The RAF Sheepskin Jacket and Its Role in WWII Aviation
- jamesjordan
- Jun 28
- 3 min read
While American bomber crews were reaching for their B-3 sheepskin jackets, their British allies in the Royal Air Force were pulling on their own version of the same solution: the Irvin sheepskin jacket. Both designs arose from the same problem — the life-threatening cold of high-altitude bomber operations — and both solved it the same way, with genuine sheepskin construction. But the British and American designs diverged in significant ways that reflect the distinct traditions of the two air forces.
The RAF's High-Altitude Cold Problem
The Royal Air Force faced the same fundamental physics as the Army Air Forces: unpressurized bombers at high altitude in freezing conditions. RAF Bomber Command operated primarily at night — a tactical choice driven by daylight losses to German fighters — and the crews of Lancaster and Halifax bombers flew their missions in the same brutal cold that American airmen faced, often over the same targets in Germany.
The RAF's solution was developed by the Irving Air Chute Company, which had been producing parachutes for British aviation since the 1920s. The Irvin jacket — named for the company — was a sheepskin jacket with a design emphasis slightly different from the American B-3. While the B-3 was a more conventional jacket silhouette, the Irvin had a distinctive cut that became associated specifically with RAF crews.
Design Differences: RAF vs. American Shearling
The RAF sheepskin jacket differed from the American B-3 in several key ways. The collar design was different — the RAF jacket typically featured a large sheepskin collar without the snap-closure system of the B-3. The cut was often slightly shorter and in some versions more fitted through the body. The hardware and closure systems reflected British manufacturing traditions rather than American ones.
Both jackets used similar quality sheepskin — the thermal requirements were the same — and both would provide comparable warmth in the extreme cold of high-altitude bomber operations. The differences were in design details rather than fundamental function.
The Battle of Britain and the Sheepskin Jacket
The RAF sheepskin jacket was worn during the Battle of Britain in 1940 — the air campaign that prevented a German invasion of England and arguably saved Western Europe from Nazi domination. The image of RAF fighter pilots in their sheepskin jackets, running to their Spitfires and Hurricanes on English airfields, is one of the defining images of the early war. These jackets were worn through the desperate summer and autumn of 1940 by the 'Few' who Churchill immortalized in his speeches.
The RAF Jacket in American Culture
The RAF sheepskin jacket became known in America partly through wartime newsreels and photographs, and partly through the American airmen who served alongside RAF crews in the joint operations over Europe. The design influenced American outerwear and has been reproduced alongside the American B-3 by heritage manufacturers ever since.
Cockpit USA's British RAF Sheepskin Jacket
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the RAF Irvin jacket?
The Irvin jacket was the standard British RAF sheepskin flying jacket during WWII, manufactured by the Irving Air Chute Company. It was the British counterpart to the American B-3.
Did RAF pilots use sheepskin jackets in the Battle of Britain?
Yes. RAF fighter and bomber pilots wore sheepskin jackets during the Battle of Britain in 1940, and the image is one of the defining visual records of that campaign.
How does the RAF jacket differ from the American B-3?
The RAF jacket has a different collar design and cut from the American B-3, reflecting distinct British manufacturing traditions and design preferences, while both use genuine sheepskin construction for high-altitude warmth.
Does Cockpit USA make an RAF-style jacket?
Yes. Cockpit USA produces a British RAF Sheepskin Bomber Jacket available through Legendary USA.
