The Arabian Nightmare Bomber Jacket

We're big fans of the F117A Nighthawk; It's arguably one of the most iconic aircraft in the history of American aviation. We've paid service to it's first public appearance in 1990 before, but we've never paid service to its service.

The F117A Nighthawk stealth fighter earned it's nickname of 'Arabian Nightmare' in the Gulf War. It flew over 1000 sorties and landed direct hits on over 1600 high value targets in Iraq, and according to a USAF white paper on Desert Storm, "[The F117-A] was the only airplane that the planners dared risk over downtown Baghdad". Attacking at night and having the ability to avoid optically aimed AA and SAM units made the F117-A's track record almost perfect.

The Design featured on the back of our bomber jacket is inspired by the leaflets dropped on Iraqi forces during desert storm — grim, urgent warnings for soldiers to abandon their vehicles & tactically significant structures or get levelled.
 

Above: Many of the leaflets that inspired the design on back of the jacket — textbook examples of a 'PSYOP', short for psychological operations. Some feature only illustration while others say things like "TOO LATE!" or "Supreme Firepower, Long Range, and Lethal Weapons!" Most also featured instructions for Iraqi troops on how to surrender on the back. If you're as intrigued as us, give the entire document a read. 

Both of the shoulder patches pay tribute to the fighter. One patch features the famous stars-and-stripes paintjob on the belly of an F117-A before the entire it's retirement in '08, and the other patch is a reproduction of a squadron patch from Operation Desert Storm. 

Sizing

For the best possible fit, check your measurements against the sizing table provided. Specifically, make sure your chest measurement matches the size ordered. Your bomber size may be different than your tee size!

Sizing Chart

Construction

Our bombers are handmade from quality, lasting components.

Soft 100% polyester satin with a dense, durable weave forms the outer body of the jacket. The leaflet design is printed via ink sublimation for a direct and permanent bond — no cracks or rubbing-off over time.

For comfort and versatility, we chose an orange, organic cotton liner, making the bomber a comfortable three-season jacket (if you layer during winter).

The ribbed collar, cuffs, and skirt are of high quality acrylic knit designed to resist wear, stretching, and shrinking. We sprung for quality here because there's nothing worse than cheap, scratchy acrylic on your neck all day.

Last but not least, the zipper will last the life of the jacket. It's a small thing, but it really matters.