Hello to all! This is my 1st post and it’s about my 1st purchases of repro items of the type you guys all talk about, and I want to thank everyone on this site for all the posts. First off, being new, I wasn’t sure of the correct section to make this post to since it covers leather, nylon and repros, so please forgive me if my choice of repros is less than correct. I’m not the type to be a big participant of online blogs and the like (I can be long winded, so be warned), but today seemed like a good time to say something. I am too new here to say that anything read on this site helped form my purchase choices, but much of what you guys say is useful and deserves acknowledgement, and it also helps make me feel even better about my purchases.
To start with, I’ve been a fairly avid collector of original WWII items for a long time, particularly basic U. S. and heavily into German pieces of all sorts. I live outside of Phila., PA in the burbs and don’t have tons of money to spend on hobby gear these days, though I will drop some cash if the item turns me on. Back in the late winter I was at the local B&N bookstore browsing in the history/WWII section and a guy nearby was wearing a nylon USAF jacket that looked really good. This guy excused himself as he went behind me, than told me I had a nice Canadian Battle Dress Jacket. I said the jacket was an Eisenhower jacket, and then he grabbed the front portion of the jacket, looked in the lining and showed me the markings which did indeed say it was a Battle Dress Blouse made in Montreal! I bought the jacket many years ago at a military show for cheap and asked him how he knew all that and he said it was the cut, features and the color – pretty impressive.
We chatted for a while about WWII and collectibles, and then I asked if his jacket was original, and he said it was a Japanese copy from Buzz Rickson. He took the jacket off to show me the details and let me try it on as I was close to his size. The jacket was absolutely amazing, right down to the Crown zipper and differing shades of nylon color on the inside trim. We probably could have talked a lot longer, but this guy’s girlfriend came along and he said he had to go. Before he left I asked where he got the nylon jacket (turned out it was a B-15C in OD) and he said his company imports them from Japan and he gave me his card and said to call him if I wanted to talk some more.
Well, I’ve spoken with Charles Disipio quite a few times since our meeting in March (?) and decided to bite the bullet on a few things about a month or so ago. I thought I was going to get a nylon jacket of some kind, but my WWII interests kept pulling me back to items of that era, so I ended up getting the new ELC warhorse RW 27752. I know this is far from cheap, but I think it’s worth every cent of the $950.00 I paid (yes, I opted for the check discount HPA offers on this A-2). I was so pleased with the A-2 in fact, I ended up buying the B-15C OD the next week and the M-43 370C spec. field jacket HPA has on sale. Both jackets also are of top quality and authenticity. Charles told me he personally was involved in the development of the BR M-43, and all of the little details done correctly seem to reflect that someone had to know a thing or two about this for it to compare so favorably to an original. I haven’t seen every repro on the market today, but I would find it hard to imagine anyone is doing cloth better than BR if quality and authenticity is more important than cost. The purchase of the cloth jackets was also special because I ordered them on a Fri. and Charles offered to deliver them to me personally the next day since he was going to be in PA at his girlfriend’s that weekend. We met up at a great beer bar in Wayne, PA and Charles bought two rounds and presented me with both jackets in those HPA garments bags. He brought 2 sizes in the M-43 for me to try, but his call on the first jacket size (38) was spot on. And he brought a NOS original M-43 field jacket spec. 370C from his collection so I could make my own comparisons to the BR copy, then took the time to explain the evolution of the M-43 specs.
From start to finish, this was a really positive set of experiences. If I had any complaint, it’s that I wish BR offered the nylon jackets with or without the shoulder decals; I’m still a little shy about wearing a jacket with these. Charles did tell me BR will be offering some special L-2 in the fall without a decal, so that interests me, though the BR M-41 field jacket may have to be next on my list since Charles said this is not being made after 2011, but neither will this new L-2. Too many choices, too little money … But now I have a new respect for nylon USAF jackets.
Have a safe, Happy Independence Day to all the Americans on this site - all others just have a nice Sunday or Monday, whichever may apply!
Saunders
To start with, I’ve been a fairly avid collector of original WWII items for a long time, particularly basic U. S. and heavily into German pieces of all sorts. I live outside of Phila., PA in the burbs and don’t have tons of money to spend on hobby gear these days, though I will drop some cash if the item turns me on. Back in the late winter I was at the local B&N bookstore browsing in the history/WWII section and a guy nearby was wearing a nylon USAF jacket that looked really good. This guy excused himself as he went behind me, than told me I had a nice Canadian Battle Dress Jacket. I said the jacket was an Eisenhower jacket, and then he grabbed the front portion of the jacket, looked in the lining and showed me the markings which did indeed say it was a Battle Dress Blouse made in Montreal! I bought the jacket many years ago at a military show for cheap and asked him how he knew all that and he said it was the cut, features and the color – pretty impressive.
We chatted for a while about WWII and collectibles, and then I asked if his jacket was original, and he said it was a Japanese copy from Buzz Rickson. He took the jacket off to show me the details and let me try it on as I was close to his size. The jacket was absolutely amazing, right down to the Crown zipper and differing shades of nylon color on the inside trim. We probably could have talked a lot longer, but this guy’s girlfriend came along and he said he had to go. Before he left I asked where he got the nylon jacket (turned out it was a B-15C in OD) and he said his company imports them from Japan and he gave me his card and said to call him if I wanted to talk some more.
Well, I’ve spoken with Charles Disipio quite a few times since our meeting in March (?) and decided to bite the bullet on a few things about a month or so ago. I thought I was going to get a nylon jacket of some kind, but my WWII interests kept pulling me back to items of that era, so I ended up getting the new ELC warhorse RW 27752. I know this is far from cheap, but I think it’s worth every cent of the $950.00 I paid (yes, I opted for the check discount HPA offers on this A-2). I was so pleased with the A-2 in fact, I ended up buying the B-15C OD the next week and the M-43 370C spec. field jacket HPA has on sale. Both jackets also are of top quality and authenticity. Charles told me he personally was involved in the development of the BR M-43, and all of the little details done correctly seem to reflect that someone had to know a thing or two about this for it to compare so favorably to an original. I haven’t seen every repro on the market today, but I would find it hard to imagine anyone is doing cloth better than BR if quality and authenticity is more important than cost. The purchase of the cloth jackets was also special because I ordered them on a Fri. and Charles offered to deliver them to me personally the next day since he was going to be in PA at his girlfriend’s that weekend. We met up at a great beer bar in Wayne, PA and Charles bought two rounds and presented me with both jackets in those HPA garments bags. He brought 2 sizes in the M-43 for me to try, but his call on the first jacket size (38) was spot on. And he brought a NOS original M-43 field jacket spec. 370C from his collection so I could make my own comparisons to the BR copy, then took the time to explain the evolution of the M-43 specs.
From start to finish, this was a really positive set of experiences. If I had any complaint, it’s that I wish BR offered the nylon jackets with or without the shoulder decals; I’m still a little shy about wearing a jacket with these. Charles did tell me BR will be offering some special L-2 in the fall without a decal, so that interests me, though the BR M-41 field jacket may have to be next on my list since Charles said this is not being made after 2011, but neither will this new L-2. Too many choices, too little money … But now I have a new respect for nylon USAF jackets.
Have a safe, Happy Independence Day to all the Americans on this site - all others just have a nice Sunday or Monday, whichever may apply!
Saunders
