Aero Original and Repro Aero Scotland

[Swoosed]

I just got an old 90's Eastman house with a brass tallon, it says Talon USA on the back of the puller body and Talon on the front and back of the puller but not on the box. I cant tell if it's original or not. Any ideas? I'm thinking repro.

 

[Swoosed]

All good info. Thanks.

My Cockpit horse has 7" extra chest room (51" at size 44), putting it in the modern fit category, but I noticed Flight Suits makes a similarly proportioned model (Historical Horsehide) which costs about half again as much as mine did.

I had a G&B historical horsehide A-2, the fit was real big. I usualy take a 48 so I got the 46 and it fit a little big for an A-2. They cut them modern (big around the belly and not too tapered). As has been said a million times before, we are trying to look good in a garment made for 20 year old fit and trim bodies, not beer bellied old geezers, like me. The deal with G&B is they claim it to be "historical". If the fit is a baloon, it can not be historical. I just got an old Eastman that looks as close to as original I have ever seen. The cut is right on the money.

We seem to forget sometimes that this particular jacket was designed for a guy (60 +years ago, before Mac donalds) who sat in a small cockpit, and didn't have the room to move around alot. The modern cut jackets are longer and roomier for a more "comfortable" fit, since the vast majority of guys buying them don't sit in WW2 fighter cockpits. The "authentic" repro cut jackets are trimmer and tighter, shorter in the torso, so they don't bind up and ride up when your sitting, like the original versions. I personally think that, for day to day wear, the more modern fit is more practical.

 

[greyhound68]

I just plugged that in to the Yahoo converter, 5,000 yen equals 43 U.S. dollars, can that be right? If so, then these are original zippers, not current reproductions?? Price is worth it then.

Yes these are the real deal NOS WW2 zippers. So you are buying the real deal not a repro. I bought one of their last crowns for 75 bucks which I thought was a lot. One just sold on ebay for 170 bucks. Good investment. I think MASH also has the talon with the talon on the zipper box. These are about 80 bucks but are just excellent. Have not decided which jacket I want to put it on.

 

[greyhound68]

I had a G&B historical horsehide A-2, the fit was real big. I usualy take a 48 so I got the 46 and it fit a little big for an A-2. They cut them modern (big around the belly and not too tapered). As has been said a million times before, we are trying to look good in a garment made for 20 year old fit and trim bodies, not beer bellied old geezers, like me. The deal with G&B is they claim it to be "historical". If the fit is a baloon, it can not be historical. I just got an old Eastman that looks as close to as original I have ever seen. The cut is right on the money.

We seem to forget sometimes that this particular jacket was designed for a guy (60 +years ago, before Mac donalds) who sat in a small cockpit, and didn't have the room to move around alot. The modern cut jackets are longer and roomier for a more "comfortable" fit, since the vast majority of guys buying them don't sit in WW2 fighter cockpits. The "authentic" repro cut jackets are trimmer and tighter, shorter in the torso, so they don't bind up and ride up when your sitting, like the original versions. I personally think that, for day to day wear, the more modern fit is more practical.

You are right on the mark. Just remember during WW2 the average airman was a size 36 chest and about 5ft 5 to 5ft 6. Now the average is a 42 chest and 5ft 10. Again these are averages. But it does explain why there are so many 36 , 38, and 40 jackets and not a lot over 42. People were smaller and a heck of lot thinner. But take a good look at some photos and you will see some pretty baggy A2s. Here is what we all wished we looked like in our A2s.

 

[HAMMER]

Iconic WWII A-2 Photo

Something Iconic 30's depression era about this shot, although its taken in the 40's. Tells a story.

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[PADDY]

Original Aero vs Repro Aero (photos)

Repro Aero with the berry/rust knits is in the oil pull horse hide by Aero Scotland.
The Original has the 'WEE WILLIE' bumble bee squadron patch.

 

[greyhound68]

Paddy,
That oil pull aero is awesome. I can't believe you sold it.

 

[PADDY]

Strategic sales of flight jackets (sometimes you have to make room)

It was/is a beauty of a jacket (Aero Oiled HH), but how many jackets can one man wear? I found it wasn't gettting the wear time and felt it was best to offer it up to someone who would get better wear out of it.

As things stand, my RMNZ Dubow and Aero Barnstormer are getting the most wear time right now.

Strangely enough, when it was put up for sale in the classifieds here, I didn't get one bite at all. So maybe A2's are not generally 'that popular' with the FL crowd.

 

[cheaterome]

Wear jackets

You can wear a lot of jackets ,sometimes more than one a day!!!!!

Paddy I don't know what you are doing , but your Aero 's in specific are probably the most original looking is terms of " Is that an old jacket "?????


Nice job . Wear what you want ,enjoy what you have.

