442RCT
One of the Regulars
- Messages
- 261
- Location
- California, USA
In this thread I'd like posters to add pics and stories about their painted A-2 jackets, originals and reproductions. I've seen and enjoyed many posts where forum members have posted pics of their painted A-2s.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=38526
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=48366
Fedora Lounge has many other "Show Me Your..." threads"...This one will be,
Show Me Your Painted Flight Jackets !
I'll start with my very first flight jacket. It was a really bad copy of an A-2, at the time I didn't have a clue how bad it was, [huh] I bought it at a 'yuppie' surplus store, (now that's an oxymoron in itself), that was going out of business. This store didn't sell real military surplus, just things that looked like military type clothing to people who wanted to be trendy and fashionable...that's a yuppie surplus store. The jacket was on sale for 1/2 price, at $ 60, and I've always been interested in WW2 aviation and especially fascinated with 'nose art'.
Notice the trendy cowboy metal collar tips, the pre-distressed leather, the split down the center of the back.
After acquiring this jacket, I told a friend that I'd bought a nose art jacket but wasn't thrilled with the 'art' on the back. He told me he knew a guy who was sort of an artist and would ask if he'd repaint my jacket. At this time, most of the advertised jacket painters were charging what was big money for a paint job, at least more than I could afford. The artist lived in another state and I sent him my jacket and design...not having a clue how good or bad an artist he was.
I sent him this Playboy cover and asked him to use it for the jacket back.
He painted over the original jacket back, at my request, added "Liberty Belle and Flying for Freedom". A master pinup artist he wasn't, but that was okay, it added to the folk art period nose art of the time. Because he painted over a silk-screened paint job onto pre-distressed leather, after 20 years of wear, as they say, the paint is acquiring a patina, or cracking and flaking off.
Later as I was teaching myself how to paint, I added the pilot's wings and the USAAF and Chinese AF rondels for a "Flying Tigers" theme.
To keep it as a "Flying Tigers" themed jacket, I painted over the front patch with my interpretation of an AVG 3rd Pursuit "Hells Angels" patch.
So this was the start of my painted jackets collection. The label says this jacket was imported by Cooper Leather. I'm sure it was to compete with the Cockpit/Avirex line. I still have this jacket and still wear it to this day. The leather isn't lambskin, it's pre-distressed cowhide and wears like iron.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=38526
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=48366
Fedora Lounge has many other "Show Me Your..." threads"...This one will be,
Show Me Your Painted Flight Jackets !
I'll start with my very first flight jacket. It was a really bad copy of an A-2, at the time I didn't have a clue how bad it was, [huh] I bought it at a 'yuppie' surplus store, (now that's an oxymoron in itself), that was going out of business. This store didn't sell real military surplus, just things that looked like military type clothing to people who wanted to be trendy and fashionable...that's a yuppie surplus store. The jacket was on sale for 1/2 price, at $ 60, and I've always been interested in WW2 aviation and especially fascinated with 'nose art'.
Notice the trendy cowboy metal collar tips, the pre-distressed leather, the split down the center of the back.
After acquiring this jacket, I told a friend that I'd bought a nose art jacket but wasn't thrilled with the 'art' on the back. He told me he knew a guy who was sort of an artist and would ask if he'd repaint my jacket. At this time, most of the advertised jacket painters were charging what was big money for a paint job, at least more than I could afford. The artist lived in another state and I sent him my jacket and design...not having a clue how good or bad an artist he was.
I sent him this Playboy cover and asked him to use it for the jacket back.
He painted over the original jacket back, at my request, added "Liberty Belle and Flying for Freedom". A master pinup artist he wasn't, but that was okay, it added to the folk art period nose art of the time. Because he painted over a silk-screened paint job onto pre-distressed leather, after 20 years of wear, as they say, the paint is acquiring a patina, or cracking and flaking off.
Later as I was teaching myself how to paint, I added the pilot's wings and the USAAF and Chinese AF rondels for a "Flying Tigers" theme.
To keep it as a "Flying Tigers" themed jacket, I painted over the front patch with my interpretation of an AVG 3rd Pursuit "Hells Angels" patch.
So this was the start of my painted jackets collection. The label says this jacket was imported by Cooper Leather. I'm sure it was to compete with the Cockpit/Avirex line. I still have this jacket and still wear it to this day. The leather isn't lambskin, it's pre-distressed cowhide and wears like iron.
Just post a pic of your jacket.
