How many A2 had been made during WW2?

[wop54]

Hello Everyone! Im a noob (strange feeling to be a 54 yo noob ) in this forum and curious about the number of A2s made in the period 41-43, when the A2 production had been dismissed for leather shortage (is that so?). Tkx for your answers!!!! Carlo

 

[Swing]

Hello Everyone! Im a noob (strange feeling to be a 54 yo noob ) in this forum and curious about the number of A2s made in the period 41-43, when the A2 production had been dismissed for leather shortage (is that so?). Tkx for your answers!!!! Carlo

I believe that between Aero and Roughwear alone you had over 250,000 jackets made during that time period. I would guess between 1941 and 1944 you had over 800,000 jackets made. Guesstimation number that has been kicked around for a while has been 1 million total production between 1931 and 1944.

~Swing

 

[better duck]

when the A2 production had been dismissed for leather shortage (is that so?)

No, this is not so. There is a famous anecdote, where General Hap Arnold had displayed all the flying clothing of the day on a table, and threw off every item of clothing that he considered not up to the demands of battle practice of those days (WW2) the A2 was one of the items of clothing that went from the table to the floor.
Wether the anecdote is true or not, I'm not sure. But a fact is, that the A2 was discontinued because it wasn't a very practical flying jacket. It was replaced by the B10, which was considerably less sexy than the leather A2, but immensely more practical (read: warmer) than the A2. Aircrew loved the B10 for that reason. I haven't read stories telling that the loss of the A2 was very much regretted in those days.

 

[rich]

I think in Sweetings' book, it gives the USAAF projected requirement for shearling after 1942, and the volume needed was so huge, there was more of an
necessity for the development of fabric garments. (sorry, I don't have the exact info to hand right now) I don't know if this is also true with regard to
the A2 - is producing leather a more laborious and costly process than for other materials? I have no idea, nothing new there. I think the A2 was always
doomed though because of it's dismissal by the top brass.

If it's a given that most the contracts can be accounted for, I would imagine that at least a reliable estimate for entire A-2 production could be found out ????
Carlo, I've often wondered this myself but I don't know how you'd go about finding out. I also wonder what percentage of originals
are still in circulation today?