Description
You are bidding on an EXTREMELY RARE pair of 100% original WW2 Imperial Japanese Navy Koku Tebukuro Pilot Gloves! This gauntlet style of flight glove was worn by Japanese Naval Aviators flying legendary aircraft including the Mitsubishi A6M Zero, as well as the numerous fighters, dive bombers, torpedo bombers, reconnaissance aircraft, and other combat aircraft!
The Japanese Navy Flight gloves extended above the wearer’s wrist and protected the hand from exposure to the elements. It was issued for both summer and winter use. The main difference with the winter glove was the addition of animal fur for extra warmth. Furs used were rabbit, goat, sheep, and horse.
The Imperial Japanese Navy developed specialized flight clothing to protect its aircrews while still allowing pilots the dexterity necessary to operate aircraft controls and instruments. Naval flight gauntlets were produced in both summer and winter forms, with the winter versions receiving additional fur insulation. The five-finger hand section was manufactured from very thin deerskin suede, chosen because it combined flexibility with sufficient protection and allowed the wearer to perform delicate tasks in the cockpit such as manipulating switches, instruments, watches, maps, and other equipment. The extended gauntlet protected the exposed area between the hand and the sleeve of the flight suit, while a wrist strap secured the glove during flight. Unlike the Japanese Army, which did not adopt the same distinctive long-gauntlet pattern for its flying personnel, this configuration became closely associated with Imperial Japanese Navy aviation. Production was contracted to civilian Japanese manufacturers working to Navy specifications, with naval supply depots including Yokosuka, Kure, and Sasebo responsible for issuing flight equipment. Manufacturer labels were normally sewn inside the left gauntlet adjacent to the Navy supply-depot label, making surviving correctly labeled examples especially useful for identifying original wartime production.
Made by Kawai Manufacturing Co., Ltd of thin brown deerskin suede and thin leather or leatherette/composite-type material, this pair of Japanese Navy Gauntlet-style Pilot Gloves are in STUNNING condition! The suede hand sections remain soft and flexible with strong original brown coloration, while the extended cuffs retain their original shape and construction. Both gloves retain their original sewn-in Imperial Japanese Navy issue labels (normally missing) as well as the individual manufacture tag! Yokosuka was one of the principal Imperial Japanese Navy facilities responsible for the issue of aviation clothing and equipment, with the main tag indicating:
Yokosuka Gunju-bu
(Yokosuka Naval Supply Depot)
The date information indicates Showa 19, corresponding to 1944; and the 11th month, corresponding to November. The issue labels also contain the standard printed fields used for Navy supply information, including date, size, and issue/property information, with the size field appearing consistent with the Navy’s numbered sizing system. The left glove additionally retains its separate original civilian manufacturer label, displaying the company name:
Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Seisakusho
(Kawai Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)
This is especially desirable because wartime civilian manufacturers normally attached their own company label inside the left gauntlet immediately adjacent to the naval supply-depot label, and these separate maker labels are frequently missing from surviving examples. Kawai is specifically documented as a manufacturer of Imperial Japanese Navy flight gauntlets. Both gloves also retain their original wrist-securing assemblies, including the woven adjustment straps, button/snap fittings, reinforced attachment points, and circular ring fittings. The large rectangular cloth identification panel remains sewn to the exterior of the gauntlet, intended for the wearer’s name or unit information. Stitching remains strong throughout with no major tears, holes, missing fingers, or repairs!. The thin, almost paper-like character of the gauntlet material is consistent with the lightweight construction encountered on Japanese wartime flight equipment; by the later stages of the war, synthetic and composite materials increasingly replaced heavier natural leather because of material shortages. The combination of an original matching pair, both Navy issue labels, a clearly identifiable November 1944 Yokosuka issue, the surviving Kawai manufacturer label, complete wrist hardware, EXCELLENT original color, and outstanding overall preservation makes this an EXTREMELY RARE and EXCEPTIONAL example of original Imperial Japanese Navy aviation equipment. PERFECT for any advanced WW2 Japanese aviation, Imperial Japanese Navy, A6M Zero, pilot equipment, or Pacific War collection or display!
