Don't think I would trust much of this unless you know for sure this guy was in the CBI etc.etc. with a rock solid provenance. Having done many forgery-grade [patches and paintings in the 70s and 80s and looking at these patches I think all of them including the arm bit are possible fakes. Everything looks too perfect (at least the front patch and chit) and the arm painting looks exactly like stuff I did with enamel model paint and skilful "age" application.Of interest:
US Army Air Force A2 Jacket Size 44 - CBI
A truly Iconic US Army Air Force A2 Jacket in a large size 44 and sporting an original hand painted shoulder shield of the China-Burma-India Theatre. Made from horsehide by the Aero Leather Company of Beacon New York, their jackets considered amongst the best produced. On the left breast is...www.themilitariadealers.com
An obituary (from 2002) and an article from 1943 about (probably) our guy!
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Yet another terrific reason for Jan to be just a wee bit smug. Thank you Natalie.An obituary (from 2002) and an article from 1943 about (probably) our guy!
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An obituary (from 2002) and an article from 1943 about (probably) our guy!
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Brilliant job Natalie !An obituary (from 2002) and an article from 1943 about (probably) our guy!
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If you are going to restore this jacket based on what I've seen of the before and after pics. If you restore the liner, why would you not give it new knits to replace the shredded cuffs etc, while you are at it? The nametag is original to the jacket in before pic, fine, sew that on again over the new liner. Why put on repro patches over where there used to be the original patches? As said lots of jackets have stitch holes from prior patches, that is the natural evolution or history of the jacket, so why put on new patches? You don't really need to. I think it's just an effort to get more money for it. Therefore maybe call it embellishment rather than fakery? That is if all the added patches are correct to the original. That's difficult and who really knows. There was no pic of the back of the jacket before the liner was changed, which makes it even more mysterious, I can't see any stitch holes on the original liner that indicates that patches were there before.I'm with Jan on this one, its a resto job. Should have been sold as such but people on this forum would restore a jacket in the same way.
Stitch holes are visible in the auction photo's.I can't see any stitch holes on the original liner that indicates that patches were there before.