Another WW2 RW1401, worn by Hub Zemke.
Gorgeous leather !I am happy to report that I have recently taken possession of my umpteenth A-2 jacket and can finally say, “we have a keeper folks!”
View attachment 40182 Jimmy Stewart’s A-2 (as seen in You Gotta Stay Happy) has always been ‘the standard’ for me.
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And even though I have been through various ‘contracts’ from various repro makers, the RW1401 was always my favourite - just could never find one that ‘worked’ for me… Until now.
This jacket is simply amazing on all accounts. The fit, the cut, the leather…
Eastman has hit a home run with their Vintage Havana Horsehide, and have produced something nothing short of fantastic.
Now I won’t get into the ‘who makes the best repro’ game, I have had from most, and they are all good, but this jacket… simply nails it.
The jacket fits me like a glove. Trim, but not too trim and (with slight lengthening) I have perfect lengths. The jacket is not restrictive in any way and I can move around quite comfortably without the sleeves riding up to my elbows.
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Stitching is done to perfection and everything lines up and is symmetrical.
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Now, this Havana hide… For those of you toying with the idea of a high end repro, get a sample of this stuff!
Its something special…
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Comparing this jacket with the sample I received - they look and feel identical, so the sample should give you a good representation.
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This aniline leather has stunning grain, character and oodles of natural creasing. The colour has a rich depth, not at all ‘reddy’, and in sunlight seems to show layers of hues… Nice!
Its of a medium thickness and weight, definitely feels robust, not heavy and not thin.
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This jacket is going to age beautifully and will only get better with time.
A big thanks to Rose, who put this jacket together. Her expertise and attention to detail clearly shows she is a master of her trade.
Also to Rob in the UK and Charles in the US, for their patience and tireless correspondence over the last few months. Impeccable customer service. I am very pleased.
Apologies for the photos, they are not great, but this is the best I can do at this point. I will try get better pics once the Sun comes out and I get some time off work.
It remains my personal fave, and it once was the #1 ELC A-2 we sold, but the Rough Wear 27752 has held the top spot now for several years, which I can't explain. But your example looks really good, and it appears as if you have one of the hide lots that are a bit more opaque vs. those more translucent and mottled. We get requests for both hide finishes, but it's fully random and nothing ELC has much control of. Recently, we're seeing more of the opaque variety, though we have some of the more mottled versions in few numbers n hand.
Looking at ELC website and comparing the two models the main differences apart from leather ype and colour I can spot are the zipper (Crown vs Talon) and the year of manufacture at the time. Which are the main differences and why do you prefer one contract over the other?
If the Crown zipper is the spring loaded then it is worth over the other for me.