Well known jacket of the WWII German Airforce Pilots, and worn by the legendary Eric Hartmann (Luftwaffe Pilot). Hartmann, known as the "Blonde Knight of Germany", was credited with 352 aerial victories during his service with the Luftwaffe in WWII (making him the most successful fighter ace in the history of aerial warfare). He received many awards but in August 1944 he was awarded,"The Knights Cross", with oak leaves, swords, and diamonds. This is the highest Military decoration for combat in the German armed forces. In most historical images of Eric Hartmann, he can be seen wearing this leather jacket. They were popular amongst pilots because they were lightweight, close-cut, and could be comfortably worn in the tighter confines of closed cockpits in fighter planes like the Me109 and FW190. This jacket style soon became popular by a wide range of military personel such as day fighters, night flyers, observers, and stuka pilots due to its versatile function. In the late 1930's and early 1940's, the jacket was produced in black and brown. Our reproduction of the "Hartmann" jacket is as accurate to the original as it can be, including the unique buckle which closes at the bottom front. Available in Black, Brown and Congnac.