After 80 Years, It Still Fits!

One of the things my grandfather(Grandpa Tony) gave me before he passed away was this genuine MIL spec flight suit. Those of you who knew him, knew he was a small man, just like me. We had similar weights(he was lighter), about the same height, and the same shoe size. The other day, I rediscovered this flight suit he left me in the trunk of his 1968 Oldsmobile Delta 88(which will be the subject of another blog article).

It is a genuine MIL spec woolen flight suit:

MIL-SPEC

I was describing this to my Uncle Fino(mom’s brother in law via Tia Annie) during my most recent trip to Texas, and it turns out Uncle Fino used to wear this same flight suit when he was flying for SAC in the 60s/70s.

As you can see, it has tons of pockets: 2 on the chest(with zippers tilted so you can reach into one side using the other hand), 2 on the thighs(similarly tilted zippers for the opposing hands), 2 on the bottom of the legs, zippers to close over the boots, zipper-less pockets for reaching your pants pockets underneath, and a stiff clip(for holding a checklist?) on the left thigh:

Flight suit

Although this one was made in 1942, it’s likely my Uncle ‘Nito gave it to my grandfather after WWII. Uncle ‘Nito served in the Air Force as a mechanic on the flight line, and grandpa Tony served in the Navy at the very end of WWII. Neither of them were pilots, so if Uncle ‘Nito gave it to him, it was from a surplus store or from one of his pilot buddies, long after 1942. Regardless, I like to imagine it is the genuine article from a carrier that grandpa served on. And you know what? Pretending that I am my Grandpa Tony, I can say “AFTER 80 YEARS, IT STILL FITS!”

It still fits!