Thanks to your contribution to this forum .

Where the heck is "Fartin Martin" I mean bellytank.On holiday still?
A man of leisure he is.

Jerome

 

[Swoosed]

It was/is a beauty of a jacket (Aero Oiled HH), but how many jackets can one man wear? I found it wasn't gettting the wear time and felt it was best to offer it up to someone who would get better wear out of it.

As things stand, my RMNZ Dubow and Aero Barnstormer are getting the most wear time right now.

Strangely enough, when it was put up for sale in the classifieds here, I didn't get one bite at all. So maybe A2's are not generally 'that popular' with the FL crowd.

Paddy,

Is there still a classified section here? I'm always looking for a good deal. Don't see it in the main menu.

Art

 

[Spitfire]

Paddy,

Is there still a classified section here? I'm always looking for a good deal. Don't see it in the main menu.

Art

Scroll way down in the bottom in "Community" - "Classified" !

 

[JRaptor]

Repro? What repro....!

Repro Aero with the berry/rust knits is in the oil pull horse hide by Aero Scotland.
The Original has the 'WEE WILLIE' bumble bee squadron patch.

Very nice Aero's.... the repro looks every bit as old, and original as the original....:eusa_clap

 

[HAMMER]

Photo Bottom of Pg 3 This Thread

Does anyone know who this is, where photo came from? Even though I posted it and found it somewhere on the internet, I can't for the life of me remember what site it was. Would like to research it more. Thanks.

 

[Estevan]

Paddy,
That oil pull aero is awesome. I can't believe you sold it.

I owned that oil pull for one day! I can tell you it was an awesome jacket. Damn it if it wasn't too BIG for me and I had to send it back to Paddy. I agree Paddy, you should have kept it. Hey, any pics of the RMJ I sold you??? BTW, can I have it back:eusa_doh: I can't believe I traded it to you:rage: :rage:

 

[aswatland]

Dating A2s

The best information I have seen about dating A2s by their contracts is next door on VFJs. Here's the link.http://cornellsurgery.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/viewtopic.php?t=5641

 

[fedoralover]

Strangely enough, when it was put up for sale in the classifieds here, I didn't get one bite at all. So maybe A2's are not generally 'that popular' with the FL crowd.

I think they are starting to catch on though. I'm really anxious to get mine before the weather gets too warm. What size do you wear Paddy in case you put anymore up for sale?

fedoralover

 

[PADDY]

A2 size

I'm a size 40-42" in the WW2 A-2.

 

[JRaptor]

Hey PADDY?

What is the contract number in that original AERO A-2, the pocket flap profile differs some what from most of the original AERO's we see.... those look really good as most of them seem to be a hack job, one thing I have aways notice about AERO's was the right side of the pocket flap on the right side pocket was always perfectly straight and all the others are scalloped!

Photo credit goes to Marc @ http://www.acmedepot.com/

 

[PADDY]

Aero Contract No.

AC CONTRACT ORDER NO: 42-15142-P

Talking of hack jobs, they did 'churn' them out over WW2 and it shows in things like the collar where one half is larger than the corresponding.

So, if people 'these days' really think they are going to pay BIG BUCKS for the ultimate repro that looks like an original, well...it's not really going to ever happen, as the originals never had the budgets or quality control to make a PERFECT JACKET that would pass muster to the modern day customers eye or pocket! It was a working, functional military item, not a fashion jacket. Come on! Would you REALLY pay $1000 for a brand new repro jacket that has some thick hide and some thin hide, mismatched pockets and collars...etc? You'd demand perfection for that price!! and originals were far from perfect, but they performed a job.

What is the contract number in that original AERO A-2, the pocket flap profile differs some what from most of the original AERO's we see.... those look really good as most of them seem to be a hack job, one thing I have aways notice about AERO's was the right side of the pocket flap on the right side pocket was always perfectly straight and all the others are scalloped!

Photo credit goes to Marc @ http://www.acmedepot.com/

 

[greyhound68]

Paddy said
"So, if people 'these days' really think they are going to pay BIG BUCKS for the ultimate repro that looks like an original, well...it's not really going to ever happen, as the originals never had the budgets or quality control to make a PERFECT JACKET that would pass muster to the modern day customers eye or pocket! It was a working, functional military item, not a fashion jacket. Come on! Would you REALLY pay $1000 for a brand new repro jacket that has some thick hide and some thin hide, mismatched pockets and collars...etc? You'd demand perfection for that price!! and originals were far from perfect, but they performed a job."

Paddy,
You have nailed it. A repro is a repro. Some nicer than others. But they don't match an original. Look at the Monarch I posted it is superb. Then go look at the Buzz A2 I have posted while it is nice it can't compare to an original.