Edward
Bartender
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Interesting discussion... this is the kind of thing I learn so much from on here: intelligent debate about the realities of repros, as opposed to childish carping about "the real thing." Good work, gentlemen! 
I've had half a lazy eye on the Luftwaffe jackets myself for a long time - actually, much longer than I have the allied jackets (a more recent interest). It seems to me that, yes, given the pp nature of Luftwaffe jackets for most of the war (and even later in the war, those that were issued were all of the shearling type, yes?), it is pretty much impossible to do other than to create a generic style. To the untrained eye, such as my own, the likes of the Highwayman fall into that generic bracket (c/f comparing an ALC and an ELC Battle of Britain model Irvin), although I'm sure there are plenty of smaller details that the likes of BT and the Baron, among others, will spot. Clearly a reproduction of a specific pilot's jacket, such as the Hartmann, has much more chance of being authentic as there is a clear set of "specs" to shoot for - replicating something actual rather than a period jacket that "is along the lines of what the LW might have worn." I'd love a Hartmann in black, myself.... maybe one day.
I suspect, too, that another reason there doesn't seem to have been the same level of repro effort here is the same old 'Nazi' thing - all Luftwaffe being popularly perceived as "Nazis," and not many people nowadays being so keen to seek out and wear what they consider to be "Nazi" clothes, either because of their own negative perceptions, or those of others (wouldn't be the first time I got "oi, Nazi!" shouted at me by maurauding teens for wearing a black leather trench coat).
BT.... you're obviously a lot more knowledgeable than many in these parts when it comes to the minor details of European leather jackets of the mid 20th century period - what would you consider to be the signature detail points of the European jackets that the Luftwaffe tend to be wearing in period photos - collar shape? shoulder yoke detail in the back (I seem to think of continental European jackets as being much more curved rather than straight - am I wrong in that?)? It looks to me in photos of the Luftwaffe as if their jackets quite commonly sit atop the trouser waistband rather than coming down just over it (as on an A2)? Is that what you mean by the 'high waist' tendency?
I've had half a lazy eye on the Luftwaffe jackets myself for a long time - actually, much longer than I have the allied jackets (a more recent interest). It seems to me that, yes, given the pp nature of Luftwaffe jackets for most of the war (and even later in the war, those that were issued were all of the shearling type, yes?), it is pretty much impossible to do other than to create a generic style. To the untrained eye, such as my own, the likes of the Highwayman fall into that generic bracket (c/f comparing an ALC and an ELC Battle of Britain model Irvin), although I'm sure there are plenty of smaller details that the likes of BT and the Baron, among others, will spot. Clearly a reproduction of a specific pilot's jacket, such as the Hartmann, has much more chance of being authentic as there is a clear set of "specs" to shoot for - replicating something actual rather than a period jacket that "is along the lines of what the LW might have worn." I'd love a Hartmann in black, myself.... maybe one day.
I suspect, too, that another reason there doesn't seem to have been the same level of repro effort here is the same old 'Nazi' thing - all Luftwaffe being popularly perceived as "Nazis," and not many people nowadays being so keen to seek out and wear what they consider to be "Nazi" clothes, either because of their own negative perceptions, or those of others (wouldn't be the first time I got "oi, Nazi!" shouted at me by maurauding teens for wearing a black leather trench coat).
BT.... you're obviously a lot more knowledgeable than many in these parts when it comes to the minor details of European leather jackets of the mid 20th century period - what would you consider to be the signature detail points of the European jackets that the Luftwaffe tend to be wearing in period photos - collar shape? shoulder yoke detail in the back (I seem to think of continental European jackets as being much more curved rather than straight - am I wrong in that?)? It looks to me in photos of the Luftwaffe as if their jackets quite commonly sit atop the trouser waistband rather than coming down just over it (as on an A2)? Is that what you mean by the 'high waist' tendency?
