History

Luftwaffe 1941 "Alaska"

In the summer of 1940, the "RLM" Reichsluftfahrtministerium commissioned a two- piece cold weather winter combinations consisting of sheepskin jackets and sheepskin trousers, as the Barbarossa undertaking, the invasion of Russia, was already a done deal. As production capacities in Germany were largely exhausted, orders for winter clothing with sheepskin were placed with friendly countries such as Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania. Here, the two-piece suits consisting of sheepskin jackets and pants were produced in large quantities for the Luftwaffe. The "Loutre AG" based in Sofia Bulgaria is particularly worth mentioning here.

By the winter of 1941, sufficient winter fur combinations were now available for Luftwaffe pilots. Fighter pilot units in particular were equipped with the preferred white "Alaska" jacket and trousers made of sheepskin.  

The jacket, made from grown sheepskin which was tanned and left natural on the outside, was a step ahead of its time. Modern zippers for opening and closing the jacket, as well as zippers on the sleeves with built-in wind protection made of cotton with press studs created a design that could hold its own in the harsh Russian winter months. 

The long hair collar of the "Alaska", which was always made of dark sheepskin, is particularly striking. The zippers were usually Riri, Rapid or Zipp and the press studs were Stocko and Prym.  The Bomber and Stuka units were mostly equipped with fabric and sheepskin combinations, which were mostly made of dark blue or gray cotton and linen fabric with sheepskin on the inside. The production of these garments continued until 1945. In some Eastern European countries, the production of colored fur jackets continued into the 1950s. Initially with german made zippers and press studs from left over war production, later with the country's own products.

As the very warming Alaska jackets were worn out in the first harsh winters of the post-war period, only a few really well-preserved originals are available today for which horrendous prices are paid.