacket and its predecessor on Wikipedia, and our A2 vs B3 comparison shows how the A-2 differs from the heavy sheepskin bomber.

A-1 vs G-1

The G-1 comes from the Navy side of the family and developed in the 1940s, more than a decade after the A-1. It shares the knit cuffs and waistband but closes with a zipper, carries a sheepskin-faced collar and has a pleated, bi-swing back that frees the arms. Where the A-1 feels light and a little vintage-sporty, the G-1 reads heavier and more rugged. Our G-1 flight jacket guide covers its history in full.

Here is our navy A-1 alongside two A-2 styles, so you can compare the silhouettes of the two generations:

Men's Navy Lightweight Lambskin A-1 Flight JacketMen's Black Leather A-2 Flight JacketMen's Distressed Brown Lightweight Cowhide A-2 Flight Jacket

How Should an A-1 Flight Jacket Fit?

The A-1 is a short jacket, and it should look like one. Work through these checkpoints in front of a mirror:

1. Waistband: sits at your natural waist or the top of your belt. It should hold its place without squeezing, with room to slide two fingers underneath.
2. Body: a little fullness above the band is correct. If the leather balloons over the waistband when you stand straight, go down a size.
3. Collar: buttoned, it should leave about a finger's width of space at the neck, so it doesn't rub.
4. Sleeves: the knit cuffs should land at your wrist bone with your arms relaxed, and not ride far up your forearm when you reach forward.
5. Back: reach both arms forward as if holding a steering wheel. You should feel light tension across the shoulder blades, not a pull at the seams.

Because the knit collar sits close to the neck, plan on thin layers underneath. A hoodie fights the collar, while a T-shirt, an oxford shirt or a fine crewneck sweater sits cleanly.

How Do You Wear an A-1 Today?

The knit collar makes the A-1 softer and more casual than an A-2, closer to a sporty blouson than a military piece. It falls within the broad family people call bomber or aviator jackets, and our guide to aviator vs bomber jackets untangles those terms. Some combinations that work well with a navy A-1:

• White oxford shirt, gray chinos and brown suede chukka boots for an easy smart-casual look.
• Cream crewneck sweater, dark indigo jeans and brown leather lace-up boots for fall weekends.
• Plain gray T-shirt, olive trousers and white leather sneakers for warmer spring days.

Navy works with gray, cream, khaki, olive and brown. If your A-1 is brown, the same outfits hold, with navy or charcoal trousers as an extra option. Keep the fit of everything else trim: the jacket stops at the waist, so wide, baggy trousers make the outfit look top-heavy.

How Do You Care for an A-1?

An A-1 mixes two materials, and each needs its own care:

• Leather: wipe marks with a barely damp cloth and condition sparingly when the surface looks dry. Lighter leathers such as lambskin need only a thin coat.
• Knit trims: keep them dry where you can, remove pills gently with a sweater comb, and never hang the jacket by its collar, which stretches the knit.
• Buttons: check the thread every season and re-sew a loose button early, before it pulls through the leather.
• Storage: use a wide, shaped hanger and a breathable cover. If the trims are wool, store the jacket clean with cedar to keep moths away from the knit.

FAQ

When was the A-1 flight jacket introduced?

The US Army Air Corps standardized it on November 7, 1927. The A-2 took over as standard issue in May 1931, though the A-1 stayed in limited use for years afterward.

Does an A-1 have a zipper?

The original A-1 closed with buttons, both on the front and on the knit collar. The zipper arrived with the A-2, so a button front is one of the quickest ways to tell the two apart.

What leather was the original A-1 made from?

It was made from chocolate-brown sheep leather, usually described as capeskin, with a cotton lining. The leather wore poorly in service, which is one reason the A-2 moved to horsehide.

Is an A-1 warm enough for winter?

Not on its own in real cold. It was designed as a light jacket to replace a sweater, so it suits fall and spring best. In winter, layer a thin knit underneath or switch to a heavier jacket.

The A-1 flight jacket is the quieter, earlier chapter of the flight jacket story, with its knit collar and buttons marking it out from everything that came after. To see it next to the A-2 and other aviation styles, browse our bomber and flight jackets.