THE QATSPY® Quapaw Aviation Tactical Sportswear Performance Yukon Outfitter Company
THE QATSPY® Flight Operation Center Collection
By: Charles W. Boatright
Inspiration for Indiana Jones’ Leather Jacket/Khakis– Was the 1931 A-2 Leather Flight Jacket that was Worn by the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII
If there is one thing that draws audiences to the Indiana Jones Movies more than the suspense-filled, archeological adventures searching for historical artifacts and escaping danger, it is Indy’s classic outfit. We all know Indiana Jones’ iconic outfit that consisted of The leather jacket, fedora, and khakis Chino pants/shirt and bullwhip. The 1890’s and 1930’s brought us some of the most enduring and most iconic classics that actually defined fashions, even in today’s standards.
Indiana Jones’ outfit was well established in military tradition and history that endures as classic icons that has defined fashions, that has even endures today as a fashion standard. You can’t go wrong wearing the classic khaki chino pants, button-down Oxford shirt, and the classic itself, The A-2 Leather Flight Jacket, with that fedora to top off your attire. Of course, the tie is always optional, based on your situation. I can’t agree more with the Late Coach Mike Leach’s (The Pirate) assessment with neck ties; ‘They should have gone the way of the powdered wigs.’
Let’s Look at Indy’s Classic Khaki Chino Pants
The Term Khakis Description Origin
Khaki describes the color of the fabric and not the cotton fabric that came from China. Khaki was derived from a Hindu word that means soil-colored or sand color. The first military corps that influenced the need for a camouflage color, that later became the term khaki, was in 1846 in India. British-Indian Army still wore the red wool coats with white trousers that hearkens back to General Cromwell era that made it a perfect target in skirmishes.
With the advent of two developments made it essential for wearing camouflage instead of red wool coats and white trousers. The first development was rifling, or groves in barrels developed in 1520, that improved infantry’s accuracy over longer distances. The second development was smokeless gunpowder that was developed in 1884. Black powder caused the fog of war to envelop the battle field from rifles and canon fire that obscured the view of the battle field.
An unit commander, Henry Lumsden, that lead the Corps of Guides, in 1846, noticed how their Indian infantrymen wore cotton trousers that they were dyed their uniforms with a mixture of tea and native soil that allowed their uniforms to blend in with their surroundings. The color of this dye mixture was described by the Hindu word ‘Khaki’. In 1848, the khaki color uniforms became the standard issue uniform of the British and later of the U.S. Military leading up to the Spanish-American War in 1989.
The Hindu word ‘khaki’ became synonymous that was first used in the middle 1800’s established the fashion standard for the classic khaki pants. Coupled the khaki pants with a button-down oxford shirt that I’m wearing in the above photograph, you are ready for business and/or for leisure wear.
The Majority of what Indiana Jones wore was heavily influenced by both the British and U.S Militaries dating back to the 1890’s with the khakis and to the 1930’s with the iconic leather jacket. We can’t even imagine Indiana Jones without his leather jacket, fedora, and khaki Chino pants. Now for the word Chinos when and where was that term from.
The Chino was the Origin of where the Fabric was from
During the Spanish-American War, the American solders referred to their khakis pants as ‘Chino’ because of where the fabric was from, China. Thus the name Chino stuck for describing khaki as Khaki Chino pants that is a major part of my wardrobe, as well.
You can dress either up or down by wearing the very same button-down Oxford shirt and khaki Chino pants for almost any and all occasions. You NEVER have to be concerned if your khaki Chino pants will clash with your shirt or jacket you’re wearing. Button-down Oxford Shirt and Khaki Chinos and The A-2 Leather Flight Jacket, that I’m wearing, are a safe bet to have in your wardrobe for any/all occasions, except in the instance of a black tie and tux occasion.
The Indy-Style Leather Jacket Origin
Nothing defines Indiana Jones more than his leather jacket, with a close second being his khakis and his fedora. The leather jacket that is Indy’s signature part of his outfit was based on the 1931 A-2 Leather Flight Jacket that we are wearing in the featured image and in the photographs above. These are part of our Flight Operations Center Collection along with the khakis chino pants, fedora and button-down Oxford Shirt.
The A-2 Leather Flight Jacket was submitted to the U.S. Army Air Corps to replace the A-1 Leather Flight Jacket on June 09th, 1931. The A-2 Leather Flight Jacket identified the charisma and the exploits of the U.S. Pilots and Aviators during World War II in their cockpits and walking across the tarmac. The A-2 Leather Flight Jacket was what inspirited the Indy-Style Leather Jacket that also reflects that same character and charisma of those pilots and aviators had while flying their sorties.
The Originals A-2 Leather Flight Jacket That Virtually Hasn’t Changed since its Introduction in 1931
The A-2 Leather Flight Jacket that was first supplied to the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1931 has virtually not changed since its introduction in June of 1931.
The durability of The Indy’s ensemble of leather jacket, fedora, and khaki chino pants/shirt gave him the ability to crisscross continents in his exploits and were what endeared Indiana Jones’ character to us in 1981. Indy’s character style hearkens back to the classic era of the Greatest Generation and their bravery that was defined by their charisma that achieved nothing short of saving humanity from tyranny and oppression.
The Leather Jackets, fedora, khaki chino pants, flight suit, gloves, and the all important aviators sunglasses are all part of our Flight Operations Center Collection that captures that same charisma of the Indiana Jones character and of the Greatest Generation’s pilots, aviators, and airborne units that worn the A-2 and G-1 Leather Flight Jackets in the cockpit:
The THE QATSPY® A-2 Leather Flight Jacket is so versatile that I even wear it riding my INDIAN Scout Bobber 60 Motorcycle to and from the hangar and it also serves as my Sports Jacket for all occasions.
Indiana Jones’ Side Arm
My preference, however, is the Moses Browning’s design Model-1911 Springfield Caliber 0.38 Supper ACP Automatic COLT Pistol. The Model-1911 has been a standards in the U.S. Army since it was introduced.
