I've seen a few Japanese makers offering an olive/red striped color knits on their A-2s. Is it historically accurate VS the solid red/rust color? I prefer the olive striped, but I'm wondering if I might regret it later if I don't go full authentic
-
The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.
Olive Knits on a Seal Brown A-2?
- Thread starter Cyber Lip
- Start date
coolhandluke_7
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 163
- Location
- Oklahoma City, OK
No, olive or olive/ red striped knits would not be a correct color option for A-2 knits. Berry red or rust red knits are correct for some Aero contracts. Dull purple knits are a staple of some Dubow contracts. Everything else was typically golden, mid, or seal brown in color. If there is a particular A-2 contract that you are considering purchasing, you can take a look at the guide below to see which knit color would be considered most accurate.
https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/the-mighty-a-2-a-guide-to-the-army-air-forces’-leather-flying-jacket.35493/
https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/the-mighty-a-2-a-guide-to-the-army-air-forces’-leather-flying-jacket.35493/
Featured products
-
John Lofgren Monkey Boots Shinki Horsebuttt - $1,136 The classic monkey boot silhouette in an incredibly rich Shinki russet horse leather. -
Grant Stone Diesel Boot Dark Olive Chromexcel - $395 Goodyear welted, Horween Chromexcel, classic good looks. -
Schott 568 Vandals Jacket - $1,250 The classic Perfecto motorcycle jacket, in a very special limited-edition Schott double rider style.
Edward
Bartender
- Messages
- 26,270
- Location
- London, UK
I've seen the very occasional original that had olive colour knits. They didn't come out of the factory that way, though - they will have been later, field replacements, likely sourced after the B10 / B15 had replaced the A2 as the issued jacket.
Never seen a red/olive striped version. Sounds like something from an American style varsity jacket. Some of the Japanese makers do produce short runs of these off-book ideas here and there. Presumably they have a following among those who aren't looking for strict, milspec accuracy. (It's also entirely plausible they're referencing a pop-culture A2 that has appeared, so modified, in a TV show or film, albeit it one I've never seen.)
Which way you jump with this is up to you. Personally, if I was gonig to spend the kind of money a higher end A2 repro now commands I'd *probably* stick to milspec as that level of historical accuracy is a big part of what you're paying for with the Big Names, imo. If I was less concerned about overall historical accuracy, I'd likely buy something cheaper that might be less spot on to a WW2 era contract, where I could vary other details for a bit of fun. Similar to painting / patching, really.
Never seen a red/olive striped version. Sounds like something from an American style varsity jacket. Some of the Japanese makers do produce short runs of these off-book ideas here and there. Presumably they have a following among those who aren't looking for strict, milspec accuracy. (It's also entirely plausible they're referencing a pop-culture A2 that has appeared, so modified, in a TV show or film, albeit it one I've never seen.)
Which way you jump with this is up to you. Personally, if I was gonig to spend the kind of money a higher end A2 repro now commands I'd *probably* stick to milspec as that level of historical accuracy is a big part of what you're paying for with the Big Names, imo. If I was less concerned about overall historical accuracy, I'd likely buy something cheaper that might be less spot on to a WW2 era contract, where I could vary other details for a bit of fun. Similar to painting / patching, really.
