A2 Perry W535ac23377-dating question

[Roughwear]

Can anyone precisely date the Perry W535ac23377 contract. I believe it was 1941 as it follows the Aero W535ac21996 contract which was the preceding contract and dates to 1941, but when was the contract issued? Am I right in thinking they were made in both horsehide and goatskin?

Good question. I have three of those jackets from that contract and they're all goatskin. I assumed it was made in horsehide as well, but I've never seen one.

Are we sure the goatskin contract came first?

Well this is a good question. The Aero 21996, which I own, does not have Army Air Forces on it and this contract pre-dates the formation of the USAAF. The Perry was the next contract and was the followed by the Monarch. The Monarch dates from the fall of 1941 and production would probably have lasted until early 1942.

The order numbers for jackets started in the summer of 1941. I understand that the RW 42-1401p dates from this summer/fall. The Perry 42-16175-P is four sets of order numbers after the RW and which would most likely date the contract to the late 41 early 42. So I would imagine production of both contracts ran parallel at Perry Sportswear for some time in 1942, until the 23377 contract was completed. Swing may have more information here to share.

Do you have documentary evidence about production runs and timescales for these A2s? Talking to John Chapman he puts the awarding of Monarch contract to early 1941 and Gary Eastman on his website says it was mid 1941. If this is correct then the goat Perry is an earlier contract still and pre-dates the later horse Perry contract.

Nope, no documentation, but the fiscal year '42 started in June or July '41 (can't remember which month anymore), so W535 AC 20958 (42-1401-P) came after June 1st or July 1st 1941. Probably very soon after since 1401 is such a low number. The Aero, Perry and Monarch contracts were awarded some time after that, I'd guess before fall '41.

The fact the Monarch (and the Perry IIRC) have USAAF property on their labels points to production of those jackets not taking place until late winter/spring '42.

Roughwear seems to have been pretty good about starting and finishing their contracts quickly. From what I can tell it was a different story with some of the other jacket makers. Figure at least a few months after being awarded before work started on contracts.

~Swing

Do you have documentary evidence about production runs and timescales for these A2s?

Andrew, I have no idea if the following is accurate, but it will serve as a rough guide.

It's the usual list, now with dates added ......


Pre War Order Numbers Pre War Order Numbers

32-485 unknown (Security Aviation Togs) 1932

33-1729 Werber 1933

36-1112 Werber 1936

37-3061 P Aero 1937

37-3891 P HLB Corp. 1937

38-205 Werber 1938

38-1711-P Aero 1938

39-2951 P Werber 1939

40-3785-P Aero 1940

Contract Numbers

W535ac16159 Rough Wear 1941

W535ac16160 Aero 1941

W535ac18091 Rough Wear 1941

W535ac20960 Dubow 1941

W535ac21996 Aero 1941

W535ac23377 Perry 1942

W535ac23378 Monarch 1942

W535ac23379 Dubow 1942

W535ac23380 Rough Wear 1942

W535ac23381 Cooper 1942

W535ac23382 Cable 1942

W535ac23383 unknown 1942

W535ac27752 Rough Wear 1943

W535ac27753 unknown 1943

W535ac27798 Dubow 1943

W535ac28557 Star 1943

W535ac28560 Poughkeepsie 1943

W535ac29191 Bronco 1943

W535ac29971 unknown 1943

W535ac35419 unknown 1943

Order Numbers

42-1401-P Rough Wear 1942

42-1402-P Werber 1942

42-10008-P Cable 1942

42-15142-P Aero 1942

42-16175-P Perry 1942

42-18245-P Star 1942

42-18246-P unknown 1942

42-18775-P Aero 1942

42-18776-P Spiewak 1942

42-18777-P United Sheeplined 1942

42-21539-P David D. Doniger & Co.1942

W33-038ac1761 Bronco 1944

W33-038ac1755(11631) Dubow 1944

W35-098ac755(1631) Wills & Geiger 1944

1756 unknown 1944

V505 Made in Australia 1943

 

[Roughwear]

The contract for the goatskin Perry was awarded on 31st December 1941, so production would not have started until early 1942.