Proper relaxed A2 fit

[monarch]

Following up some old discussions about proper A2 fit I would like to add some more insights from my perspective to this discussion. In my eyes an A2 has never been a fashion item. It was ment to be purely functional which especially includes the function to move within them. It should neither bother you nor should it inhibit your movement. If you look on old fotos from WWII you can see that many crews had chosen pretty relaxed fitting A2 jackets even late during the war. Here are some examples from 1941 to 1944:

Lieutenant Dick Winters, 101st airborne, in 1942, wearing a relaxed fitting Dubow A2:

Here is a war photo of the crew of the famous witchcraft B24 bomber in December 1944 with pretty relaxed fitting A2s:

This is the graduation class of Sikeston Airschool, December 1941, with relaxed fitting jackets. Chapman from Goodwear Leather uses this even as example for proper A2 fit:

I think these examples show that many warriors preferred relaxed fitting A2s for functional reasons. And that is the exact reason how we chose the size of an A2 today: For function, not for fashion

 

[aswatland]

Welcome to the forum. This subject has been discussed here and elsewhere several times before. The simple answer is that whilst some were issued with an A2 which gave a "relaxed" fit others wore closer fitting A2s. I prefer the more relaxed fit but each to his own!

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I don't imagine the army quartermasters were very particular as to their customer's concerns about fit if any? [huh] Maybe some guys had the presence of mind to say they wore one size bigger than they typically wore.

 

[Lt GUSTL]

Servus from Vienna,

i prefer the closer fit of my original Perry A-2 in size 44 than the more "relaxed" fit of my ELC A-2 Monarch in size 42.
The cut of the upper arms and chest seems to me a little bit looser than on original jackets.

kindest regards

 

[RainLikeGravel]

shirt style jacket

Hello,
personally I think the A-2 is a shirt style jacket.
Should be worn zipped up and if you choose a looser fit and close the jacket, probably you may get bothered by wrongly fitting armpits. Not to mention the excess of leather on the chest area, that's in the way mostly. If the jacket fits close to your body you may have the most ease in movement. Speaking of my experience, because I own a loose fitting A2 and a propper one to compare. Just my opinion.
Thomas

 

[icecold]

I've never owned an A-2, but I'm 3-4 weeks away from owning an Aero in my actual chest size, which per the prevailing opinion will be a very close fit (Amanda tried to get me to size up, but I resisted, loosened the shoulders just a 0.5" instead).

Anyway, the point is that I agree with the view that it is supposed to be a shirt-like jacket. It's original purpose has been to be basically a windbreaker - it's a *summer* flying jacket, so no layering, just zipping it up to keep the breese out at an altitude higher than the aircraft carrier runway

But or course this does not mean that it could not, and should not be worn as a more loosely fitting jacket - as some of the above photos beautifully illustrate, although I don't think that on many of them the fit is all that loose... The way I see it, the major problem with a loosely fitting A-2 is just the fact that it will tend to baloon lsightly because of the waisband... The *torso lenght* of the wearer is also a cruical variable - loosely fitting A-2 seems to look better on a guy with longer torso IMO...

somehow, inspite of the similarities, (to me) the G-1 looks a lot better when loosely fitted...[huh]

 

[Baron Kurtz]

"Chosen". "Proper".

An interesting concept of military gear distribution in wartime. 'Sorry, private, that doesn't quite fit ya. Hold on, we'll find a better one.'

bk

 

[CBI]

This question (which is a good one) has been beaten to death. There are so many period photos that demonstrate every possible fit. I don't even think one can say which type of fit was the most common - it was all over the map. For folks buying repros trim or loose is just fine. A good repro will still drape the way it "should" with either less or more room. I own 7 A-2's from trim to looser fit, they are all cool (at least to me). If I had to get only one, something in the middle would be the way to go.

 

[icecold]

"Chosen". "Proper".

An interesting concept of military gear distribution in wartime. 'Sorry, private, that doesn't quite fit ya. Hold on, we'll find a better one.'

bk

"Would you like a cup of coffee and a neck massage while we're looking in the back?"

While our obsession over the proper fit in these contemporary and safe civilian simes is somewhat silly [huh] , i think it's also understandable given how severely all aspects of clothing - and particularly fit - have deteriorated over last half century . There's no shame in getting a little carried away while pining over the way thinge were . Same goes for manners, furniture, and coffee shopslol . Probably not cars though. that's where I think the modern era kicks azz, the questinoable body styling notwithstanding

 

[jeep44]

What gives the best fit?




Being a size 38 20 year old.

