Getting my US Authentic A-2-ADVICE ON DETAILS

[herk115]

Used Aero

Hi, narwhale.

I have a couple of Aeros, but since they actually fit (unlike some of my other A-2s), I want to keep them. But have you looked at Ebay? It seems there's always an Aero A-2 or two for sale there, and for a lot less than a new one. Most of my A-2s came from Ebay, so that's one source I highly recommend. Cheaper and faster than direct from Aero.

Good luck!

Herk115

 

[narwhale]

I am keeping an eye on ebay (I've got a saved search), but I've only been looking seriously for a week. There have been a few that are almost what I'm looking for except they were too big or black instead of brown, so I'm optimistic that I'll find the right one before too long.

 

[Fiver64]

please pardon the side-step on a great thread...

Narwale............ebay currently has a very nice (at least it appears that way) size 42 GOOD WEAR 39 WERBER listed for $599 and no bidders. Saw a nice Real McCoy go yesterday for $450! They are out there, just keep looking .......every day!
Please excuse the hijack!

 

[feltfan]

As always, please don't discuss current eBay auctions

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=40887

Driving up the price of that item is no favor to Narwhale. I know he doesn't
have PM yet, but...

 

[narwhale]

Fortunately that Good Wear isn't my size anyway, but I'm glad you brought that rule to my attention, feltfan. I'm sure I would have made that mistake myself eventually had I not known .

 

[herk115]

What to do About Stiff Leather?

Okay, I've got a question for the group. It may not fit this thread and if that's the case I'll gladly start a new thread if someone will tell me how.

I recently purchased a great Aero on Ebay. It looks really cool and is definitely a keeper. However the leather is very thick and stiff. While this isn't necesarily historically inaccurate (by 1942 when A-2 production was at its peak, the contractors were using any hide they could get their hands on, and some thick, stiff ones undoubtedly made it through the process), I, like everyone, would prefer a nice, supple hide. Does anyone know of anything I can do to "unstiffen" this hide and make it more supple? Is there a magic potion? I've already tried Lexol with no success. Or is it just a matter of wearing the thing enough to break it in to the extent I want? Or is the answer simply "Tough. Live with it."? In all my collecting I've never had to deal with this problem. Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Herk115

 

[P5640blouson]

Break in will make is soft, but the weight will stay

Break in will make is softer and develop bend patterns according to your preferred motions, but the weight will stay. If the jacket is too heavy to your liking, its not going to get any easier. I say 4.5lbs max for a jacket. Don't want to get any shorter from all that load bearing.

 

[USAAFAcePilot]

Just chiming in with a question about US Authentic itself, not the jacket.

I've heard that they will send you a "try-on" jacket so that you may see if everything fits ok. Are there any extra charges to this, such as shipping charges etc.?

 

[USAAFAcePilot]

Does US Authentic take PayPal?

 

[Spitfire]

Why don't you call them and ask?[huh]

 

[Phantomfixer]

sample jacket

Years ago US Authentic would send you a standard size jacket ie a 44, 40, 38 whatever you wanted BUT you had to pay for it first. Turn around time was only 2-3 days if you used an account. Then you could keep it if it fit or send it back for a tall, or short or different hide whatever. Excellent customer service in that regard.

 

[Fiver64]

"the try-on jacket"

Just chiming in with a question about US Authentic itself, not the jacket.
QUOTE]

When I ordered an A-2 with minor alterations, US A recommended (and sent) a jacket to try on for size (glad they did because I needed a different size). This was due to the fact that custom jackets generally can't be returned (hard to resell) so they want to minimize this. In the end, I opted for just a plain OTR A-2, but at least I got the right size!

No.......... you pay the postage fees. At least I did, but small price to pay for a better overall transaction. I love my HH A-2.

 

[captaincaveman1]

Well based on what's been said about US A I'm really close to pulling the trigger. I'll post pics if/when I do.

I'm also in the camp that wants an affordable but not neccesarily 100% accurate repro. My only gripe is it costs +120 bux to add an inside wallet pocket.

 

[USAAFAcePilot]

Are you getting yours in horsehide russet, goatskin, or horsehide seal brown?

 

[captaincaveman1]

Are you getting yours in horsehide russet, goatskin, or horsehide seal brown?

