5* versus AVI

[Blueknight54]

The seal-coloured is from AVI in Denmark but as you can see from the comparison Shawn should be able to manufacture one in seal anyway

I like the seal color but prefer the higher quality of 5*. I also heard they're going to start making D-1's as well. If I'm not careful I'm going to have a closet full of jackets at this rate!

 

[B-Man2]

I like the seal color but prefer the higher quality of 5*. I also heard they're going to start making D-1's as well. If I'm not careful I'm going to have a closet full of jackets at this rate!

Yes Blue....... That is a possibility, take it from all of us

 

[Rory Schultz]

I have no idea what you guys are talking about in this thread! " DOH! "

 

[A2 B3au]

The more I see and read about 5* the more I want one. That seal jacket looks great. I've always wanted an AN-J-3, but not at silly expensive prices. From the posts here and elsewhere 5* jackets are evolving quite nicely and could soon rival the likes of aero and BK. Maybe not GW or ELC but .....who knows!

Not quite Aero or BK levels

 

[Brettafett]

BK and Platon's jackets easily on par with ELC and GW... Same, same (although I much prefer BK's and Palton's knits than ELCs)...

5 Star's Doniger is coming along nicely.
AVI LTHR's latest 'Bronco' is very, very nice. The stitching, seams and the way its been put together is the best yet.
Although great jackets in their own rights, perfect for beating, patching or painting up etc... neither of these is on same level as above.

 

[Officer Dibley]

BK and Platon's jackets easily on par with ELC and GW...

In your humble opinion !

I hope everyone agrees with you and the used price for GW & ELC drops massively

 

[Blueknight54]

Not quite Aero or BK levels

Give him time. Shawn is making more and more accurate jackets every month. You would do well to get one while they’re affordable before they’re in the same price range as the top tiers.

 

[Blueknight54]

I wonder what the veterans would say about these jackets? If you lined up a selection of flight jackets, from cooper all the way to Goodwear, which ones would they pick? What would they say is best? If a man who was there picks one and says “this is like stepping back into 1942, and I’m young again”. How could you disagree with that?

 

[Brettafett]

In your humble opinion !
I hope everyone agrees with you and the used price for GW & ELC drops massively

Indeed

 

[Flightengineer]

I wonder what the veterans would say about these jackets? If you lined up a selection of flight jackets, from cooper all the way to Goodwear, which ones would they pick? What would they say is best? If a man who was there picks one and says “this is like stepping back into 1942, and I’m young again”. How could you disagree with that?

For some reason it seems to me that they could choose just the jacket, which is more convenient (fit) for use in the cockpit. The one in which it is more comfy to fly. I think that in a war, if we are talking about combat pilots, first of all it was flight gear and only then a pride, a symbol of belonging to the air force, a specific squadron or crew, etc. Not sure that those who flew in 1942 very much paid attention to the evenness of the stitch, flap's shape, the color of knitting and everything else.

 

[Micawber]

For some reason it seems to me that they could choose just the jacket, which is more convenient (fit) for use in the cockpit. The one in which it is more comfy to fly. I think that in a war, if we are talking about combat pilots, first of all it was flight gear and only then a pride, a symbol of belonging to the air force, a specific squadron or crew, etc. Not sure that those who flew in 1942 very much paid attention to the evenness of the stitch, flap's shape, the color of knitting and everything else.

These are wise words and echo the sentiments I have expressed both here and elsewhere over the years, indeed echoed by several veterans when the subject of what they wore came up.

 

[ties70]

These are wise words and echo the sentiments I have expressed both here and elsewhere over the years, indeed echoed by several veterans when the subject of what they wore came up.

An additional observation:

I was at the Fassberg Airshow "70th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift" over the weekend, and had my FS A-2 with me.

It was by far the most authentic A-2 on the airfield.
Of the maybe two handful of leather jackets around, only two others were proper A-2s, and by proper I mean they were a Cockpit and a Flight Suits / Gibson & Barnes. They were well to totally oversized and had size entry pockets.

BUT: They were worn by members of a C-47 crew. So this supports the impression that pilots give a s**t about authenticity and wear what feels comfortable...

 

[Brettafett]

100%
I'll tell you what, my GWs, ELCs, Platon Dubow (new BK Dubow) etc... are/ were all great jackets, super authenti, top tier etc etc..
But my AVI is the most comfortable A-2 to wear in a confined space, be it a car seat or cockpit. It may not be as 'authentically detailed' as the above, but its a hell-of-a-comfy jacket. And I bet, vets would love it.

 

[B-Man2]

I think this is one area we all agree on, while the jacket was a symbol of their pride and the unit they were representing, it was still simply a piece of kit or survival gear. Most of them treated their jackets as such. They would probably all have a good laugh at us with our focus on pocket heights, sleeve lengths, and collar shapes etc. I for one would love to hear them go off on all of us. With the sense of humor most of these guys had, I think it would be entertaining to hear, from both US and UK chaps.

 

[Micawber]

I think this is one area we all agree on, while the jacket was a symbol of their pride and the unit they were representing, it was still simply a piece of kit or survival gear. Most of them treated their jackets as such. They would probably all have a good laugh at us with our focus on pocket heights, sleeve lengths, and collar shapes etc. I for one would love to hear them go off on all of us. With the sense of humor most of these guys had, I think it would be entertaining to hear, from both US and UK chaps.

Much astonishment, laughter and use of choice expletives would be very likely to occur

 

[B-Man2]

Much astonishment, laughter and use of choice expletives would be very likely to occur

That’s pretty close to what I was thinking as well Steve. While it would be entertaining for us , we would be the source of a great deal of laughter for them!

 

[Officer Dibley]

Thankfully for us, we mostly are only challenged by the trivia of the jackets and not the life and death of combat (Ausrenactor apart ) and hallellujah for that !

 

[B-Man2]

Thankfully for us, we mostly are only challenged by the trivia of the jackets and not the life and death of combat (Ausrenactor apart ) and hallellujah for that !

So true Dave. We don’t think about that very often but so true.

 

[ties70]

That’s pretty close to what I was thinking as well Steve. While it would be entertaining for us , we would be the source of a great deal of laughter for them!

I can almost hear them.... "Hey, the photo OP for the new jackets is in the staff officers mess... Or are you the crew members for" Dancing Queen" and "Ziegfeld's Follies"?