ELC Elite units

[johnwayne]

Sorry if this has come up before (been away down under for a month!) but only this morning was thinking about how much I'm coming down on the side of GW jackets and which one will prob be my next and then viewed ELC's site and wow, that Hell's Angel jacket is pretty damn special - it blew me away but then I saw the cost - £1400!!! Crikey that is bloomin (trying to be poilte) pricey - is anyone really tempted?

Cheers
Wayne

 

[Dr H]

Not at all and not at that price...

 

[deeb7]

Here's the thread ...

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=11314

 

[nogbat]

nope

 

[Persimmon]

Sorry if this has come up before (been away down under for a month!) but only this morning was thinking about how much I'm coming down on the side of GW jackets and which one will prob be my next and then viewed ELC's site and wow, that Hell's Angel jacket is pretty damn special - it blew me away but then I saw the cost - £1400!!! Crikey that is bloomin (trying to be poilte) pricey - is anyone really tempted?

Cheers
Wayne

Wayne
Perhaps we are no longer the target market for Elite Jackets.
Maybe its more aimed at Far East customers ?

On the Eastman guestbook is this recent thank you.


CHUNG YEUNG POON:
Dear ELC,
just received the 23rd Ftr group A-2 jacket. It's very nice and fit. I don't want to put it off.
Rob, Alan, thank you for your service!

 

[colekwok]

I think their main target audiences will be people from Taiwan. I know that the AVG jacket sells very well over there.

I don't think anybody would dare to wear the jacket in PRC China with the Star and Blue Sky patch on their arms,
nor the Japanese would fancy wear the uniform that 'fend off' their grand or great grand fathers during the war.

 

[stanier]

Well I for one think the Elite units series is a great idea and if a 4th Fighter Group jacket comes out with great jacket art and on a fine repro I'll be sorely tempted.

 

[Persimmon]

Well I for one think the Elite units series is a great idea and if a 4th Fighter Group jacket comes out with great jacket art and on a fine repro I'll be sorely tempted.

There speaks a rich man !!

 

[havocpaul]

I think their main target audiences will be people from Taiwan. I know that the AVG jacket sells very well over there.

I don't think anybody would dare to wear the jacket in PRC China with the Star and Blue Sky patch on their arms,
nor the Japanese would fancy wear the uniform that 'fend off' their grand or great grand fathers during the war.

The Japanese have never had such a problem, check out all the Buzz Rickson and Real McCoys jackets with 'war-art', I would expect the Japanese market is where Eastman have aimed these jackets.

 

[Persimmon]

I think their main target audiences will be people from Taiwan. I know that the AVG jacket sells very well over there.

I don't think anybody would dare to wear the jacket in PRC China with the Star and Blue Sky patch on their arms,
nor the Japanese would fancy wear the uniform that 'fend off' their grand or great grand fathers during the war.

The Japanese have never had such a problem, check out all the Buzz Rickson and Real McCoys jackets with 'war-art', I would expect the Japanese market is where Eastman have aimed these jackets.

Agree
I have sold three A2 originals to Japanese customers.
Very fast payers and super friendly folks to do business with.
They want that style of jacket and I guess the history

 

[ausreenactor]

I like the look of the painted A-2 and went for the Murder Inc. based on the story behind it.
I am not a frequent wearer of said jacket, based on the climate I have been living in for the
bulk of the last eight years. If you are adding the price of a jacket and art the sky is really
the limit. I paid Jerome a tidy sum for the work, and now four years on, I am still up for a
hefty bill on the ELC Air Comfort. :roll: If you have the money the world is your oyster. I think
the art would look good on any jacket. I would hate to pay for a Custom King art job! I am
sure the art job alone would be worth the price of the ELC Elite jacket!

Couchy

 

[RCSignals]

Yes. They either appeal to you and you want it or you don't

And some people always think they can do the same for less. Years ago I had a restored Model A coupe for sale at a Swap meet. My price was lower than most restored cars of the same type, and the car need nothing. I had driven it to the meet.
A fellow came up to me and asked why he'd pay me the price for mine when he could have another that was there for less. The other car of his object was another model A Ford, on a trailer, full of rust not running and missing parts. It need everything. I told him to have at it and good luck.

 

[Andrew]

I think their main target audiences will be people from Taiwan. I know that the AVG jacket sells very well over there.

I don't think anybody would dare to wear the jacket in PRC China with the Star and Blue Sky patch on their arms,
nor the Japanese would fancy wear the uniform that 'fend off' their grand or great grand fathers during the war.

The Japanese have never had such a problem, check out all the Buzz Rickson and Real McCoys jackets with 'war-art', I would expect the Japanese market is where Eastman have aimed these jackets.

Agree
I have sold three A2 originals to Japanese customers.
Very fast payers and super friendly folks to do business with.
They want that style of jacket and I guess the history

Same experience here too. Incredibly accommodating and friendly. In my case it was my 8thAF painted jacket "Shack Rats" so it would be pc in Japan anyway.

