In Review: Fieldworth Type 45 Flight Jacket
I like throwback clothing. Not costume pieces, not Go Go boots or Nehru jackets. I mean gear that pulls from old workwear and military issue, things that were built for a job and still carry a little cool. The Fieldworth Type 45 Flight Jacket fits that mold. It looks like something you would dig out of a dusty Army Navy store, but it lands with cleaner lines and better materials.
The Type 45 takes its shape from the CWU-45P, first issued in 1972 to U.S. Air Force pilots. Those jackets were made for cold, harsh conditions, often worn in unheated aircraft where function mattered more than comfort. The name itself, Cold Weather Uniform, says it all. Thick nylon shell, bulky insulation, bright orange lining for visibility. Fieldworth keeps the outline but removes the excess. This version is lighter, easier to wear, and built for the street rather than the cockpit.
The biggest change is the fabric. Instead of nylon, it uses cotton Bedford cloth. It has a dry feel and a visible vertical grain that gives it some texture without looking busy. There is a bit of stretch woven in, just enough to make it comfortable without turning it soft or shapeless. It still feels structured, which is the point.
The details stay close to the original pattern. A zip front with an interior wind flap. Snap-adjusted hem. Flap pockets at the waist and a zip pocket at the chest. The stitching is solid, nothing flashy, just built to hold up. Inside, a cotton poplin lining keeps it breathable, which matters because this is not meant to be a deep winter jacket.
At $138, it sits in an odd place. It is not cheap, but it is not trying to compete with high-end reproductions either. Most modern bomber jackets drift past $150 without much thought, so this comes in just under that line. You can find older flight jackets online for less, if you are willing to deal with wear, sizing issues, and whatever history they carry. This one gives you the look without the guesswork.
There is always a part of me that prefers the real thing, something that has been worn hard and carries its past with it. But that comes with tradeoffs. Fieldworth is not trying to fake history. It is taking a familiar form and making it usable now. That is a safer move, but in this case it works.