I just ordered a goatskin in medium brown. No bells or whistles.

 

[Tommydean]

hope you guys like the US/A jackets. I like mine, i have had it for about two years and every time i put it on i like it better. I have seen some of the other
A-2' out there, Good Wear, Aero, ect while they are very nice jackets, in the end for me i couldent justify spending almost a grand on an A-2.a thousand bucks....thats about twelve hours of flying time for me and flying time is a good way to break in your jacket

<<<<<<<<<my seal horse hide

 

[herk115]

Thanks TarHeel1911 for some more advice for solidifying my decision!

Pictures anyone?

AAF HQ Patch? (sorry fellas, still debatin')

I have a collection of probably several thousand A-2 pictures and have noticed that comparatively few seemed to have the HQ patch/stencil on them. But many did. Do a web search. Type in some specific WWII Bomb Group or Fighter Groups and see what comes up picturewise. The jacket looks cool either way and you should just make your decision based on which you think looks best. One thing to remember: if you've decided to add the patch, you've crossed a line making your jacket no longer a generic flight-type jacket that you can wear anytime anywhere, and have now gotten in the realm of reproduction WWII flight jackets. So where and when you'll be wearing the jacket should influence your decision. Though I agree with the above post that one should not wear the emblems of units one was not in, the Army Air Corps went out of business in 1947, and at your young age you can hardly be accused of being an impersonator. So wearing the patch merely makes you a fan of "period costume" and shows your desire for historical accuracy. Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Herk115

 

[Hankh]

First of all, my qualifications for this subject: I spent ten years as combat aircrew in the U.S. Air Force, and in 1988 and 1989 I was "Leather Jacket Officer" in my unit as we procured the first reissue of A-2s to USAF personnel since WWII. In that time I had to do quite a bit of research to learn about A-2s, and though I'm a civilian now, that research and interest continues.
Cheers, and Happy Landings!

Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Last year in France I had a ride on a C-130-J model from the 86th Airlift Wing stationed at Rammstein Germany.
Some of the pilots wore Alpha-2 jackets and I was surprised to hear they'd bought them from a Turkish Company called Pop's Leather.
http://www.popsleather.com/
Not authentic at all, their main concern not surprisingly was comfort and lots of pockets.
At the end of a given year they hadn't spent their budget completely so they ordered a 100 shoulder rigs for the Beretta from the same company. Not necessary at all but who gives. Had some great evenings with these guys :beer:

 

[Tommydean]

Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Last year in France I had a ride on a C-130-J model from the 86th Airlift Wing stationed at Rammstein Germany.
Some of the pilots wore Alpha-2 jackets and I was surprised to hear they'd bought them from a Turkish Company called Pop's Leather.
http://www.popsleather.com/
Not authentic at all, their main concern not surprisingly was comfort and lots of pockets.
At the end of a given year they hadn't spent their budget completely so they ordered a 100 shoulder rigs for the Beretta from the same company. Not necessary at all but who gives. Had some great evenings with these guys :beer:

Hankh you have nailed it!! the guys that are out in the field couldent care less
about how authentic there jackets are!!! ( comfort and lots of pockets) bingo!!! I showed my US/A horse hide to a B-26 pilot.. he told me he wish he
would have one from them back in WWII..why i said.. because the hide is alot heavier and would held up alot longer. i told him about some of the spirited debate here on the F/L about A-2's and he shook his head and said the jacket was given to me and that was that, he also said he was more concerned about making it through another mission alive...
when i recived my uniforms in bootcamp i can asure you i was not thinking about were my uniform was made or what material they were made out of, i had other pressing issue's that concerned me at the time.
I would still recomend the US/A jackets for a first timmer, you get alot for your money from US/A.
when i ordered mine about a year ago Shaul sent me a jacket to try it on for sizing and it worked out just fine. he made me one to size and it fits and looks great.

 

[Jeff M]

Tossing in my comments a bit late.

Nothing is so expensive as trying to do things cheaply.
You end up paying for the "inexpensive" model...only to never really satisfy that craving for the best.
At a later date (later than it would have been if you hadn't blown the $$ on the cheaper version) you end up getting the quality item you always wanted.

Save yourself time and money.

Go with GOODWEAR

http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/index.html