Eastman's 'new' offering...

[Sloan1874]

I really don't get it: why would you get the pocket placing off, and then stick the original next to it so that we can see how far off they are? I've heard of 'close enough for Rock n Roll', but I don't think that really applies in this game...

 

[rocketeer]

Not to be a punk, but I always get a chuckle when I open one of these 'new model' threads because these flight jackets all look exactly the same :laugh:

I have been saying this for years

S'funny. Until this, I'd never even noticed anything wrong with the pockets ...! (and I still don't!)
There you go, you see. Just as Thor said the other day, I come on here and learn something new ...

Yup! I have learnt something as well, but does it really notice?

This might help, from the Eastman site. Look at the positioning of the repro and compare to the original:
http://www.eastmanleather.com/images/product_splashes/A-2 Cable flight jacket.jpg

Yes slightly higher, still looks like a good copy though

My God ! What a travesty ! Those pockets must be all of three-quarters of an inch higher than the original --and just look at that collar... surely no-one would buy such a monstrosity ?

Sorry but to me it still looks like an A2, and a pretty good one at that. I would rather they addressed the 'Off the Shoulder' look their jackets tend to have. I have not bought an Eastman A2 for years so maybe they have done something about that.
John

 

[Stand By]

As I said, Rocketeer - looking at the link of the side-by-side photos of the original jacket and ELC's version, they look the same to me .... so no, having learnt that some people here can see something I don't makes no difference to me. It wouldn't put me off buying one if I wanted one ....

 

[Sloan1874]

To me that's the best attitude. Not buying something, even though you like it, simply because it's quarter-of-an-inch out or something just seems a bit daft. That said, and aesthetics aside, it does seem odd that a which jacket was produced to be an accurate copy has quite an obvious discrepancy when stuck next to its original. [huh]

 

[nick123]

Wear the jacket, enjoy it, and be aware of the differences if you care to. That awareness in itself is a neat by-product of owning one of these jackets-you're preserving history that way and it makes the jacket experience that much more substantial!

 

[Brettafett]

No way dude. Gotta be in the club to see the goods lol

:eusa_doh: Butte... Can I be in your club? I don't wanna miss out on secret jacket pics. Pleeese?

 

[Brettafett]

I have been saying this for years
I would rather they addressed the 'Off the Shoulder' look their jackets tend to have. I have not bought an Eastman A2 for years so maybe they have done something about that. John

+1

But apparently their patterns are constantly undergoing tweaks, aiming for more accurate 'perfect' reproductions.

 

[ButteMT61]

+1

But apparently their patterns are constantly undergoing tweaks, aiming for more accurate 'perfect' reproductions.

"PLEASE ACCEPT MY RESIGNATION. I DON'T WANT TO BELONG TO ANY CLUB THAT WILL ACCEPT PEOPLE LIKE ME AS A MEMBER". lol

 

[Brettafett]

Aw cummon, you can be the King. Butteslounge - a forum for taking the ps of anyone and anything asking for it (I guess now I am asking for it).

 

[Edward]

"PLEASE ACCEPT MY RESIGNATION. I DON'T WANT TO BELONG TO ANY CLUB THAT WILL ACCEPT PEOPLE LIKE ME AS A MEMBER". lol

Never had you down for a Marxist.

 

[scrawlysteve]

Thanks Groucho--resignation accepted.

Rocketeer---no need to say "Sorry--it still looks like a good A2 to me"---my remark about it being a "monstrous travesty" was a heavy-handed attempt at irony.... maybe I should have stuck an emoticon in there to point this out, but I don't intend to start using them at my age.....in fact I agree with everyone who says one A2 is very much like another and worrying about a fraction of an inch on pockets etc just seems a little bit OTT. I can see that such things will be significant to a collector on original jackets...but on a modern repro ??? Nah...

 

[Brettafett]

I guess it goes back to $$$. You're supposed to get what ur paying for. If you're paying $1200 for a 'premium' jacket, it 'should' be flawless.
If you spend $250 then you can't expect perfection....
Some of those mid range jackets, ie $500-600 are actually turning out to be darn fine jackets, just not WW2 detail specific, for those who don't care.

 

[aswatland]

Thanks Groucho--resignation accepted.

Rocketeer---no need to say "Sorry--it still looks like a good A2 to me"---my remark about it being a "monstrous travesty" was a heavy-handed attempt at irony.... maybe I should have stuck an emoticon in there to point this out, but I don't intend to start using them at my age.....in fact I agree with everyone who says one A2 is very much like another and worrying about a fraction of an inch on pockets etc just seems a little bit OTT. I can see that such things will be significant to a collector on original jackets...but on a modern repro ??? Nah...

I agree. It does not matter about the pocket placement on a generic modern repro. However if the repro is sold as an exact copy of an original contract A2 then all the details should be correct, including the placement of the pockets. Such an expectation is not OTT IMO.

 

[Sloan1874]

+1

 

[scrawlysteve]

Fair enough--I understand that ELC (and probably others...) do pride themselves on their exactitude---and their customers pay for that.... agreed they should get what they pay for.

I suppose my problem with this stuff is merely that I remain mystified why anyone would be interested in buying such an absolutely exact copy of a particular model---counting the stitches, monitoring the thread, the set of sleeves, pockets and collar, and so on.....why bother ?.... what is the point ? Such a newly made jacket has no history to it, it is just another leather jacket in a certain style . It has no cockpit scrapes, it was never involved in any theatre of war, wasn't worn by a dashing young airman,--- or whatever it may be that appeals to the collectors of proper original jackets.

It only seems to be military jackets that attract this sort of attention, modern variants of civilian jackets of different eras don't get threads like " The piping on my Hercules copy is the wrong thickness", at least I haven't seen them. It is all a bit mysterious to me....

 

[Sloan1874]

I think people have burned for less on the VLJ, but I wouldn't swear to it.

 

[scrawlysteve]

Yep, I've drawn the curtains , locked the doors and put all the lights out.....

 

[scrawlysteve]

In mitigation, and the hope of commuting the ultimate penalty, I'd like to point out that I bought an ELC A2 (and a Luftwaffe ) back in '92....but only because I liked the look of them......

 

[pak]

I suspect durning the hectic production days of WW2 probably more than a few jackets went out the door that were not exactly correct. I doubt any pilot returned his issue jacket because the pockets were a bit high or the fit not just right.

 

[ButteMT61]

In mitigation, and the hope of commuting the ultimate penalty, I'd like to point out that I bought an ELC A2 (and a Luftwaffe ) back in '92....but only because I liked the look of them......

Wait, you bought a jacket 'cause you liked the way it looked? And a mil jacket at that? God. Why do we even have forums... lol lol