MA-2 bomber jacket explained

The MA-2 bomber jacket (also known as the MA-2 flight jacket or CWU-45 flight jacket) is an advanced version derived of the original MA-1 bomber jacket that was originally designed for the American military during the 1950s. CWU stands for "Cold Weather Uniform."^[1] The MA-2 is still being issued and used by the United States Navy and United States Air Force.^[2]

The term MA-2 was a trademark of the Cobles Clothing Company,^[3] adopted in the late 1980s when the CWU-45 military jacket started to gain popularity in street fashion. The term MA-2 has become so popular it is now used interchangeably with CWU-45 to represent this type of jacket.

There is also a lightweight version of this jacket, referred to as CWU-36.

Design

The MA-2 has several design changes compared to an MA-1:

• Large cargo pockets sewn onto the front of the jacket rather than the small slash pockets on the MA-1 Jackets.
• A fold-down collar rather than the elasticated collar of the MA-1
• Usually not orange lining, usually the same colour as the outer nylon
• A different design where the sleeves join the back to allow easier movement
• The cut is somewhat shorter – the jacket sits high on the waist compared to the MA-1.
• Genuine, military-issue CWU-45 and CWU-36 jackets (not the commercially available copies) are mostly made from the flame-resistant fabric Nomex, rather than the flammable fabrics used in earlier jackets.
• Genuine, military-issue Nomex CWU-45 and CWU-36 jackets have slightly larger and higher pocket openings.

See also

• Bomber jacket
• Blouson

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rothco CWU-45P Flight Jacket. 30 June 2016.
2. Web site: Valley Apparel Manufacturing Overview. 19 October 2023.
3. http://www.ipo.gov.uk/tm/t-decisionmaking/t-challenge/t-challenge-decision-results/o30299.pdf MA2 trademark hearing document