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**NEWS EXTRA**Good Wear flying jackets take vintage authenticity to new heights!!

Dr H

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,006
Location
Somerset, UK
Buy it Now (in EBay parlance) - a fixed price deemed by the vendor to the be the minimum they'd accept for the item.
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
Buy it Now (in EBay parlance) - a fixed price deemed by the vendor to the be the minimum they'd accept for the item.

Yes, thanks for that Doc. In reality, it's a lot to pay for a non-custom jacket, but there's no denying the droll-worthiness of those GW A2's. I have a potential jacket now, but being a "labeled" 46, might not fit my monkey body. I really want one of these now...anyone spare a few bucks? lol
 

riskyB

New in Town
Messages
28
Location
NC
GW B-6 test jacket

I guess it is time to move this thread up a bit.

Here are a few pics of the GW B-6 test jacket I picked up last season. The construction is top notch. The fleece is a bit whiter than on my Eastman B-6's and John mentioned that it is lighter than he would intend for production. Very trim for a size 44. I am really interested if his B-6 and D-1 lines go to production. All I need is some cooler weather to get it fully broken in.

RiskyB

This is from John's site:
http://www.goodwearleather.com/photos/Type_B6_Acme_No1_44R/

Here are mine:

http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/finsuite/Good%20Wear%20B6/P1010973.jpg
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/finsuite/Good%20Wear%20B6/P1010974.jpg
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/finsuite/Good%20Wear%20B6/P1010978.jpg
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/finsuite/Good%20Wear%20B6/P1010979.jpg
http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h417/finsuite/Good%20Wear%20B6/P1010980.jpg
 

skytop

New in Town
Messages
24
Location
Tucson, AZ
The premier makers of the A2 reproduction jackets appear to only make them up to size 48. (Good Wear, Eastern, Aero etc) I need a size 50.
Good Wear at least gives good description of the 'fit' of each model they reproduce.

Anyone know if any maker will provide a size 50 jacket? Thanks.
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
The premier makers of the A2 reproduction jackets appear to only make them up to size 48. (Good Wear, Eastern, Aero etc) I need a size 50.
Good Wear at least gives good description of the 'fit' of each model they reproduce.

Anyone know if any maker will provide a size 50 jacket? Thanks.


When I asked John this a year ago, he said no. I've since gone down to a 48, so I am lucky. I have an HG-5 Aero (size 50) that is similar in style to an A2 - simpler design. I can't really wear it now without layers, so I'm selling it. I'm looking at a GW and LW now (both used)
48 is the cutoff for most of the premium makers, sans Aero.
 

feltfan

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
My Good Wear A-1 is size 50. Okay, that's 52 to John and the jacket carries a 48 tag because he didn't have a 52.

Maybe he changed his policy?

I'm pretty sure Aero would make almost anything in almost any size.

The premier makers of the A2 reproduction jackets appear to only make them up to size 48. (Good Wear, Eastern, Aero etc) I need a size 50.
Good Wear at least gives good description of the 'fit' of each model they reproduce.

Anyone know if any maker will provide a size 50 jacket? Thanks.
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
My Good Wear A-1 is size 50. Okay, that's 52 to John and the jacket carries a 48 tag because he didn't have a 52.

Maybe he changed his policy?

I'm pretty sure Aero would make almost anything in almost any size.

Interesting, but John told me many times no. Not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't like to use that much of the hides to make a jacket (in so many words) and he even gave me a chart of the hides showing why.

If you ever want to sell that A-1 - please let me know!

Aero do make big jackets. I have an HG-5 in a 50, a Bronco A2 in a 52. GW, LW, ELC, etc. won't go over 48 from my emails with all of them.
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
Here is the image of the hide and what is used from John's site.

Horsehide.jpg
 

feltfan

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,190
Location
Oakland, CA, USA
Interesting, but John told me many times no. Not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't like to use that much of the hides to make a jacket (in so many words) and he even gave me a chart of the hides showing why.

If you ever want to sell that A-1 - please let me know!

Ooh, instant collector's item. The world's only top quality size 50 A-1.
 

aswatland

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,338
Location
Kent, England
Awesome GW MONARCH A2

I have owned three Eastman Monarchs and have never been 100% happy with them. This one from a craftsman in Seattle is by far the most accurate Monarch repro that I have seen. It is made from veg tanned, semi-aniline dull russet horse hide. Comparing it with my original it is spot on. John has even copied the square leather reinforcement tabs behind the pocket snaps. The elongated collar shape is correct and the pockets are perfect. The zipper track is a repro Talon with a NOS slider, which have been painted the correct dark brown as per the 1941 Monarch contract. Although it is marked a size 46 it fits like many of my size 44 originals. Monarchs were usually one size smaller than jackets with the same size tag from other makers. The photos were all taken indoors using a flash and the russet shade appear a little redder than in natural light.

003-7.jpg

006-9.jpg
007-6.jpg


010-8.jpg

011-8.jpg

012-7.jpg

013-5.jpg

014-6.jpg

015-8.jpg

016-6.jpg
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
Wow - that's spectacular! The hide is beautiful. I wonder if he can upsize one a bit for me? Or maybe the cut isn't good for me - I'll ask John.
Thanks for posting. Fantastic.
 
Messages
10,181
Location
Pasadena, CA
I keep coming back to look at these pics! That HH is amazing. I can't wait to see if after some wear - assuming Andrew gets more than an hour on each of his 100 jackets lol
 

aswatland

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,338
Location
Kent, England
1000 jackets you mean!;) Seriously I currently have three GW A2s. My seal GW Dubow with berry knits has had a lot of wear this year and has been mistaken for an original. I'll post some pics later in the holiday.
 

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