What Price Glory A-2 Jacket

[Bunyip]

Good stuff Smithy. It's always a nice surprise when you underestimate a purchase, so often it's high expectations on big name big cost jackets that disappoint.
I was very keen on wpg B3. It's dirt cheap and advertised as having lighter wool which would be great in OZ. They are on back order, out of stock for months...that write up makes me keen again.
Congrats mate, enjoy.

 

[Smithy]

Nice one Smithy & a great review.

Sounds great and congrats on your new jacket. Who would have thought that WPG could turn out something like that? Of course I only have the experience with their "Irvin" to compare with. But this time it really sounds like they have nailed it.
Looking forward to some pics too, mate.

Good stuff Smithy. It's always a nice surprise when you underestimate a purchase, so often it's high expectations on big name big cost jackets that disappoint.
I was very keen on wpg B3. It's dirt cheap and advertised as having lighter wool which would be great in OZ. They are on back order, out of stock for months...that write up makes me keen again.
Congrats mate, enjoy.

Many thanks for the kind words guys!

Sounds like a good get, man. Tell us more about the hide. Thickness and the finish.

Seb, the leather is very nice. A supple goatskin with a good grain. I've only handled a couple of originals and I'm by no means an A-2 expert but the thickness to me is very like those. I'm more than happy with it.

Impressive - those are both details a lot of the cheaper options miss. Any idea of the composition of the knits?

Sorry Edward, not sure about the knits but they feel very good, definitely not flimsy, nice and thick. They actually feel like wool but for this price I'd imagine they're not. They are very well done though and feel that they'll put up with a lot of use.

Sod the jacket (looks nice by the way) - congratulations on the new family member!

Haha thanks Pip! Not quite there yet. Waiting game at the mo, just got sent home from the hospital (it's late here and I was told Mum-to-be needed some sleep, but was told I could get a call to come back anytime. Very exciting, not sure how much sleep I'll get tonight!

 

[Worf]

Smart strategie. I wish I'd done the same before I started on this journey. Decent jacket for beatin' around town. Good job.

Worf

 

[Smithy]

Smart strategie. I wish I'd done the same before I started on this journey. Decent jacket for beatin' around town. Good job.

Worf

Thanks Worf. Wore it all day today and yesterday and it already feels like an old friend.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Worf, I think these (and their Raiders jackets) are new merchandise at WPG - they weren't on their site last year when I bought my bush jacket from them. So this represents a new starter option for classic-design A-2s, a range where for a long time the clear best buy was the US Authentic goatskin model.

 

[Brettafett]

Hey Smithy,thats looks really good for a knock-around. Say, you have a Large right? At 6'1 and 40" chest? Based on their measurements, https://onlinemilitaria.net/tmp/A2 sheep flying jkt.pdf, would you say these are accurate enough compared to yours?
Thanks

 

[Seb Lucas]

You know there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to buy a decent, well-cut generic A 2 for under $200. Let's face it the materials are readily available and a trim pattern doesn't add to the price. The details we like involve little more than drawing out a decent pattern and, with some taste, this is achievable without money. The originals were often poorly made, with bad stitching, dubious cutting and mismatched hide so we shouldn't be too precious about them and it ain't rocket science.

 

[Smithy]

Hey Smithy,thats looks really good for a knock-around. Say, you have a Large right? At 6'1 and 40" chest? Based on their measurements, https://onlinemilitaria.net/tmp/A2 sheep flying jkt.pdf, would you say these are accurate enough compared to yours?
Thanks

Give me a day or so, it's all go here at the moment and I'll also have to track down the tape measure which last time I saw it was in the paws of my daughter - so it could be anywhere by now!

You know there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to buy a decent, well-cut generic A 2 for under $200. Let's face it the materials are readily available and a trim pattern doesn't add to the price. The details we like involve little more than drawing out a decent pattern and, with some taste, this is achievable without money. The originals were often poorly made, with bad stitching, dubious cutting and mismatched hide so we shouldn't be too precious about them and it ain't rocket science.

Good point Seb. These were utilitarian jackets made en masse and in spirit that's probably where the WPG lies. That's not to take away from the likes of JC and ELC. Those guys are artists who fastidiously strive to create facsimiles of wartime contracts.

I'm happy with my WPG, although that's not to say that down the line I might pick another offering up but at the moment it fits the bill for me perfectly and is accurate enough for what I need. With a little wear and a bit of patina going I think it's going to look very good, well at least to my eyes.

One thing I haven't mentioned is that it wouldn't be too hard to customise and if you shopped around for components not terribly expensive to do so either. One could easily pick one up, add some new knits (berry coloured anyone?), a triple Talon, Conmar, etc zipper, get a label made for it, and put some inspection/USAAF stamps in it. I'm thinking of putting an AM stamp in mine as that's possibly what the Norwegian issued ones had (thanks Andrew!).