 

[RCSignals]

the Japanese have done a lot to preserve information about Allied Forces, particularly US equipment and history, from the WW2 era. Maybe even moreso than in the US.

 

[Ian C]

It's wierd when stuff like this happens. When we took our warbows to France last summer they were all over us. We couldn't work it out as we thought we'd be viewed as the bad guys. Instead they wanted to be photographed with us and know everything about our kit etc.
In the end I put it down to the syndrome where as a kid I'd build Panther and Tiger model kits over Cromwell or Churchill. It's nothing to do with any national or political affiliation but rather being drawn towards the best kit whether it be tanks, longbows or uniforms.

 

[Persimmon]

It's wierd when stuff like this happens. When we took our warbows to France last summer they were all over us. We couldn't work it out as we thought we'd be viewed as the bad guys. Instead they wanted to be photographed with us and know everything about our kit etc.
In the end I put it down to the syndrome where as a kid I'd build Panther and Tiger model kits over Cromwell or Churchill. It's nothing to do with any national or political affiliation but rather being drawn towards the best kit whether it be tanks, longbows or uniforms.

Ian, I had the same thing with my models of planes -i t was always the German and Japanese fighter planes (Stuka/Zero etc) I built rather than the Spitfires/Hurricanes.
To me they always looked better

Same for soldier models - the German uniforms were so much better than the Khaki British etc .

Oh no I had better not go any further on that one or I might end up banished to a kingdom without FLJ !!

 

[ausreenactor]

It's wierd when stuff like this happens. When we took our warbows to France last summer they were all over us. We couldn't work it out as we thought we'd be viewed as the bad guys. Instead they wanted to be photographed with us and know everything about our kit etc.
In the end I put it down to the syndrome where as a kid I'd build Panther and Tiger model kits over Cromwell or Churchill. It's nothing to do with any national or political affiliation but rather being drawn towards the best kit whether it be tanks, longbows or uniforms.

Oh no I had better not go any further on that one or I might end up banished to a kingdom without FLJ !!

No fear whatsoever, you are talking about modelling, not ranting and abusing your peers over your perception on how the world should be.

And that reproduction Hells Angels patch is a work of art in itself. I would rate that around $100 at least. I paid near on that for the BR Korean War 335th FBS patch as a lone item for something down the line.
Couchy

 

[Ian C]

Ian, I had the same thing with my models of planes -i t was always the German and Japanese fighter planes (Stuka/Zero etc) I built rather than the Spitfires/Hurricanes.
To me they always looked better

Now I've got to admit that while I did like the FW190's and Me109's I did always like the Spitfires and Lancasters etc.
To me, US kit(Airborne especially) on the whole looked better than British Uniforms with the exeption of some of the commando and airborne stuff. I think it's fair to say that regarding personal weapons the Germans were far better equipped which I believe was a common complaint after D-Day. I seem to remember that on The World at War, Mark Clarke(?) also said that logistics was a problem when supplying multi-national armies with different calibres and spares etc whereas the Germans had less of a range to worry about. As for preference I wouldn't fancy facing any of it for real but if you're finger was on the trigger I'd rather have an MG42 than a Vickers. Having said that I'd take a Thompson over an MP40.
It's all irrelevant in the end really as most of us are merely spectators on the past and I sometimes feel a bit guilty as though we are riding on other peoples coat tails but rather that than forget. I never glorify conflict but nevertheless it does hold a grim fascination.

cheers

Ian

 

[stanier]

Well I for one think the Elite units series is a great idea and if a 4th Fighter Group jacket comes out with great jacket art and on a fine repro I'll be sorely tempted.

There speaks a rich man !!

Not at all I'm afraid, but then I suppose it's a matter of choice. I know folk who choose to spend their money on new cars, golf clubs, following their football team all over the place etc. etc. but none of those things appeal to me.

What does appeal though is re-enacting and 1940's dances etc, and being able to purchase items like the ELC Elite units is great, especially of they do a 4th Fighter Group jacket. I don't think the far east market is the only audience they appeal to.

I would have a GW (got one on order and the wait is killing me!) and get Jerome to paint it, but from what I've read by the time I've got the jacket had the artwork done and it was sitting in my wardrobe, at best I'll be drawing my pension!

 

[Persimmon]

Well I for one think the Elite units series is a great idea and if a 4th Fighter Group jacket comes out with great jacket art and on a fine repro I'll be sorely tempted.

There speaks a rich man !!

Not at all I'm afraid, but then I suppose it's a matter of choice. I know folk who choose to spend their money on new cars, golf clubs, following their football team all over the place etc. etc. but none of those things appeal to me.

What does appeal though is re-enacting and 1940's dances etc, and being able to purchase items like the ELC Elite units is great, especially of they do a 4th Fighter Group jacket. I don't think the far east market is the only audience they appeal to.

I would have a GW (got one on order and the wait is killing me!) and get Jerome to paint it, but from what I've read by the time I've got the jacket had the artwork done and it was sitting in my wardrobe, at best I'll be drawing my pension!

There speaks a wise (and rich) man !!