my new AERO A-2 CBI field modified

[daddy-o]

Well, here it comes, my new Aero CBI field modified in a russet steer. It is a size 42 but as I am short person I had one and half inches taken off the length and one inch off the sleeves. First I thought it was a wee bit too short but it gives it that rockin´look rather than the proper military look. The leather is fantastic, still very very hard, will take some time to break in. Seems to me that the knits on the bottom are somewhat shorter than usual. Amanda says no, usual length but compared to my old Aero they are definately shorter.The sleeves annoy me a bit as the leather just cuts over the knits but hopefully it will get better with wear. Oh yes, Aero forgot to put on the shoulder decal but they send it on to me.

 

[jamespibworth@n]

Cool jacket, nice to see something a bit different:eusa_clap

 

[Mr. 'H']

Wow!

I would love that jacket. It is so nice in every detail. Tell me what is "CBI".

Also, what is that squadron patch?

:eusa_clap

 

[Feraud]

Tell me what is "CBI".

CBI refers to the China Burma Indian theater of WWII events.

 

[Gary Crumrine]

First I thought it was a wee bit too short but it gives it that rockin´look rather than the proper military look.

The jacket comes to the top of the watch pocket of your jeans. That's where my Good Wear comes to. In any event, you jacket looks great to me. Wear it in good health!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I like it,daddy-o
Looks good on ya! Will be even better after break-in.
May I suggest..getting a spray bottle...and misting the jacket until quite wet..then wearing it until dry. Several applications will do wonders! The leather will relax and mold to your body.
HD

 

[Boris K]

.

Looks great! The waist length looks fine.

It will break in with repeated wearing. A little water will speed up the process as HD states.

 

[Peacoat]

The length of the arms and the body look fine to me.

If your jacket is chrome tanned, using water on it probably won't help much as the leather is pretty much waterproof. If it is vegetable tanned, then the water treatment should work well.

Try putting the jacket under your mattress and sleep on it several times. Some have suggested sleeping IN the jacket, but I think that would be too uncomfortable for a good night's sleep. Put it in the dryer with no heat and let it tumble. That will soften it some. And most of all, wear it. Wear it around the house while flexing your arms and moving around.

It took a couple of weeks before my steerhide Highwayman was broken in enough to wear comfortably. When I first got it, the jacket would stand up by itself. I think I posted some pictures of it on this forum. Now it will stand up about half way by itself, and is fully broken in.

That is a nice jacket you have; now it just needs some wearing to get it broken in and comfortable to wear.

 

[Edward]

Fantastic looking jacket, I love the colour / finish - I'm sure that will only improve with age. Do these have some sort of adaptation to the pockets to create handwarmers, or did I halucinate that?

Really good fit on you - I hope my Aeros look as good once I have the money... really superb rockabilly look to it, IMO - much as I love 'em, it's nice to see something different than the Brandoesque mc sometimes. Do you normally wear a 42 in sport jackets? I do, and the fit you've got in that Aero is just bang on how I think they should look, hence the question!

 

[Rufus]

Lovely jacket Sir!!

Great colour, and I love the collar...

Like the squadron patch... which is it?

Oh...nice boots..!

Rufus

 

[Edward]

I also just noticed on Aero's website the serious price difference between that one and an M-422A..... if you're not worried about the arm gussets of the Navy design, it seems to me that the field modified 2 is a superb choice for a jacket of this style with the other significant features of the Navy range (the only other major difference I spot is the studs / buttons difference in pocket fastenings..... and I guess the Navy jacket has an inner pocket, but still....).

 

[Benny Holiday]

Real cool, Daddy-o. A top jacket in every respect. The russet is an outstanding colour!

 

[Mr. 'H']

CBI refers to the China Burma Indian theater of WWII events.

Thanks Feraud.

 

[Mr. 'H']

Well, here it comes, my new Aero CBI field modified in a russet steer.

How does the "steer" compare with if this were made on horse hide?

I'm asking because it looks real tough and I always thought HH was much tougher that steer.

 

[Mr. 'H']

BTW, the colors and the design of that patch look amazing. Please tell us some more about it and tell me if there is a close-up of it.

 

[daddy-o]

thanks folks

Well, thank you all for your compliments. I will post a few close ups of the jacket. Yes the color is top notch, superb, so is the craftmanship of the jacket. Aero did a great job. Yes, the M422 is over 100 quid dearer but in many ways similar to this A-2. Incidentally the mouton collar is great, I was warned in some other threads about recent quality of aero mouton but this came out darn good. Just as good as on my Aero B-10. The boots I am wearing on the pics are the Red Wing chelsea boots, the best boots I ever had, better than any engineers boots I tried on. Well recommended !

 

[Rufus]

Ah... I've not tried Red Wing's Chelsea boots, only had their Engineer boots...

I had Aero replace a mouton collar on an old Hercules jacket, they did a great job, and really lovely mouton.

Enjoy your new jacket!! Post some picture's when it's broken in... Aero's hides are beautiful.. you momentarily panic, thinking you've made a mistake, and a few weeks later, they've moulded to you and are butter soft!

Rufus

 

[daddy-o]

Hey folks, just looking through my old posts and noticed some request here to show the jacket again after a few years. So here we go some 7 years later. I aged just as beautifully as my Aero dontcha think ? Yeah well the leather is softer and just keep getting better. Since I got the jacket I recently lost about 13 kg and I am now a 38/40 chest ( depending on the jacket) rather than a 42 ( this Aero is a 42S) I am unsure whether to keep this jacket as the waist part just look too baggy and too big now. What do you think ? Since then I also aquired an Eastman A-2 and it definitely fits trimmer round the waist and doesn't give you a "ballon" at the back. In any case I would hate to part with it ( I am selling loads of jackets now) but I let ya give me your opinions.

 

[Edward]

I like it's fit now. The overall look you have going on there screams early rockabilly to me, and the jacket looks great in that context. It has the look of one of the late 40s/early 50s civilian bomber jackets which did tend to be that little bit more relaxed in fit. Doesn't look bad to my eye at all. IS your Eastman an early-war/pre-war contract?

 

[daddy-o]

Thanks for your comments Edward. I really like the trim look of the late 40's era but seeing the jacket on a photo on me I guess it's not too baggy. My eastman is a goatskin early war. I just wanted a plain and lighter leather jacket. Love horsehide but sometimes it's a wee bit too heavy.