 

[Fanch]

Smithy, I am absolutely shocked at the pricing on that HH A-2 that you just bought! I recall finding a mail order catalog from where I called an 800 number and ordered 3-4 Willis and Geiger A-2's and G-1's for about $40 apiece, although that was many decades ago. I wish I still had those jackets. [huh]

 

[Monsoon]

I recall finding a mail order catalog from where I called an 800 number and ordered 3-4 Willis and Geiger A-2's and G-1's for about $40 apiece, although that was many decades ago. I wish I still had those jackets. [huh]

Is this back when dinosaurs roamed the earth?

 

[Fanch]

Is this back when dinosaurs roamed the earth?

Before even dinosaurs.

 

[Smithy]

Smithy, I am absolutely shocked at the pricing on that HH A-2 that you just bought! I recall finding a mail order catalog from where I called an 800 number and ordered 3-4 Willis and Geiger A-2's and G-1's for about $40 apiece, although that was many decades ago. I wish I still had those jackets. [huh]

Hi Fanch, I must admit that for the price I wasn't expecting a great deal but I have been well and truly stunned. It's one of those very rare occasions with a purchase where I was pleasantly shocked rather than the more common, sadly disappointed! BTW, the WPG offering is goat not HH.

And that must have been an absolute age to have been able to pick up W&G jackets for that little - maybe not the time of the dinosaurs but possibly around the time of the Reformation

 

[Smithy]

Could you give us the measurements across the shoulders, down the back and down the sleeves?

Hey Smithy,thats looks really good for a knock-around. Say, you have a Large right? At 6'1 and 40" chest? Based on their measurements, https://onlinemilitaria.net/tmp/A2 sheep flying jkt.pdf, would you say these are accurate enough compared to yours?
Thanks

First off, apologies for taking so long to post measurements.

WPG A-2, large size:

Pit to pit = 22'' (one of the things which at least confused me with WPG's sizing chart was their round the chest size but here is the more common pit to pit size)

Shoulders = 19.5''

Sleeve (from shoulder seam to end of knit) = 25.5''

Body length (back of jacket from bottom of collar to end of knit) = 26.5''. This measurement is different from the sizing chart for WPG but they may have used a different method, ie top of collar to bottom or knit, etc.

As I mentioned I am 6' 1'' with a 40'' chest and the fit on me is exactly what I wanted. One thing I would say to anyone here considering getting one of these would be to follow WPG's advice and go up a size. That's what I did and I couldn't be happier.

Anyway I hope that helps.

 

[kampkatz]

Enjoy the jacket. One good thing about leather is that it is easy to wipe off baby barf.

 

[Smithy]

Enjoy the jacket. One good thing about leather is that it is easy to wipe off baby barf.

Very true! Hasn't happened yet although my first born did "park her custard" on the inside of my Irvin

 

[Trotsky]

Has anyone else ordered one? I know they say order a size up but the "XL" sizing exactly matches my US Wings Indy Jacket and the XXL looks like it would be waaaaay to big with sleeves for a giant. Any opinion? Also, thanks for posting the pics, it was the catalyst to me ordering on. For the price I am really impressed.

Oh, one more question for Smithy, do these taper at all?

 

[Smithy]

Has anyone else ordered one? I know they say order a size up but the "XL" sizing exactly matches my US Wings Indy Jacket and the XXL looks like it would be waaaaay to big with sleeves for a giant. Any opinion? Also, thanks for posting the pics, it was the catalyst to me ordering on. For the price I am really impressed.

Oh, one more question for Smithy, do these taper at all?

Hi Trotsky,

The WPG is definitely a trim wartime A-2 pattern, not a "blousey" modern cut so it does have a slight taper from the pit to the knit. I am a 40'' chest and suit/jacket/dress shirt size and found the large was perfect for me.

I have been wearing mine everyday for the last 3 weeks and it is getting better and better. Like most goat, the grain is starting to "pop" in places and I'm really happy with how it's breaking in. I've already had more good comments on the jacket than any other jacket I own but the best was a Japanese fella who came up and asked about the jacket as he owns an ELC and ended up asking for the WPG website as he wanted to get one himself.

I can post some more pics and close-ups of mine if anyone is interested.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[RailRoad]

I'd like to see some Tim, when you get the chance. I got a Cooper a few weeks back and I'd like to see how they compare.
Thanks,
Fred

 

[Big J]

Smithy, that's a great looking jacket. The website photos that Thor kindly put up don't do it justice. The color is fantastic. Seriously, how do they make such a great jacket for only $150?

 

[TXFlyGuy]

Smithy, that's a great looking jacket. The website photos that Thor kindly put up don't do it justice. The color is fantastic. Seriously, how do they make such a great jacket for only $150?

It makes you ask why would anyone spend $500, $600, or more on an A-2 when this one (WPG) looks as good as any I've seen!