1950s British RAF Ventile Cold Weather Ground Crew Parka. Quite simply, parka coats do not come any better than a 1950s RAF Ventile parka made from Ventile cotton. They are one of the most sought after and rarest parka coats on the planet. Back in the 1940s, the RAF were losing an alarming amount of pilots to the freezing oceans. A plane would go down and pilots would simply freeze to death before help could arrive. The RAF needed a new revolutionary fabric that would keep the pilots alive long enough for help to get to them. The Shirley Institute in Manchester was formed in the 1920s with the sole purpose of researching cotton production methods. The RAF turned to the Shirley Institute and tasked them with producing a new form of woven cotton that would repel water. Extra Long Staple cotton fibres are used to produce a low twist yarn which is then woven tightly with high density to produce Ventile cotton. There is no special protective coating involved. Simply the dense weave and the fact that the cotton fibres swell when wet provides a waterproof barrier. From the Ventile cotton was borne RAF pilot immersion suits and other protective clothing such as the Ground crew parka. Pilots Surviving the Seas. The RAF found that the new Ventile fabric was keeping their pilots alive for an extra 20 to 30 minutes whilst plunged in the sea and this vital amount of time was enough for rescue services to arrive and save a pilots life. Ventile Used In Fashion. It is costly to acquire and you can be sure of a quality long lasting weather proof garment whenever Ventile cotton is used. RAF 1950s Ventile Parka. Due to the extremely high production costs, the 1950s ground crew parka was only issued in limited quantities and is therefore extremely rare. Each parka features wool interlining which is sandwiched between two layers of Ventile cotton. The hood is lined with super soft sheep shearling and trimmed with wolverine fur. Frost will not form on wolverine fur so it is of the highest quality for parka hood purposes. The Ventile parka is fitted with heavy duty NZ zippers, wooden toggles for hood size adjustment, a waist metal buckle for tightness when fastening, a left sleeve pen / pencil pocket, two deep hand pockets and a left deep chest pocket which is a beautiful touch to these wonderful parka coats. The American M-1948 fishtail parka is a truly beautiful top end parka quality wise, but in my opinion, the 1950s RAF Ventile parka is simply the best parka coat ever produced. The RAF Ventile parka was produced in a dark shade of green and grey. Although both are very rare to find, the grey version is somewhat rarer and seen less. 27″ Chest, 23″ Shoulders, 44 Length. The item “Vintage Deadstock Ventile RAF Arctic Parka 22C Mouton Collar, camo buttons, 1950s” is in sale since Monday, March 1, 2021. This item is in the category “Clothes, Shoes & Accessories\Specialty\Vintage Clothing & Accessories\Men’s Vintage Clothing\Coats & Jackets”. The seller is “3zapataz” and is located in uk. This item can be shipped worldwide.
- Modified Item: No
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United Kingdom
- Style: Parka
- Chest Size Measurement: 27″
- Look: Vintage Surplus
- Chest Size: M/L /XL
- Decade: 1950s
- Material: Ventile, Wool, Sheepskin/Mouton Collar,
- Original/Reproduction: Original
- Shoulder to Shoulder: 23″
- Main Colour: Green
- Occasion: Everyday
- Brand: Unbranded