Assistance with this A2

[Tony Ward]

Rather new to the a2 jacket arena and was hoping people could assist by providing some general info on the attached jacket. I've done general research on jacket contract numbers and patches. Anything else I might need to know? Thanks

 

[Juanito]

Knopf A-2. Odd combination of patches...do you think they are original to the jacket?

 

[Tony Ward]

I would imagine maybe the 23rd fighter patch but the other added later. I haven't actually been able to identify the other patch yet. Displaimer...this is not my jacket

 

[Brettafett]

Thats a CBI 118th Tactical Recon patch...
Some info here - www.118trs.com
www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/albums/72157624486616579/page2

 

[Tony Ward]

Thats a CBI 118th Tactical Recon patch...
Some info here - www.118trs.com

Thanks for information. Have you seen other versions of this jacket?

 

[Silver Surfer]

hhhmmmmm........gw with patches sewn on?

 

[Tony Ward]

hhhmmmmm........gw with patches sewn on?

I also thought it may be a GW but label semed to match originals I've seen vs GW repro. Some decent wear from what I can tell in photos. I am trying to learn though so would like peoples opinions. The person named on jacket was also with the 118 TRS as one gentleman identified above the patch

 

[Tony Ward]

Other photos

 

[Brettafett]

Thanks for information. Have you seen other versions of this jacket?

Yes, there is an 118th TR original in Andrew's(Roughwear's) collection... Have a look in the Photo section, for 23 FG...
Not sure about this one though....

 

[Tony Ward]

Yes, there is an 118th TR original in Andrew's(Roughwear's) collection... Have a look in the Photo section, for 23 FG...
Not sure about this one though....

Thanks. I did just find that post awhile ago. Some great info and photos in there

 

[Silver Surfer]

im not a doubting thomas by nature, but i have many originals, and have handled many more. thus without having the jacket in hand,........i have yet to see cbi cloth uniform shoulder patches of the type on the jacket, on other cbi a-2s. of course, that doesnt mean that it was not done. also, the name tag looks awfully new, as does the the tiger shield patch. just an opinion, anthony. more detailed pix would help to see what ya have there. at any rate, it is a very cool jacket, regardless of its age.

 

[Brettafett]

If thats an original ensemble, then thats gold...!

 

[Tony Ward]

im not a doubting thomas by nature, but i have many originals, and have handled many more. thus without having the jacket in hand,........i have yet to see cbi cloth uniform shoulder patches of the type on the jacket, on other cbi a-2s. of course, that doesnt mean that it was not done. also, the name tag looks awfully new, as does the the tiger shield patch. just an opinion, anthony. more detailed pix would help to see what ya have there. at any rate, it is a very cool jacket, regardless of its age.

Thanks for input. Here are a few more photos

 

[Brettafett]

The jacket itself looks original... But the patches... Did you not get any info from the parties you bought it from?

 

[Tony Ward]

The jacket itself looks original... But the patches... Did you not get any info from the parties you bought it from?

This jacket is not mine as mentioned above but the story is that it was obtained from a dealer in the early 90s. Is currently located in NY about 20 minutes where the possible original owner/named on jacket (Benjamin W Roberts Jr) lived

 

[Silver Surfer]

where in ny? and, some close ups of the chest patches, if ya can.

 

[Tony Ward]

where in ny? and, some close ups of the chest patches, if ya can.

118th TRS website roster states he was from Schenectady

 

[Tony Ward]

Zipper close ups

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

The vertigris on the collar understud say's the jacket is an original. That's a given. This is no repro

The best way to tell how long a patch has been in place is to see close ups of the lining showing the outline in the back stitching. Age here is hard to fake.

The only patch I wouldn't totally dismiss out of hand is the 23rd, that said the close up makes it look too new, yet the work isn't typical of repro and a couple of things are done in the local manner. On the other hand there is little or no wear or roll to the edges which suggests maybe a previously unused original patch added (much) later?
Whatever, only the name tag looks as if it might have been there since the 1940s, but bearing in mind the more recent additions to the jacket I would take that with a pinch of salt subject to see the back stitch....especially if the name tag is the only form of provenance

Pics as requested in the underlined sentence above would go a long towards proving or disproving but it looks like a "Shotgun Wedding" to me

 

[Bombing IP]

The tiger shoulder patch is an early one and is usually on the other shoulder .The Army reversed the tiger so it looked liked it was attacking not retreating this was done on later examples . I bet underneath there is a winged roundel decal . My feeling on this jacket it is an original patched up with original or very old repro patches after the war . Certainly to clean to have seen action on an airman and not in keeping with the developed character of the leather . Then again I may be wrong as some like to correct me on my opinions ?.

BIP