Simmons Bilt B6 Leather Jacket Review: A Warm, Entry-Level Bomber

It’s tough to find good-looking, heritage winter jackets. I’m talking about jackets that will keep you toasty warm, dry, and stylish at the same time. When searching for these jackets, you have to mention the bomber jacket.

It’s iconic. It’s phenomenal. It’s incredible. It’s full of history and full of heritage vibes.

It’s also a polarizing style. As one comment on my YouTube channel said, “That thing looks like a stage costume prop. I would laugh my ass off if I saw a guy wearing that thing.”

Yeah, well, I love this B-6 — but I will concede that it’s not for everyone. But if you’re looking for a starter vintage leather jacket, I think you’ll love this one.

In this review, I’m going to give you an overview of the Simmons Bilt brand, the history of the B-6, and I’ll go into details like the construction, fit, and value of this particular jacket from Simmons Bilt Clothing Company.

Editor’s Note: This is very much my initial impression of this jacket. I’ve only worn it for a day, but I got a good sense of the fit, construction, and performance. Also, the tag on the jacket was for another brand; I guess Simmons Bilt made it for another brand. It was purchased through their official website.

Simmons Bilt Clothing Company Overview

• Reproduces military and civilian vintage leather jackets
• Made to order, not pre-made
• Considered great value for the level of quality
• Made in Scotland

This B-6 leather bomber jacket is from the Scottish jacket maker Simmons Bilt Clothing Company. They make reproductions of vintage leather jackets and offer a bespoke service where they adjust the fit to your measurements. So, while they make historical reproduction jackets, you can get a custom fit if you want. In fact, they’ll even make custom patterns upon request. 

Each jacket is made to order in Scotland. There is no production line, and jackets are not pre-made.

The original Simmons Bilt was founded in Oakland, California, in the early 1900s and stopped production in the late 1930s. They were known as an early pioneer in leather jacket design and were one of the first leather jacket makers to use zipper closures, favoring the ball-and-chain pull tab.

The Type B-6 Leather Jacket

• A lighter-weight version of the B-3 bomber jacket
• Made of shearling: leather with wool still attached
• Very warm and moisture-wicking

The Type B-6 is a WWII-era sheepskin flying jacket designed for the U.S. Army Air Forces. It was introduced in 1939 as a lighter, more flexible alternative to the bulkier Type B-3, which restricted movement in the confined space of a cockpit.

Jason Schott from Schott NYC explained why the US military used sheepskin for their high-altitude bomber jackets. 

“When they were flying in bomber airplanes during World War II, their crewmen didn’t have any heat source in certain parts of the plane. They needed a heavy jacket to keep them warm,” he explained in our guide to different jacket leathers. “The thick wool kept them warm, but it also was moisture-wicking, so they wouldn’t get too sweaty in there.”

Leaving the fur attached to the hides is a trademark of the classic B-3 and B-6 sheepskin leather bomber jacket. A sheepskin jacket without wool is cheap leather (don’t buy those unless they’re priced accordingly), but wool on sheepskin is both historically accurate and functional.

Materials: Simmons Bilt B6 Bomber Jacket

• Redskin sheepskin leather
• Very thick, 15-millimeter wool keeps you warm and dry
• The leather has a soft temper

The iconic sheepskin bomber jacket is bursting with wool and history. As far as I understand, the sheepskin lining is on the hide; it’s not added later — imagine you turn a sheep inside out so the hair side is now inside the jacket. It’s a really luxurious lining and shearling is world famous for its phenomenal warmth.

As a leatherworker myself, I can tell the leather is super soft, has a really loose temper, and has really beautiful grain throughout. It’s just one of the most luxurious jackets I’ve ever tried on.

The jacket is made from natural sheepskin, which means each piece may vary slightly.

Design Features: Simmons Bilt B6 Bomber Jacket

• Single leather buckle neck closing
• Two hand-warming pockets
• Snap button cuffs closing
• Two side zipper adjustment closings

The yoke on the back has a cool reinforcement piece of leather that sort of extends across the seams to reinforce them.

And then, on the front, it has two outer pockets for warming your hands. Overall it’s a pretty straightforward jacket, not a ton of bells and whistles.

One thing I like is the leather “belt” on the neck that can cinch the neck shut to keep the cold out, a design element common in B-3 and B-6 jackets. 

Some might say it kind of looks like a pimp’s jacket, but I don’t think so. I think it looks really, really good. 

Fit and Sizing: Simmons Bilt B6 Bomber Jacket

• Runs small, it is recommended to follow the sizing instructions and reach out to the company for questions

The jacket I tried was a size 34. I typically wear a small-sized shirt. I’m a 36-suit jacket, and this fits me really well, actually. I’d say it fits like an extra small, so if you typically wear an extra small, it should fit you. When I zip it up, it’s a good fit for me. The sleeves are nice and long as well.

It is not designed to fit like a tailored suit, but it does soften and conform to your shape over time. So don’t be discouraged if it feels a little boxy or voluminous at first.

To compare this with other brands: I wear a 38 in Thurston’s leather jackets. I wear a size 38 in their Aero Ridley jacket and the Aero Hooch Hauler, if that’s a helpful comparison.

Because these run a bit small, I recommend following their sizing instructions below and on their website.

1. Place the tape under your armpits and across your chest
2. Place the tape around your navel area
3. Measure straight across from left to right
4. Place tape at the center of the neck (neck bone) and measure down for your desired length
5. Keep your arm relaxed by your side and measure from the point of the shoulder down the outside of the arm to just above the knuckles.

Pricing and Availability: Simmons Bilt B6 Bomber Jacket

• Basic leathers retail at £685 (~USD840)
• Thicker wool and different tannages are available for an additional £50
• Great value for a Type B-6 replica
• One-month wait between purchasing an receiving

Simmons Bilt’s B6 Bomber Jacket retails at £685 for the basic version (about $840). you can get a thicker, premium leather (closer to a B-3’s heft) for an additional £50.

A quality, made-to-order leather jacket for under $1,000 is rare. More expensive leather B-6 jackets like Aero’s USAAF Type B-6 run £1,140.00. Cockpit USA’s B6 is $1,440, so the Bilt is a great value — and I don’t think the average guy will notice much difference between the Bilt and other replicas. 

As I said before, these are made to order, and they have to come from Scotland, so there will be a bit of lead time; you can wait up to a month.

Wrapping Up

This is such a cool piece; there’s nothing like a World War 2 shearling jacket, and I love that this lesser known B-6 model gives you a ton of shearling’s benefits without adding as much bulk as a B-3.

It’s just one of the most luxurious jackets I’ve ever tried on. The Scots really make some fine, fine leather jackets — it’s absolutely gorgeous. This isn’t going to be a jacket for a hardcore vintage jacket collector, but if you’re looking for a warm, good-looking, durable jacket, this is perfect for you, especially if you appreciate a good deal.