cooper A2 how good

[stu48]

Hi
im new to this wonderfull forum and am very happy to be part of it

i have a question for you and am sorry if its been asked before but how good and accurate is the cooper A2 flight jacket .

I have just won a lovely example on a certain bidding site for £120 its immaculate and unmarked it has the right pockets and no hand warmers it has an orange label in neck and a white one underneath with another made in US tab .

it has all the neck hooks one piece back and 2 piece sleeves and is made from goatskin

i no cooper made A2 jackets in the war i just wondered if this a good buy and if it would pass muster as i would like to get into USAAF reenactment

i no there are Eastman and other more expensive jackets on the market but Im on a budget due to being laid off from my job but will be looking to upgrade in the future

all help greatly appreciated kindest regards stuart

 

[aswatland]

Hi Stuart. Welcome to TFL. My first A2 was a Cooper. It is nice entry level A2 and is well made. Cooper had one contract in the War for 5,000 A2s and the repro Cooper is not an exact copy of the Wartime jacket. The one I had had the orange label and two extra small side panels which are not features of original A2s. The zip is a modern repro rather than the Conmar used on original Coopers. They were made from horsehide rather than goatskin, but of course several contracts used russet goatskin. Today you can pick up a decent used Cooper for around £100. Enjoy your new jacket until you decide to upgrade to a more accurate repro.

 

[stu48]

Hi Aswatland

Many thanks for quick reply and the warm welcome

mine is like yours with the orange label but no side hand warmers i will post up some pics in a bit .

i did do a cooper A2 search and checked some images out some are minus the side pockets i think these are called the classics and then there is the modern with velcro backing attached for wings and side hand warmers i think i have been lucky and got the classic

i am suprised how complex the subject of A2 jackets is there are so many original and repros out there

i will be searching through here to get a good USAAF look you guys really do the subject justice your look is superb

kindest regards stuart

 

[simonc]

Andrew what is your favourite A2 and why?

 

[stu48]

some pics

 

[Brettafett]

Looks like a nice jacket. My first A-2 was also a goatskin Cooper. The Commemorative edition from the early to mid 1990s. It was a great jacket, looked the part, was well made... but after a while I found the sleeves a bit short and this begun to annoy me. So began my foray into finding that one great A-2.... (still looking

 

[stu48]

Hi Brett

thanks for your kind comments im really happy with my find not bad price i no the hand painted patches are not cheap so not bad deal .

i recon you will still be searching for a while mate it is a real challange so many diff makers so many reccomendations out there but sure you will get there in the end .

i think its going to be the Eastman jacket for me in the future

 

[aswatland]

Andrew what is your favourite A2 and why?

I do not have one favourite A2 as I like the features of several different original A2 contracts. However I am particularly fond of Doniger and Dubow A2s because of their stylish design with pointed collars. The build quality of Donigers and Dubows are amongst the very best found on original A2s. Here are a couple of pics from my collection of a Doniger and Dubow.

 

[aswatland]

The Cooper pockets seem to have been modelled on the Cable 27753 contract, which is another one of my favourite contracts.

 

[stu48]

very nice Andrew what sort of prices for these lovely jackets ? do you own a few different types and do you own any original ones?.

i notice quite a few differences in the cut of the jackets and the various leather / cuff colours , really amazing

the pockets on the last one do look like the cooper cut

i also own a real modern US airforce CWU 45 flight jacket i no its not 1940s but still a nice jacket

 

[aswatland]

Stuart these are all original A2s. I own 20 original A2s from most contracts plus 7 Good Wears and the iconic ELC 1933 Werber. I also collect original Irvins and B-3s. If you go through the posts in this section of the site you will see some of my jackets.

 

[stu48]

sorry Andrew i did not realise these were all original they are awsome and in such stunning condition a wonderfull collection you are so lucky .

i will take a search through at your threads there is such a wealth of info on here its brilliant

 

[stu48]

in the US forces clothing you have labels with stock numbers etc what are these do they give you place of manufacture in figures and the year of manufactue and how do you translate them ?

 

[aswatland]

They give the contract number, often the fiscal year, but not always the place of manufacture. This thread contains all the essential info about A2 contracts. Gary Eastman's 2012 A2 Flight Jacket Identification Manual is essential reading if you want to know more about each contract.


http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...RER-amp-SERIES-LISTS-for-ORIGINAL-A-2-JACKETS

http://www.eastmanleather.com/product_info.php?products_id=290

 

[stu48]

Andrew once again thank you so much for your advice and links very kind of you

 

[Brettafett]

Andrew, may I ask you opinion on your GW Monarch, I assume you still have it. I read your post when you received it, but was wondering about your thoughts after having it for some time. Do you have a GW Star?
I recall you commenting that your original Star A-2 was one of the more comfortable jackets you have worn...
Reason I am asking, is that I have a GW on order and am debating between a Monarch and a Star.
My reasoning is that I am after a relatively athletic trim jacket, but still practical and functional as a daily wearer. I like the idea of the inset sleeves and lower lying collars... Thank you.

 

[Brettafett]

The search has landed me a dozen quality repros to date... More to come
What is also nice about your jacket is that you don't need to let it go, if and when you ever 'upgrade'... For what you paid its a great knock-around jacket and one you can 'toy' with if you ever feel the need to 'age' or decorate further.... A blood chit perhaps? Yes, your AVG patch is a nice bonus.

Hi Brett

thanks for your kind comments im really happy with my find not bad price i no the hand painted patches are not cheap so not bad deal .

i recon you will still be searching for a while mate it is a real challange so many diff makers so many reccomendations out there but sure you will get there in the end .

i think its going to be the Eastman jacket for me in the future

 

[stu48]

The search has landed me a dozen quality repros to date... More to come
What is also nice about your jacket is that you don't need to let it go, if and when you ever 'upgrade'... For what you paid its a great knock-around jacket and one you can 'toy' with if you ever feel the need to 'age' or decorate further.... A blood chit perhaps? Yes, your AVG patch is a nice bonus.

i agree brett it can only get better with wear etc i did see a photo on this forum of another members cooper A2 the one with the ditch whistle on it and it had some wear and tear on it and looked pretty cool .

sounds like you have a bit of a collection on your hands mate ?

 

[Brettafett]

HA Ha.... at the moment I have 0 A-2s and one ELC B-10...!!!! But am trying very hard to change that!!!!

i agree brett it can only get better with wear etc i did see a photo on this forum of another members cooper A2 the one with the ditch whistle on it and it had some wear and tear on it and looked pretty cool .

sounds like you have a bit of a collection on your hands mate ?

 

[stu48]

some great deals on a certain bidding site mate get searching get a nice example its the way forward lol