Long before the bomber jacket became a fashion icon, it was equipment.

During World War II, aircrews routinely spent hours at high altitude in unpressurized, poorly insulated aircraft. Temperatures could plunge well below zero, making specialized cold-weather gear essential.

Leather was a natural choice. It was durable, wind resistant and capable of surviving the demanding environment of military aviation. But at extreme altitudes, leather alone wasn't enough.

Airmen needed insulation. That's where shearling came in.

The Original Shearling Flight Jackets

One of the most famous American examples was the B-3 flight jacket, worn extensively by U.S. Army Air Forces crews during WWII.

Made from sheepskin, it combined a rugged leather exterior with the sheep's wool left intact on the inside. The result was an incredibly warm jacket with the now-iconic brown leather exterior, cream shearling collar and heavy-duty construction.

British airmen had their own famous version: the Irvin flying jacket, which used the same basic principle of thick sheepskin construction.

These weren't originally fashion statements. They were cold-weather tools.

And despite the modern term "bomber jacket," they weren't exclusively for bomber pilots. Pilots, navigators, bombardiers, radio operators and gunners could all wear heavy flight clothing. Crews aboard aircraft like the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator had a particularly strong need for protection during long, freezing missions at altitude.

From the Air to the Ice

More than 80 years later, we found ourselves looking at the same combination of materials and thinking about another place people willingly spend hours in the freezing cold:

An outdoor hockey rink.

At Third Assist, we're always looking backward to find ideas worth bringing forward. While developing a new cold-weather hockey glove, the old shearling flight jackets provided the perfect inspiration.

Take the rugged leather exterior and warm shearling lining of vintage aviation gear and reinterpret them as a hockey glove.

That became the Third Assist Aviator Model.

The Aviator features a leather exterior, classic shearling lining, aged waxed finish and minimalist embroidered design. The inspiration isn't just cosmetic—the materials that helped keep airmen warm generations ago make just as much sense on a frozen outdoor rink.

The original flight jackets became icons because their appearance followed their purpose: leather for protection, shearling for warmth and rugged construction built for the cold.

That's the same spirit behind the Aviator.

Inspired by aviation history. Built for outdoor hockey.