307th Fighter Sq. Perry A-2: Bad Ebay seller, Bad A-2

[saunders]

When someone sells a collectible, and asks a premium price, they best be able to justify the price to prospective buyers with some facts. Now, that said, nobody has to buy it. And from the sound of it, nobody will who knows anything.
The response to the questions was terrible, and I'd never buy from someone like that. Period.

I just don't understand sellers who aren't prepared to provide good customer service, especially when they are asking us to lay down the really big bucks on something none of us actually need. We should start our own auction house where we'd police ourselves of all cretans and everything else we dislike on Ebay.

Saunders

 

[saunders]

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Guess I have a personal issue with auctions being scrutinized by an individual with their own set of views on what's legit and what is not.

I've had the same thing happen to me, a guy accuse me of faking infantry straps on an Airborne D bale helmet, as if I was clever enough to do the factory stitch, but stupid enough to put infantry straps. The auction went very low compared to the same type helmet without straps at all. This guy was slandering my name all over forums etc. And I swear to Christ that I bought it out of a house for 80 bucks the way it was

I've been involved in this hobby long enough to say with a very high degree of certitude that "my own set of views" are pretty much universal views among those who are GENUINELY in the know, though that subset is, indeed, a true minority group.

That's a damn shame about your M-2 helmet, and the libel (or slander, if applicable) you mention should be prosecuted in civil court if it has done you harm. Bar-tack sewing machines capable of sewing 42 lines to the inch are very rare today, and even more rare is the webbing for straps (I've seen this in very limited amounts on only two occasions in 30 years and both times were before anyone was faking GI helmets). While the M-2 shouldn't have what you describe, it is believable to those of true knowledge and experience because it conforms to what we know about GI helmet production and what could have taken place in a wartime factory. And, as you suggest, no one would be so foolish as to add such straps to a legit M-2 helmet! But that which can happen at a factory and be readily digested as true is not the same as what can be readily digested as true in the hands of the individual GI, as is the case with this A-2: The cuffs are no way factory and the empty stitch holes create many questions vis-a-vis the seller. If your helmet looked like a true factory job that was done in 1942, I'd have been all over it.

Saunders

Certainly were applied with factory equipment, and I was pretty open in the description that I was as puzzled as anyone would be. He was at the time an 82nd AB Sgt. and very talkative on a forum about the operations he was involved in. Out ranking him as a civilian, I went straight to the top at the 82nd HQ website and emailed his Commander. That was the end of it.

I didn't catch the replacement cuffs, and that says a lot. But if I could actually see empty stitch holes, I would never give the guy a benefit of the doubt. No matter how hard I look, just don't see them.

Effectively neutralized that jumper. Good job!

I wish I could snag that photo and highlight the stitch holes, but no go. Maybe if you try a magnifier on the patch stitching, especially at about 5 o'clock. But the whole of the stitching on the patch shows old stitch holes, as does the name tag. I can clearly see where the previous name tag was aligned somewhat crooked vs. this application. Even if the patch and name tag were removed and put back on by the vet himself, there's still too much bad going on here in the total picture: Obvious replaced cuffs and calling the A-2 untouched, empty stitch holes from patch and name tag, added officer cap, absence of name on roster, wear on A-2 inconsistent with insignia wear, failure to sell on another web site and listing on Ebay when the seller has his own militaria web site, seeking insane selling price, and evasive, arrogant response to detail questions. If that all isn't enough to keep someone from bidding, they deserve what they get. :lol:

Saunders

 

[TankBuster]

While I agree that this jacket has some issues and is way overpriced, I did want to step in regarding the stitch hole comments. I've been collecting A-2 jackets a long time and empty stitch holes on jackets aren't all that rare. Many jackets were re-issued. Insignia was removed and replaced quite often. I've also seen on more than one occasion a jacket where back artwork from a previous flyer was taken off and other artwork applied. One had photographic provenance. I personally used to own a jacket from a 22nd BS Bombardier. I got to speak with him many times on the phone. The front of his jacket had a bunch of empty stitch holes. After getting to know him well, I had asked him what the scoop was. His response was probably typical of many......he had a 22nd patch painted and applied to his jacket. Later a Chinese houseboy that he and a few others had used to clean their quarters offered to have his father (a leather craftsman) make these few guys a multileather patch. This bombardier replaced his previous patch with the new one and also had a fancier name strip put on at that same time. The person who put the new patches on didn't line them up perfectly over where the previous patches were.

On a side note, the second 22nd patch mentioned above was one of the best...if not the best made multi leather patch I have ever seen. I have always regretted selling the jacket to a friend a few years back!

 

[saunders]

While I agree that this jacket has some issues and is way overpriced, I did want to step in regarding the stitch hole comments. I've been collecting A-2 jackets a long time and empty stitch holes on jackets aren't all that rare. Many jackets were re-issued. Insignia was removed and replaced quite often. I've also seen on more than one occasion a jacket where back artwork from a previous flyer was taken off and other artwork applied. One had photographic provenance. I personally used to own a jacket from a 22nd BS Bombardier. I got to speak with him many times on the phone. The front of his jacket had a bunch of empty stitch holes. After getting to know him well, I had asked him what the scoop was. His response was probably typical of many......he had a 22nd patch painted and applied to his jacket. Later a Chinese houseboy that he and a few others had used to clean their quarters offered to have his father (a leather craftsman) make these few guys a multileather patch. This bombardier replaced his previous patch with the new one and also had a fancier name strip put on at that same time. The person who put the new patches on didn't line them up perfectly over where the previous patches were.

On a side note, the second 22nd patch mentioned above was one of the best...if not the best made multi leather patch I have ever seen. I have always regretted selling the jacket to a friend a few years back!

Yes, I have seen all that you describe, but none of that seems to be the case here. What you describe has its own way of making sense when examined by the truly experienced and knowledgeable; this A-2 does nothing but send up flares and asks more questions than it answers. One needs to consider the totality of what stinks about this A-2 and the seller, and the empty stitch holes are a part of what stinks, but not the only thing that stinks, per se. A good re-issue jacket would speak for itself, but I am confident this A-2 would only get worse if seen in person, not better.

Saunders