Alpha A2 fit pic

[Cocker]

Hello guys, what do'you think about the fit of this Alpha A-2? I know it's not period correct, but with the little one coming pretty soon, I'm afraid I won't be able to gather money for a good repro until a while, and this one is only 268USD.

Edit: sorry for the crappy pic, had to take a quick snap with the phone!

 

[nick123]

I think you did pretty well there. Enjoy the thing.

 

[Cocker]

Not pulled the trigger yet, still weighting the pros and cons. I'm not really satisfied with the knitted parts, hat's mainly what's holding me down.

On the very plus side, the missus made the proposition to offer it to me for our upcoming 4th anniversary!

 

[Seb Lucas]

Why not get a second hand but near new Cooper for $100?

 

[bentusian]

I think you will eventually move on. I would save a little more on top of the budget at hand and get a better one, or start with a current issue A-2 at least.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Is the current issue any better - I thought they were terrible? What are they - Cockpit?

 

[Ralph_Phillips]

Is the current issue any better - I thought they were terrible? What are they - Cockpit?

The actual military issue ones have been known to be terrible. The current issue version as made for the civilian market and sold on the civilian market (Cockpit's 21st Century Model) is actually pretty good based on the few I've seen in person but it has more of a modern type fit to it so if you want the WW2 A2 look and fit, that isn't exactly it. Their seal brown was also extremely dark and practically black on the ones I've seen in person. It also has handwarmer pockets and some interior pockets added.

 

[Carlos840]

Considering you are in Belgium, have you thought about these guys?

http://qmi.be/a2-flight-jacket-horsehide-leather.html

They are very cheap and i have read some positive things about them.

 

[Kevin Collver]

Not pulled the trigger yet, still weighting the pros and cons. I'm not really satisfied with the knitted parts, hat's mainly what's holding me down.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/lb4041j?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

this guy sells excellent WWII era wool knit cuffs and waistbands for flight jackets, I got mine done on my vintage Cooper A-2, looks very WWII-esque

 

[Cocker]

Considering you are in Belgium, have you thought about these guys?

http://qmi.be/a2-flight-jacket-horsehide-leather.html

They are very cheap and i have read some positive things about them.

My thoufhts exactly. I'll be back in Belgium by Saturday, and will order one from QMI. If the size is right for me, I'll keep it, otherwise I'll send it back and will get my hands on an Alpha.

http://www.ebay.com/usr/lb4041j?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

this guy sells excellent WWII era wool knit cuffs and waistbands for flight jackets, I got mine done on my vintage Cooper A-2, looks very WWII-esque

Thaks for the tip, Kevin. That would adress the main issue I had with the Alpha, not very costy, and I know of a couple people who can do the work!

 

[Sloan1874]

It looks a little baggy for my taste, but that may just be the pattern rather than sizing.

 

[bn1966]

Yep..I'm with Sloan on this one..bit baggy for me but then I like a tailored fit (for which I sometimes get criticism)

 

[dudewuttheheck]

It looks a little baggy for my taste, but that may just be the pattern rather than sizing.

This. It looks quite baggy to me, regardless of knits or quality.

 

[Cocker]

Your are right, guys, but I think this was mostly caused by the side entry pockets. It's not easy to be tall and thin with long arms in the land of flight jackets!

 

[Sloan1874]

Side. Entry. Pockets? :boom:

 

[Seb Lucas]

In case you're wondering what Sloan meant - A2's of the kind celebrated here, like the originals, do not have side entry pockets. The problem for me with an A2 is that they are very easy to get wrong and they look horrible. If the cut is off, if the knits are too wide or the wrong material, if the shoulders are too droopy, if the pocket flaps are poorly shaped, if there are seams in the wrong place, if there are side entry pockets - then generally what you have is an abortion and it could be better to wear a generic nylon windbreaker.

I have been put off buying an A2 for two main reasons. One: I've never been a huge fan of the look - primarily because so many A2's I've seen over 30 years were ugly, baggy repros. Two: it is very hard to find a decently patterned A2 under $1000 (unless you get a nice Goodwear on sale).

I am close to buying a US Authentic A2 - they are on special right now and from some feedback here they are a bit more accurate and pretty decently made for the money. I'm still not sure a jacket with knits is for me.

 

[Sloan1874]

I was joking, of course, but Seb gets it right: the style is a very simple, uncluttered one, so it doesn't take much to make it look 'off'.

 

[nick123]

Side. Entry. Pockets? :boom:

Eh I like them. For functionality, and I don't think they make the jacket look drastically worse. I always think of a comment I once read here: something like "if the USAAF pilots had it their way, they'd be afforded side entry pockets". So, in actuality I feel wearing a jacket with side entry pockets is kind of a neat little way of paying tribute to them because if the above is true, you're wearing a jacket in the true spirit of the pilots themselves! I know, a pretty left-field mentality, but there you have it...

 

[Seb Lucas]

Fair enough Nick. I never use side entry pockets myself so it isn't an issue for me. But I agree that having some mods is ok as long as they are well integrated into the jacket. G&B for instance do side entry pockets in their civilian A2 and they have bloody ugly slits next to the cargo pocket instead of placing the entry to the pocket underneath the cargo patch pocket where it might not be as noticeable. I know this is sometimes done on civilian jackets but that does't make it right. There is a whole other genre of civilian flight jacket based on the A2 that we could discuss as well. Again, however if they need to be carefully patterned so you don't end up looking like Michael Landon in Highway to Heaven, possibly the gold standard for awful in flight jackets.

 

[Sloan1874]

Eh I like them. For functionality, and I don't think they make the jacket look drastically worse. I always think of a comment I once read here: something like "if the USAAF pilots had it their way, they'd be afforded side entry pockets". So, in actuality I feel wearing a jacket with side entry pockets is kind of a neat little way of paying tribute to them because if the above is true, you're wearing a jacket in the true spirit of the pilots themselves! I know, a pretty left-field mentality, but there you have it...

I always thought the reason they didn't have side-entry pockets was because the top brass didn't want them wandering around with their hands stuck in them.