 

[RainLikeGravel]

military gear distribution in wartime

Baron, in my opinion there's no more need for any "wartime concepts" concerning jackets or other stuff. My wardrobe doesn't seem to be a museum, either. Let's get the proper fit Thomas

 

[ethanedwards]

I think these examples show that many warriors preferred relaxed fitting A2s for functional reasons. And that is the exact reason how we chose the size of an A2 today: For function, not for fashion[/QUOTE]


There is nobody alive on earth who currently wears his A2 jacket for the functionality of it's original purpose, ie to be worn by men flying in the propellor-driven military aircraft of that era. If that is taken as a given - and it well might not be! - how can any contemporary A2 in use by civilians be anything other than a fashion item, regardless of the motives of the owner? So I'm inclined to propose that ownership of an A2 (or any other repro vintage jacket) is in fact a fashion statement first and foremost and function doesn't actually come into it - it's really only a happy coincidence when these jackets sometimes serve for other purposes.(For collectors of originals and re-enactors it's a different matter altogether.) Do we really pick A2's because we believe they are the best jacket for our daily round? (No interior pockets, no hand-warmers etc) Even the USAAF abandoned it mid-war........
Interested to hear your views..................

 

[Burnsie]

I don't think they are the most practical everyday jacket, but I wear them because they look so cool and caught my imagination. After lurking on the FL and discovering the acme depot A-2 pages I found the A-2 to be THE vintage style jacket I had been looking for. (Literally - I had dog eared my copy of "Vintage Aircraft Nose Art" wondering where I could get "one of those flight jackets without a fur collar"!)
As far as fit is concerned, I (like many others) sized up one size for my first Aero A-2 and ended up selling it because of the excess blousing in the torso, it just didn't feel right. Now I have a couple more Aero's one of which is the trimmer "athletic" fitting 1756 which really must be worn as a windbreaker - over just a t-shirt or one button up shirt.

 

[H.Johnson]

What gives the best fit?




Being a size 38 20 year old.

What about being a size 36 64 year old?

 

[H.Johnson]

"Chosen". "Proper".

An interesting concept of military gear distribution in wartime. 'Sorry, private, that doesn't quite fit ya. Hold on, we'll find a better one.'

bk

Worse than that - in March 1944 a raid on Regensburg was called off because of excessive blousing of the bombardiers' jackets. Must be true - you read it on the 'Web.

 

[kojax]

both my a-2 jackets goatskin and horsehide are size 36 i just turned 50 ouch lol they fit well

 

[icecold]

Worse than that - in March 1944 a raid on Regensburg was called off because of excessive blousing of the bombardiers' jackets. Must be true - you read it on the 'Web.

lol i titally believe it! There's more to dominating the skies of Europe than bombs and planes
(and that's how you hold your edge - technological know-how PLUS mad style ) Applies to present day too China and India are doing great, but that's still commodity engineering, need some style to round it up [huh]

 

[kampkatz]

My apology in advance for mentioning a G-1, however that is where my military experience took me. In the early 70's as a 23 year old Naval Aviation officer candidate I wore a size 37 uniform. I was issued a size 40 flight suit and a size 42 G-1. When I asked about the loose fit the petty officer who distributed the flight gear told me they automatically give you a G-1 the next size up from your flight suit. I soon traded my 42 with a pal who thought his 40 was a bit snug. We were both happy with the outcome.
Paul

 

[ethanedwards]

My apology in advance for mentioning a G-1, however that is where my military experience took me. In the early 70's as a 23 year old Naval Aviation officer candidate I wore a size 37 uniform. I was issued a size 40 flight suit and a size 42 G-1. When I asked about the loose fit the petty officer who distributed the flight gear told me they automatically give you a G-1 the next size up from your flight suit. I soon traded my 42 with a pal who thought his 40 was a bit snug. We were both happy with the outcome.
Paul

Please don't apologise, this kind of anecdote and your experience is really valuable - it's nice to learn, rather than speculate - great post.

 

[fishmeok]

IMHO the most authentic look comes from the jacket pattern. Take a look at Chapman's site, he's 6' and the jackets that fit him are all 46's or larger. Because the jacket body is cut square with the shoulders the jacket looks like a period piece. I'm about the same size and it took me 4 different tries to get the pattern to look right, even though I copied a period (civilian) jacket. Shoulder seam location, square cut body, V shape the the front bottom of the jacket, corect materials- these are what make the thing look and drape "right". As for how roomy the jacket should be, I feel that's purely up to personal taste. Wear what's comfortable, that's what really matters...
Cheers
Mark