Help to Identify A-2 contract

[CK90]

Gents, some year or two ago, I pinched this photo from the 'Nice Period Photos of A-2's' thread. I was doing my usual trawling and spotted the attached photo. First of all, thank you to whoever shared this as I just love this photograph.

Now, I know the Pilot/Soldier in question is one P. McKennon (badd-ass, R.I.P) however, I'd love to know what contract A-2 he's wearing. I initially thought it might be a Rough Wear, with the shoulders and the collar being what led me to that conclusion, however, I'm starting to question that. Also, is that steer-hide? It has a particularly beautiful thick drape. I don't have an inch of the knowledge some of you well versed gents do, I'm learning. Any help would be greatly appreciated! PS. this is definitely one of my all time favourite period A-2 shots.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

Looks like a Rough Wear 1401P from here. It's hard to say anything on the hide just from the photograph. Could be horsehide or steer hide. You'd be hard pressed to be able to tell which from just looking at the picture.

 

[Silver Surfer]

looks like it has a collar stand. the very scalloped pockets kinda rules out the rws [maybe] so, would guess an aero 16160 [squared pocket bottoms], or one of the weber contracts, though I can not see the bottom of the body or cuff end to look for top stitching. the color of the knits would say early contract. hide? most likely hh.

 

[CK90]

Thanks guys, @Silver Surfer I'm thinking, after having a look at the last Werber contract, you might be bang on the money!

 

[Lorenzo_l]

RWs do have quite scalloped pocket flaps, as this original 1401P from @Wz1999 show:

On the other hand, the pocket corners on the OP's jacket don't look square enough like those on an Aero 16160...

 

[CK90]

RWs do have quite scalloped pocket flaps, as this original 1401P from @Wz1999 show:

View attachment 142225


On the other hand, the pocket corners on the OP's jacket don't look square enough like those on an Aero 16160...

Thanks @Lorenzo_l , so between the RW 1401P, vs the Werber 42-1402-P, what do you reckon? Surely has to be one of these two.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

Truly hard to say from the photo alone. Looking at pictures of the Werber 1402P and the RW 1401P, they look pretty similar. It could be either....

 

[Lorenzo_l]

The pocket on the OP's photo:

RW 1401 open pocket, from Goodwear's website:

Werber 1402P open pocket, from Goodwear's website:

Notice the difference between the top corners' stitching on the Werber vs the RW, i.e square vs angular pattern. I kind of see the angular stitching pattern of the RW in the original's picture. My money's still on the original being a RW1401P...

 

[Silver Surfer]

looks like the zipper puller is a talon. the 1401 rw contract uses a crown.

 

[ludospeed]

it's not a BRONCO.

 

[Silver Surfer]

hmmmmm......werber 1402, or rw 27753? both contracts used talons, both were made with collar stands, both used ball snaps. even though, by the pic, the color is light for a later rw, there were some made with lighter colored hides. the later rws used darker colored knit elements though.

 

[Lorenzo_l]

hmmmmm......werber 1402, or rw 27753? both contracts used crowns, both were made with collar stands, both used ball snaps. even though, by the pic, the color is light for a later rw, there were some made with lighter colored hides. the later rws used darker colored knit elements though.

Agree with you Vic. It could very well be a RW 27752 as well, as some 27752 were known to have been made using lighter colored hides.

 

[2BM2K]

The photo is from the Roger Freeman collection at the American Air Museum, Duxford.

Here is a link to a search for McKennon;

Search Media | American Air Museum

www.americanairmuseum.com

The jacket has been discussed before with the RW 27752 contract being thought most likely but
probably never know for sure.

 

[CK90]

Thank you @2BM2K , some more wicked photos in that collection I'm looking through now over a coffee. Coincidentally, I have a RW 27752 on order with Mr. JC, makes it all the more special now.

 

[2BM2K]

Can't go wrong with a GW RW 27752.

 

[mulceber]

Thank you @2BM2K , some more wicked photos in that collection I'm looking through now over a coffee. Coincidentally, I have a RW 27752 on order with Mr. JC, makes it all the more special now.

If you want, you could ask him to try and give it a color in the same ballpark as that jacket.