Restoring an Original WWII RAF Irvin Flying Jacket

When this original WWII RAF Irvin flying jacket arrived at our workshop, decades of storage had taken their toll.

The sheepskin was extremely dry and stiff, extensive white deposits had developed across the surface, and areas of the hide were beginning to deteriorate. The original sleeve and body zips had seized, while weakened stitching and vulnerable seams meant the jacket could no longer simply be handled or worn without risking further damage.

Yet importantly, much of the original jacket remained.

That made this a restoration worth approaching slowly.

The white deposits across the surface were among the most immediately visible signs of the jacket's condition.

Years of storage had left the sheepskin dry and inflexible, while accumulated residue obscured much of the original colour and character of the hide. Around the arms and other vulnerable areas, the deterioration was particularly pronounced.

But appearances can be deceptive with old leather.

Before deciding how far a restoration should go, the garment needs to be considered as a whole. The condition of the hide, fleece, stitching, seams and hardware all contribute to what can safely be preserved.

In this case, there was considerably more worth saving than its initial appearance suggested.

The original zips presented another challenge.

After decades without use, both the sleeve and body zips had become seized. Replacing them would have been relatively straightforward, but it would also have meant removing original components from an important wartime garment.

Instead, they were carefully cleaned and worked free.

The objective wasn't to make them appear new. Their worn surfaces and accumulated patina were retained, while their function was gradually restored.

This is exactly the kind of detail that matters on an original jacket.

Restoring the Sheepskin

Cleaning aged sheepskin requires restraint.

The jacket was carefully cleaned to remove accumulated contamination and surface deposits without unnecessarily disturbing the surviving finish beneath. We then addressed weakened stitching and vulnerable seams, following the original construction wherever possible.

Once stabilised, the sheepskin was treated using the specialist conditioning methods and formulas we use in our own workshop.

The result wasn't an artificially uniform surface.

Nor did we want one.

The Jacket After Restoration

Once the restoration was complete, the difference was considerable.

The sheepskin had regained flexibility, the original russet colouring had become much clearer and the fleece had recovered much of its softness.

But importantly, the jacket still looked its age.

Creases remained across the sleeves and body. Areas of surface wear were still visible, while individual panels retained the variations in colour and grain accumulated over decades.

A successful restoration shouldn't erase those things.

On a historic garment, they are part of what makes the piece worth preserving.

The History Behind the Jacket

In this case, the history extended beyond the garment itself.

According to the provenance accompanying the jacket, its original owner was an RAF pilot who was shot down during the Second World War.

He survived the crash but suffered serious injuries, including burns and a broken back. He eventually recovered and was able to walk again, although he was left with a permanent limp.

That history inevitably gives this particular Irvin additional significance.

We cannot know when every scratch, crease or area of wear appeared, and it would be wrong to assign a story to individual marks without evidence.

What survives is the jacket itself.

Its original sheepskin, hardware, stitching and accumulated wear provide a physical connection to the person who once owned and used it.

A Piece of History, Preserved

Original WWII RAF Irvin flying jackets were made as working equipment.

Their heavy sheepskin construction was designed to protect aircrew from the severe cold encountered at altitude. The details collectors value today were originally there first and foremost because they served a practical purpose.

More than eighty years later, surviving examples require a different kind of care.

Our role isn't to return them to an imagined factory-new condition.

It is to preserve what has survived.

At Revive & Restore Vintage, we approach original military and historic leather garments with that principle in mind. Original material is retained wherever possible, intervention is kept proportionate, and the evidence of age and use is respected rather than automatically removed.

This Irvin still carries its creases, wear and imperfections.

It should.

They belong to the jacket's history.