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Real or Fake original A-2?

ludospeed

Well-Known Member
Copy and paste this announce on Ebay :

**_-** Original WW2 A-2 Flight Jacket Size 44 USAAF Army Air Forces CBI **-_**

Thank you.
 

Bombing IP

Well-Known Member
Here is my take on it ,its a real one that is supple enough to be a user .So the owner has had it restored new label liner and knits . Its a big size so its been used by the owner who restored it . Here is the problem when you replace worn out parts of the jacket ,but who want to wear a ratty liner over good clothes with moth eaten knits . Now its not original and people think it has been doctored to improve its value .

BIP
 

Silver Surfer

Well-Known Member
the whole package looks right. yeah, there was once a different patch on the chest and was replaced with what it on there now. this was done often during the war as guys were transferred from one outfit to another. it all looks legit. anyone know the patch?
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
the whole package looks right. yeah, there was once a different patch on the chest and was replaced with what it on there now. this was done often during the war as guys were transferred from one outfit to another. it all looks legit. anyone know the patch?
1st Bombardment Squadron(Provisional) C.A.C.W.
 

Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member
the whole package looks right. yeah, there was once a different patch on the chest and was replaced with what it on there now. this was done often during the war as guys were transferred from one outfit to another. it all looks legit. snip
sorry, I can't agree

Obviously the current patch isn't the first one on this jacket and, of course changing, moving patches was fairly common, especially in the CBI Theater but I stick 100% with my original opinion..............The back stitch on the patch and name tag show that they are a fairly recent addition..............without wishing to sound condesending in any way , I do know a thing or two about stitching :>)
 

dmar836

Well-Known Member
You can see from the lining that the original chest patch was apparently on there much longer or worn more and left more of an impression than this one. How long this one has been there is questionable given the relatively short history of the C.A.C.W. The patch sort of looks intentionally "crusterized"(while it's khaki stitching doesn't) but it could be as right as rain. It's easy to criticize as we will never know the truth but generally newly/period applied patches were pretty bright and punchy-looking even if unpainted. This patch is obviously a replacement patch(regardless of the period) and would have survived in better shape. For one to age and yellow like that is a great and appropriate look but you should expect to see this patina plus some over the whole (older) jacket. That's where I would look. The liner sure doesn't look salty and none of the expected close-up collector shots are there - collar, name label, stitching. Amazing it's liner and zip are in such great shape!
I'd sure want to know more about the history of the original owner before plunking down too much on it. Might be more valuable as an original Aero with some old stitch holes. After all, these same questions, close scrutiny of the stitching, etc., will always follow this jacket.
JMO,
Dave
 

johnwayne

Well-Known Member
About the price of a new top repro, which given the provenance or rather not of this one, think I rather have the repro!!
 

Ken at Aero Leather

Well-Known Member

Yet another from a UK Seller. This always sets off warning bells for a good reason.
In the late 1970s/early 80's there was a British collector of USAAF insignia who stripped the insignia from A-2s and sold them on with the patches missing, most of those were bought by The Thrift Shop, we maybe bought as many as 200 or 300 from him over 7 or 8 years, most we resold "as they were" like the one Eastwood just found, but lots customers had us fit replacement insignia to cover the bare unmached areas.
Most of these replacements were original as he also sold off his "duplicates" but we did use replica paches too............not to defraud, but to meet a customer's budget.
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
My question would be 'why' would a squadron patch for an early-war, Chinese unit be put OVER the stitch holes for a previous squadron?
 
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