bill kellso ,s a2s

[deand]

I agree, and there's been enough talk about Platon's jackets ... it's time for some buying.

If I had a pot to urinate in, I would have bought one by now. For the money, I don't think they can be beat, and the market needs a manufacturer like this. Goodwears are fabulous, John's accuracy is incredible, but I'll never own one. Platon's on the other hand, are within reach-just not right now.

I could afford one with the saving plan I'm formulating and by Christmas have an order placed. GW would take two years to save for, and I'm not that patient, yet. Total accuracy might not be my biggest concern, but I've always wondered what a vintage jacket looked and felt like in hand, or on back, so I could compare.




dean

 

[leper-colony]

10% discount for early birds.

I've been interested, but don't know if you have the seal skin with the mustard brown lining available?

Jon

 

[Anonymous]

Mustard lining discontinued as the supplier does not have it any more, sorry.

 

[arclight]

I absolutely agree that jackets should be authentic and the more so the better but it reaches a point where I despair sometimes at the
'well if it were a true representation of a spunktastic sportswear 267672 contract, the box stitching on the eppaulettes should be 1/4 inch deeper and the knits should be more latte than cappuccino'
attitude.

we are victims of our own impossibly high standards at time. That holy grail mindset means every jacket we score is risking being a hollow victory.

If an A2 looks good it should look good to the naked eye without cuddling the wearer.
Of course I revell in the details, shot for shot next to an original to see how close the repro maker has got it but I would forgive a forensic detail omission if it meant that the collar didnt force my head forward when I was driving, that the forearms didnt cause my fingers to go blue or the narrow shoulders send me to the chiropractor.
I am happy with a heavy, supple jacket that you can be comfortable in. I like russet to be not too red, seal not too purple and I want it to be like leather not a skimmed vinyl and compressed cardboard affair.
contrasting stitching makes me turgid and a correct looking zip will keep me that way. If the label says 'original ww2 contract' or thereabouts then so much the better.

I think the efforts by Platon and fishmeok and diamond dave etc etc are laudible and the chance for the more budget conscious to own something that fills the middle ground between snob end and slob end jackets is fantastic.

Very well put Tim..............I can't tell you how many $$$$ I've been through looking for that inevitable upgrade. I remember I had 3 original A-2s, not in the same class as Roughwear's or CBI's but they were nice jackets that could be worn and I sold them off only because they weren't my size. With that money I bought more Garands and horse traded some of them away for other firearms and jackets. When does it stop?

Your requirements for a good wearable A-2 make perfectly good sense, and since the Mrs. has me on "leather jacket probation" it's only feasible that I adopt the same standards. Course if I ever hit the lottery, all that goes out the window!

 

[zoomer]

I and many of us would be happy with a jacket made in acceptable "period" construction, yet not replicating any contract as such. The real issue is that even getting the period right takes more time and more money.

The economics of garment manufacture are so wedded to fashion, obsolescence, and lower and lower levels of skill that doing it the old way means fighting decades of so-called "progress."

Techniques like collar stands, inset sleeves, 1/8" edgestitching instead of 1/4" topstitching, etc., take time to learn, still more time to do. Some even require obsolete machinery. Then there's period hardware, material sourcing, dye matching...more time and money at every step. All before any try at a contract replica.

Hell, look at Eastman. Some of their house models - say, the Timeworn Pearl Harbor A-2 - are actually more expensive than some of their contract jackets.

 

[CBI]

Congrats on all the work for a quality budget A-2. VLJ might be the best forum for development ideas but most of us IMO are too picky for a "budget" version. Best to now go after advertising in aviation/military history magazines. I know they are pricey but there is your market and eBay of course. I am sure you are looking into all sorts of marketing. There are also a number of military history/AAF websites that would be well worth checking into as well as some general aviation websites.

Best of luck -

 

[Tim P]

The way we are on here, If he cranked them out at $1200 we'd be buying a couple each if they were grainy enough and the zip said talon enough times

 

[deand]

I and many of us would be happy with a jacket made in acceptable "period" construction, yet not replicating any contract as such.

Ditto.




dean

 

[Jaguar46]

do any forumites own a bill kellso a2 ,they look very good ...

I bought a Bill Kelso "house" A2 in russet. It is a 42, which is my normal size. It was quite snug, but with some wear and stretching, it is quite a nice fit. The leather is a "squeaky" leather, stretchable to a degree, but looks on a par with G&Bs russet leather (though I have never seen a GB). The size is probably similar to WWII sizes, the sleeves are so snug, at the forearm, that this will be my T-shirt A2. It may end up with a paint job on the back, as I am evaluating my lessor priced jacket for such a job. It will be a Jaguar E-type theme.

I think the plastic surgeon working on my face used the wrong kind of plastic, more like silly putty. :shock:

 

[wheat1479]

That looks similar to Aeroleather in Scotland's a-2 jackets..Very nice !!!

 

[CBI]

very nice looking. I wonder what it would look like with a HWT and some aging. Possibly very competitive.

 

[oldskoolonly]

Very impressed, looks great!!!!

 

[arclight]

Jaguar46;

Very good fit! Nice looking A-2 that could very well fit in as a daily wearer.

Congratulations!

 

[Weasel_Loader]

Splendid looking A-2. Curious to see how it looks after one year of hard wear.

 

[jack aranda]

That's a good-looking jacket. Well done, platon. A worthy addition to the market. And, thanks for the pics Jaguar46.

 

[SuinBruin]

Very nice A-2. Well done, Platon.

 

[deand]

Impressive! Wearing that ought to give it real character.








dean

 

[Jaguar46]

very nice looking. I wonder what it would look like with a HWT and some aging. Possibly very competitive.

If I use the HWT, I would need to wear it from wet to dry, because if I let it shrink at all, I will need a spatula to get into it. The leather is so flexible, I am not sure how it will react. Certainly it will not grain up like JCs leather. But, I may try it when the weather gets warmer.

 

[CBI]

I would only HWT if it were 1 size larger than what you need as this process shrinks jackets like crazy (if you include a dryer in the process). I was referring to Bill Kelso's in general.

 

[dmar836]

Define "The leather is so flexible." Is it soft and stretchy?