Airborne Leather A-2 is Back online

[James Miller]

Just Recieved an email from them and it stated this is the last week for purchasing a jacket at last years price $98.00. Next week they will be going up in price to 119.00 plus shipping. The web page Shows them at 119.00 but if you go to checkout they will only charge the 98.00 plus shipping but this is the last week for a fair price.

I own a few of them and they are a nice A-2 starter jacket for 98.00 They fit better than they look on the webpage. Out of all the one I recieved only one was puffy from the stuffing between the lining and the leather. Do keep in mind the they are not a one piece back and not made of the thickest leather like the originals how ever they are fairly nice pattern and nice lining if their not over filled with stuffing.

 

[thunderw21]

Areed, good starters. I got one of their A-2's back when I was in high school. Mine doesn't fit the greatest, it's pretty baggy but we might have ordered one size too large.

Mine has kept me warm and dry for over 5 years now and it's taken each beating like a champ. The leather is tough; sometimes I thought for sure I had torn it only to find barely a scratch.

 

[The Wingnut]

How 'bout a link?

 

[Ecuador Jim]

How 'bout a link?

I think this is what he was referring to...

http://www.airborne-leathers.com/

 

[Edward]

If you're not fussy about a 40s fit, they look like they could be nice jackets. There's a temptation to dismiss anything in that price brack as being inevitably rubbish by comparison to an ELC or Aero or whatever product, but it does have to be borne in mind that what you pay for with the hardcore period-accurate replicas is in some fair part the intangible factors like accuracy of design, cut and fittings, as opposed to solely the physical jacket as a garment in and of itself.

 

[thunderw21]

Looking at the size chart on their website it looks like we got a large (42-44) even though I'm a medium (39-41). Even so, the fit is not bad, just a tad baggy in the torso but it does not detract from the look.

And Edward is right, if you're looking for a '40s fit this probably isn't for you. But a nice looking and performing jacket it is.

 

[ldmax]

Airborne Leathers had a booth at AOPA Expo last month in Hartford, CT. The 'leather' looked like really cheap vinyl, like from a 1980 Chevy Chevette (Shove It as my dad used to say). I wouldn't pay ten bucks for it. I'm not criticizing any one else's decision to buy one. If that is what your lookin' for, so be it. Some people are not satisfied with anything less than a $900 repro. I am happy with my $500 jacket. If a $100 'build it as cheap as we can' does it for you, great!

Tony

 

[Sertsa]

Those look interesting, but there's not much info on the website about the jackets themselves, or what may set them apart from department store jackets, etc. It's hard to tell anything about the quality from the photos, as well, and my first impression is that the leather looked a little plastic. Overall, my reaction when viewing them was that I think I'd rather get a decent cloth version of the A-2, even though most of them are near or over that price. But I may be odd in that respect.

 

[thunderw21]

Here are some photos of my jacket. The photos on the website aren't very good.

Edit: This photo shows the fit well. Keep in mind that my jacket is one size too large.

 

[Sertsa]

Thanks. That does look a lot better in your photos than theirs.

 

[Fletch]

Airborne uses an address in north Jersey, so may be contracting out to the same factory used by Schott, Cooper et al. I believe it's in Elizabeth.

 

[ldmax]

The quality of the Airborne jackets that I saw is much lower than a Cooper or even a typical department store jacket. I'm with Sertsa, I would rather spend $119 on a decent cloth jacket. Cockpit USA makes a very nice nylon B15 for $129. Sporty's makes a nice cotton A2 for $100. I would take either of those over an Airborne A2, but whatever floats your boat.

 

[James Miller]

Airborne Leather

I was not implying that they are the greatest thing under the sun. If some one needed a fair price A-2 and didn't want to spend there whole paycheck on a jacket this would be a good jacket to start with. Once you started with one it's hard to stop at just one. I have 30 plus jackets and some are high priced and then some are not. I can tell you that I'm not going to wear my 1100.00 jacket to work in.

I own a couple of Airborne jackets, and no they are not a Roughware or Aero but they are good for the money. Not every one has a need to look like a million but if one has got a million it must be from making wise choices.

 

[cheaterome]

No..... a wise choice is always used on ebay. Be it an early Willis and Geiger A-2 or an early Avirex (when they gave a crap) any of these jackets could be had for like a $100. WayyYYYYYYYYYY better than that jacket.


That jacket is, we'll to be rather snobbish..... extremely mall-ish and very innacurate ...shall I go On....


What- eves get what you want and enjoy what you have.

Jerome

 

[fedoralover]

or an early Avirex (when they gave a crap) Jerome

This is when they gave a crap: It's also a shameless plug since it's for sale.

fedoralover