A-2’s with red silk lining

[ButteMT61]

I'm sure @Ken at Aero Leather could chime in. I'll look for the thread later, but I know he mentioned the length of the threads or something thread-techie and it sounded like it made sense that the two were hard for at least amateurs to tell apart...

 

[ButteMT61]

http://www.vintageleatherjackets.or...cket-flying-type-a-2.19983/page-2#post-184521

Tibor............Andrew is correct, unless you've presonally handled and touched the lining there is no way you could identify Spun Silk from Cotton, especially in a photograph!!
Even after handling the cloth I think 99% of us would find it impossible to be sure.

 

[unclegrumpy]

Thanks for digging that link up!

I think we are both saying the same thing. One aspect to both the few original, and the reproduction jackets that Ken was discussing, is they were purposely making the silk and cotton material to appear the same. Jackets were originally made to certain specifications, and as we all well know, there were differences, but there also was a very clear attempt at uniformity. Some of the reproductions discussed were also made at a time when silk might have been a selling point, but the point still is, they were trying to make the material look the same (uniform)...hence the difficulty seeing the differences.

One thing that gets confusing with these discussions is mixing what happened long ago versus the choices we have today. Sometimes what they used, is what they had, and there were shortages during the war that required substitutions. The main reason for the red linings in service dress uniforms is the British tailors had red material that they could not sell to British officers, because they were not wearing their red dress uniforms for the duration. I think some of the material we see in these cut down and tailored uniforms actually dates back towards the First World War, and might have been obsolete stock that had not been selling even before the suspension of the red uniforms in the Second World War. That said, there is some consistency to what you see in these old originals, but it is not like it is all from one bolt of red material....and sometimes there is a subtile grain or weave that would not be there if there were more choices.

We are really talking about, and at times mixing together, two things...the repairs, alterations, and/or making new uniforms out of the non standard and limited supplies they had on hand during the darkest days of the war in England....and choices in making modern reproductions or looking back at production in America before her wartime shortages began.

 

[dujardin]

good post

interesting about the ''history'' of this red lining


cool jacket

 

[A2 B3au]

My bro thinking bout placing an order for his new A2 from bill kelso and they offer a huge selection of diff linings red aces silk include which is his choice and I agree

 

[A2 B3au]

There's a reasonable aero A2 cotton red linning size 46 at moment eBay uk nice one Art
PS 4 hr left

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

QUOTE
There's a reasonable aero A2 cotton red linning size 46 at moment eBay uk nice one Art
PS 4 hr left


The lining is silk, the label tells me it's a trainee jacket, don't quite understand why a trainee was given a Spun Silk lining? Probably a proper Aero machinist learning, or refreshing on the A-2
The heavy and unsympathetic ageing is nothing to do with us, honest Guv, it would be easy to polish over the worst of the scarring

Circa early 2000's

 

[A2 B3au]

I liked the scarring shame way to big.. Art

 

[A2 B3au]

Anyone else see the lovely custom aero A2 they Aero just posted on Instagram page gorgeous camo lining and green cuffs n waidtband. Makes me even more excited to send my A2 of for re cuffs n waistband in rust may even take a chance on green myself nice one Art

 

[HackerF15E]

Every time I see the red silk lining, I want to send my AF-issue A-2 off to one of the reputable shops to have it done.

Tacky...yeah...inauthentic...sorta....but I really hate the cotton lining on the A-2, and something slippery silk-like would make the wear experience all the better.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Even though I say so myself, this one is a beauty..............

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=3640

 

[les_garten]

I have 2 Aero Jackets with Red Spun Silk lining. It is not shiny like Satin or Rayon. But it is very east to take on and off. The Silk is considerably slicker.

I used to have a bunch of them with Silk linings because that was pretty much all I ordered. They would not put them in FQHH though. The Red is redder than the Normal Orangish linings.

Here is my Goat A-2, but it doesn't show the lining. I'll look around to see if I have a pic of the Red Silk lined ones.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/8795260

Here is one of my Jackets that sold years ago with Red Silk.

Russet Buffalo Hide w/Red Silk

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/aero-a2-leather-flight-jacket-buffalo-401914797

 

[billwong]

I was just thinking the exact combination if I decide to order a custom tailored A2. Red silk, quite a leap out of my comfort zone.

 

[les_garten]

I was just thinking the exact combination if I decide to order a custom tailored A2. Red silk, quite a leap out of my comfort zone.

The Silk lining that Aero used was really nice. It make the Jackets super easy to take on and off. I also liked the look. It was not like some of the other Jackets in this threat that look like Satin or Rayon. It was more like a Silk Tie, a flat shiny-ness if that makes sense.

 

[Serghei87]

I know Bill Kelso uses silk as well. I was actually thinking of ordering one when he will have discount like 15-20% like he did last year.

A-2 in dark seal with red silk lining with pockets inside too... that how i was thinking to order.

 

[les_garten]

I know Bill Kelso uses silk as well. I was actually thinking of ordering one when he will have discount like 15-20% like he did last year.

A-2 in dark seal with red silk lining with pockets inside too... that how i was thinking to order.

The Jacket I showed painted above is Seal Brown Goat w/ RED Silk lining, Rust knits, NOS Talon, and a Blood Chit used as a pocket on the inside.

 

[Serghei87]

The Jacket I showed painted above is Seal Brown Goat w/ RED Silk lining, Rust knits, NOS Talon, and a Blood Chit used as a pocket on the inside.

The painting on the back is awesome! Loved the planes. Who did it? You still own it or you sold it?

 

[Pilot]

M-422a jackets had red “ silk “ linings... why not A-2’s...?
Never saw a WW2 original ( originally fitted with a red liner) like that...but did not handle that much WW2 A-2’s anyway...
Must admit they would look great especially in seal/red combo.
Happy to see one if it shows up...
Same for a WW2 Bronco A-2 in goat... never saw one... happy to meet one...
Good night from Incheon.

 

[les_garten]

The painting on the back is awesome! Loved the planes. Who did it? You still own it or you sold it?

I still have it. It is patched on both shoulders with Leather cut patches and a Hand Painted Tiger/Burma star Leather patch on the front chest. Jerome Urbaniak did the Back. Each plane is different, one from each squadron, Very detailed planes and Pilots. Unlike some of the other Goat Jackets I got from Aero around this time, the Goat on this jacket is pretty nice.

 

[Serghei87]

I still have it. It is patched on both shoulders with Leather cut patches and a Hand Painted Tiger/Burma star Leather patch on the front chest. Jerome Urbaniak did the Back. Each plane is different, one from each squadron, Very detailed planes and Pilots. Unlike some of the other Goat Jackets I got from Aero around this time, the Goat on this jacket is pretty nice.

Can you send me some photos of the whole jacket and of the back painting? I would like to see how the goat skin looks like