Vintage 1987 Canadian Forces Air Command Sergeant's Uniform Jacket – Airframe Technician & Parachutist Wings

This is an original vintage Canadian Forces Air Command men's service dress uniform jacket, manufactured in March 1987 by P. & J. Clayman Inc. The jacket is made from blue wool and polyester fabric and retains its original embroidered military rank, occupational and parachutist qualification insignia.

The jacket is particularly interesting for its combination of Sergeant rank insignia, obsolete Airframe Technician trade wings and Canadian Forces parachutist wings with a white maple leaf, representing different aspects of the original wearer's military service and qualifications.

The jacket is tailored in the traditional Canadian Air Force blue service dress style, with a single-breasted front fastening with four gold-coloured military buttons. It features medium-width notched lapels, structured shoulders, long sleeves and a straight silhouette with slight shaping through the waist.

There are two pleated breast pockets with scalloped button-down flaps, each fastened with a matching gold-coloured Canadian military button. Two additional pockets are positioned at the lower front, and the back is simply tailored with a centre seam and no vent.

The jacket is fully lined in dark grey satin-finish fabric.

Original Military Insignia

The jacket retains several distinctive embroidered Canadian Forces insignia:

Sergeant Rank Insignia: Both upper sleeves bear three gold chevrons surmounted by a maple leaf, identifying the rank of Sergeant, a senior non-commissioned rank in the Canadian Forces.

Airframe Technician Trade Wing: Above the wearer's right breast pocket is an obsolete Canadian Air Force Airframe Technician occupational badge, featuring a single gold wing, a crowned central emblem and a red laurel wreath. The badge represents the former Airframe Technician occupation, designated Military Occupation Code (MOC) 512. This trade was amalgamated into the Aviation Systems Technician occupation during the Canadian Forces occupational restructuring of 1995–1997, making the original Airframe Technician wing an obsolete form of military insignia.

Parachutist Qualification Wings: Above the wearer's left breast pocket is an embroidered Canadian Forces parachutist badge featuring outstretched gold wings, a white parachute canopy and a white maple leaf at the base. The white maple leaf distinguishes this badge from the basic red-leaf parachutist qualification insignia and indicates qualifying service with an authorised operational airborne formation or unit.

Canada Air Command Shoulder Badges: Each upper sleeve bears an embroidered gold eagle with outstretched wings beneath the word CANADA, identifying the uniform with Canadian Forces Air Command.

Together, these insignia indicate that the jacket was worn by a Canadian Forces Sergeant who held Airframe Technician and parachutist qualifications.

Dating and Historical Background

The original manufacturer's label reads:

P. & J. CLAYMAN INC.
COAT, MAN'S, S.D., A.F. BLUE, NY/MT, AIR
8405-21-899-0079
SIZE 7044
65% WOOL, 35% POLYESTER
MARCH 1987

The March 1987 date establishes when the jacket was manufactured, although the insignia may have been applied or updated during its subsequent service life.

The jacket dates from the period following the reintroduction of distinctive blue Air Force service dress uniforms in the Canadian Forces during the 1980s. Its original Airframe Technician trade wing is particularly notable, as this occupation was subsequently amalgamated into the Aviation Systems Technician trade during the mid-1990s.

Sizing: Original military size designation 7044. Although this should fit a size 38/40, please rely on the actual garment measurements below rather than the military size code.

Measurements:

Shoulders: 19" across, seam to seam
Sleeves: 24½" from the shoulder seam
Sleeve inseam: 17"
Chest: 46" around, measured under the arms
Waist: 42" around
Overall length: 30", measured at the back from the neck seam

Fabric: 65% wool, 35% polyester, as indicated on the original manufacturer's label.

Colour: Canadian Air Force blue, with gold-coloured buttons and multicoloured embroidered insignia.

Manufacturer: P. & J. Clayman Inc., Canada.

Date: March 1987, as marked on the original label.

Condition: Excellent.  This looks like it saw little use and has been very well preserved - crisp and pristine.

An original late-1980s Canadian Forces Air Command service dress jacket retaining an unusual combination of obsolete Airframe Technician trade insignia, parachutist qualification wings and Sergeant rank badges. Of particular interest to collectors of Canadian military uniforms, Royal Canadian Air Force history, aviation-related militaria and military insignia.