{"id":9031,"date":"2020-08-14T21:15:51","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T21:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/?p=9031"},"modified":"2025-09-04T01:24:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T01:24:47","slug":"a-letter-about-a-flight-jacket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/a-letter-about-a-flight-jacket\/","title":{"rendered":"A Letter about a Flight Jacket"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I jumped at the chance to buy a 1986 Mel Ziegler letter on BR letterhead and I’m really glad I did. First, it’s just a great look at what a classy company they were and how Mel’s gift for language never fails to charm. It’s so warm and witty. Secondly, this particular letter points directly to a slight but important change made in the catalogue copy for the leather Flight Jacket. For both authenticity and thrilling minutia this letter fulfills all of my geek needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The writer, a Mr. Doug Marshall from Ohio, is one of a number of WWII vets who had written in to dispute a detail in the write-up for the jacket. The line in the catalog is “…and there were no handpockets, presumably because said appendages are occupied when you are aiming a P47 at the flight deck of a carrier.)” <\/strong>Apparently, it is wrong to imagine a P47 fighter plane landing on an aircraft carrier in WWII whereas a “Hellcat” would be correct. (Don’t ask me!) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mel thanks him for the constructive criticism in the most charming and self-effacing manner and points out the copy is corrected as of the holiday 1986 catalogue. (See before and after catalogue pages below) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The letter goes on to comment on the possibility of a children’s line as well as some insight into their strategy for adding new stores in areas where catalog buying is strongest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can see in the letter’s signature line the note “mz\/ca” for Mel Zeigler and Christie Allair. Thanks to my friend Scott Dodd who pointed me to this passage in the Wild Company memoir: “… we were getting outsized positive feedback from all over the country; hundreds of letters from customers every week. Because someone had taken the trouble to write, each letter, whether it offered an idea, an observation, or a compliment, required a thoughtful answer…A charming, witty friend, Christie Allair, worked with me to answer every letter.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the letter in full: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Dear Mr. Marshall:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks for your letter. We indeed heard from an incredible number of WWII carrier pilots and flyers who pointed out the folly of attempting to land a P47 on a carrier. We would consider it a kindness if you didn’t press us for the exact number. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No doubt you’ve received our holiday catalogue by now and noted the corrected Flight Jacket copy. We may err occasionally, but never for long governed by the astute readership you represent. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although we haven’t any immediate plans to offer children’s wear, it’s obviously a market for consideration. Presently, we’re opening new stores in areas that have generated the greatest mail order response. Eventually, we hope to reach more communities like yours. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, thanks for both the complients and constructive criticism. We enjoyed hearing from you. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Very truly yours,<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mel Ziegler
President<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

mz\/ca<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The (Hellcat) corrected Flight Jacket page.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I jumped at the chance to buy a 1986 Mel Ziegler letter on BR letterhead and I’m really glad I did. First, it’s just a great look at what a classy company they were and how Mel’s gift for language never fails to charm. It’s so warm and witty. Secondly, this particular letter points directly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":9034,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,1389],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9031"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9031"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9031\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9044,"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9031\/revisions\/9044"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9031"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9031"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.secretfanbase.com\/banana\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9031"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}