Vintage Jackets

[Edward]

aw man......everybody has a perfect star. well, mine aint, but.......pix, anon.

is there a more commonly found jacket contract today? more than other contracts? I suppose in the great scheme of vintage items 75 years isn't really that long ago when compared to items from previous centuries but being a workman's jacket used during the rigors of wartime in confined areas of metal these things were exposed to a lot of elements. impossible to know but I would love to know how many A-2 jackets survive today out of the amount issued.

 

[Edward]

or perhaps it would be best to ask... what would be the rarer surviving contracts to find today?

 

[B-Man2]

is there a more commonly found jacket contract today? more than other contracts? I suppose in the great scheme of vintage items 75 years isn't really that long ago when compared to items from previous centuries but being a workman's jacket used during the rigors of wartime in confined areas of metal these things were exposed to a lot of elements. impossible to know but I would love to know how many A-2 jackets survive today out of the amount issued.

Ed
I did a quick eyeball count on total numbers listed in Gary Eastmans A2 Manual and in total jacket numbers ordered , Rough Wear, Aero and DuBow produced some high numbers in A2 jackets. However, in 1942 there were several 50,000 Jacket contracts issued to companies like Bronco, Cable, Perry, and Poughkeepsie, as well as Aero, Rough Wear and DuBow. That was the height of A2 production numbers.
How many exist today by each maker is anyone’s guess.

 

[Carl]

Only have the one original A2 Bronco contract 29191

After looking at Garys book on A2's , BRONCO had some prolific manufacturing figures this contract alone $472 k .
Can i find anything in my contract lists for BRONCO ?? Nothing , the name Bronco doesnt even appear .

 

[Carl]

My only other original vintage leather

 

[Flightengineer]

Posting an original Star Manufacturing Co A2 jacket that is a rare size 48, in mint condition. Everything is original to the jacket. Everything is in perfect working condition with the minor exception a 2 or 3, BB sized moth nips on the knits. This jacket looks like it was issued and immediately sent home as a keepsake. The Contract information is W535ac 28557 42-18245P. This was the only contract award that the Star Company was awarded for the production of A2 jackets. The contract was for 30,000 jackets at a cost of $8.10 each. According to Gary Eastmans A2 Manual, this jacket was made from cowhide.
I purchased this jacket from Saucerfiend a number of years ago.
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Incredibly, Burt. This is so beautiful jacket and it is time capsule!
Do I understand correctly that Star used 2 types of labels for the same contract? One of them (as on yours) reprodused by ELC, the other type we see on the Centaurus3200 jacket?

 

[B-Man2]

Incredibly, Burt. This is so beautiful jacket and it is time capsule!
Do I understand correctly that Star used 2 types of labels for the same contract? One of them (as on yours) reprodused by ELC, the other type we see on the Centaurus3200 jacket?

Dimitry
That’s the first time I’ve seen that, good find by the way. I don’t have any idea why that was done. Vic (Silver Surfer) has an original Star maybe he can check his label as well to see how it’s formatted.

 

[B-Man2]

My only other original vintage leather
View attachment 22768

Carl
Great jacket.... could you post the maker and the contract ? Do you have any history along with it? Thanks for posting.

 

[Flightengineer]

OK, waiting for Vic's photos.

 

[Carl]

Carl
Great jacket.... could you post the maker and the contract ? Do you have any history along with it? Thanks for posting.

Ill get a pic of the label as soon as i can Burt

 

[B-Man2]

Thanks Carl..

 

[ausreenactor]

Mareeba Military Muster from the Airport Museum. Part of one of the most amazing groupings I have ever laid eyes on. Museum purchased it for $5000 MANY years ago. Will head back to the Museum to spend a day reading all the documentation and correspondence.

Pic of three 403rd Bomb Squadron pilots walking down the street in Cairns made my day. Thinking a painted version of the patch will be getting put on my BR RW.

403d Bombardment Squadron - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Carl]

Thanks Carl..

As promised Burt

 

[B-Man2]

Carl
That's a great looking Long and Foster!
Cant find many patched ones looking like that these days..Very Nice!

 

[B-Man2]

Mareeba Military Muster from the Airport Museum. Part of one of the most amazing groupings I have ever laid eyes on. Museum purchased it for $5000 MANY years ago. Will head back to the Museum to spend a day reading all the documentation and correspondence.

Pic of three 403rd Bomb Squadron pilots walking down the street in Cairns made my day. Thinking a painted version of the patch will be getting put on my BR RW.

403d Bombardment Squadron - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

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Hi Couchy
I did a little look up on this particular A2 jacket and it’s from a 1942 contract with the Cable Raincoat Co. The contract was for 50,000 jackets at a price of $8.24 US. each. The jacket was horsehide without a collar stand.It came with a Conmar zip.
Cheers

 

[ausreenactor]

She's a relic.. When thrown in with the rest of the grouping though it put a big grin on my face.

 

[B-Man2]

Here’s another original for your review.
It’s an Aero A2 from another 1942 contract W535-ac- 27435-42-15142P. The contract was for 50,000 jackets. Each jacket cost $8.25 US. The leather used was in all probability cowhide. I purchased this jacket from CBI
Thank you John.

 

[jeremiah]

Nice one. What makes you say cowhide?
Looks like HH from where I sit. Those lines are consistent with HH. Is it Eastman’s book that talks about this contract being cow?

 

[B-Man2]

Nice one. What makes you say cowhide?
Looks like HH from where I sit. Those lines are consistent with HH. Is it Eastman’s book that talks about this contract being cow?

Gary Eastman indicates that this contact was most probably cowhide. However , I dont believe any DNA tests were ever completed to positively confirm this.

 

[jeremiah]

Ok. I know people say they can’t tell horse from cow so who knows.