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Aero Capeskin
- Thread starter D97x7
- Start date
2BM2K
Well-Known Member
There is one on Aero's sale page, made to test the new capeskin. Looks nice.
http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=3893
http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=3893
johnwayne
Well-Known Member
Don't think it's my screen but they look quite dark for a capeskin A1, that is if you're looking for authentic? There's seems to be some darker more seal like colours around and I'm sure it would look nice but with what knits? I always wanted but never seriously considered an olive capeskin A1 and which I believe was an original early colour used - I think Aero has made a few, GW possibly and I think Jay at Headwind has offered it as a choice. Lost Worlds made them too but they never looked right to me hence I stuck with the regular russet from SFA (now Norshor)! I think a member here has a GW olive A1 but can't remember who - anyone?
Dr H
Well-Known Member
Steve (bseal) had an olive A-1, but I don't believe that these were ever issued (any surviving jackets that I have seen were more conventional colours: in fact more russet for earlier variants in the 1920's).
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
I'm told by the factory that this is the true colour
johnwayne
Well-Known Member
Thanks Dr H, I'm sure you're right it was Steve and if I'm not wrong he did think about off loading it. Re whether or not they were issued I'm sure I've read it somewhere, poss 'Hell Bent for Leather' maybe, that they did exist exist but like you infer, there's no proof, just like the much discussed rust knit B10's!
Skyhawk
Well-Known Member
I believe the Olive may be a myth. Some manufacturers pose some interesting theories, but I have not seen the evidence to support some of the claims. It has been proposed that some were made of Olive Capeskin, and that even Horsehide and Goatskin were used. My thought is that maybe the Olive cloth 37J1 jackets of the 1920's were getting confused with the leather version.
As to the hide color, I think we have to defer to the evidence. We have examples of labeled military contract jackets in both the A-1 and 37J1. They are both made from a dark chocolate russet colored capeskin that can be seen in the protected areas in the pockets. It makes sense that the same hide would be used. I don't think there were a plethora of tanneries putting out dark brown Capeskin in large quantities in the 1920's. The government may have used the same source for the hides for the USAC and the USN. At least the matching colors of the original A-1 and 37J1 survivors certainly point in that direction.
As to the hide type, certainly Capeskin. Possibly Sheepskin if supplies were low. Cape is a type of Sheep after all. There was a ton of civilian and military flight gear made of Sheepskin in the 1920'3-1930's. so the use of sheep is certainly possible. I doubt the Horse hide Or Goat skin claims. We would see survivors with a more robust hide like Horse or Goat. Those jackets were probably civilian jackets. There were a lot of similar types of jackets being used as sports jackets. Golf, hunting, etc.
Regards,
Jay
As to the hide color, I think we have to defer to the evidence. We have examples of labeled military contract jackets in both the A-1 and 37J1. They are both made from a dark chocolate russet colored capeskin that can be seen in the protected areas in the pockets. It makes sense that the same hide would be used. I don't think there were a plethora of tanneries putting out dark brown Capeskin in large quantities in the 1920's. The government may have used the same source for the hides for the USAC and the USN. At least the matching colors of the original A-1 and 37J1 survivors certainly point in that direction.
As to the hide type, certainly Capeskin. Possibly Sheepskin if supplies were low. Cape is a type of Sheep after all. There was a ton of civilian and military flight gear made of Sheepskin in the 1920'3-1930's. so the use of sheep is certainly possible. I doubt the Horse hide Or Goat skin claims. We would see survivors with a more robust hide like Horse or Goat. Those jackets were probably civilian jackets. There were a lot of similar types of jackets being used as sports jackets. Golf, hunting, etc.
Regards,
Jay
Last edited:
johnwayne
Well-Known Member
Jay, I bow to your knowledge and never really thought Hell Bent for Leather a particularly great book but at the time there wasn’t much else for jacketheads! Given how much ‘olive/khaki’ was used in uniforms and colour schemes it always sounded plausible and again possibly due to poor condition/colour changes in old pics, they might look more ‘green’ - a nice option though!!
