Bill Kelso timeline of leather, with a little wear thrown in...

[B-Man2]

J.
That would be awesome . Keep us updated if you here anything!
Good Luck with it!

 

[Pilot]

J. you will be the winner...
A bottle of Champagne waiting for you in any case...winning or not....
Let me know...pm.. or officially via here...Happy to celebrate with you..whatever the outcome is...Will get it to you and yours.. via my APO .
( nice kid of yours BTW on your avatar)

 

[Brettafett]

That's because after seeing your pics he's thinking, "Shit, what's the point in keeping the competition going!"

I recon he will offer to buy it from you, so he can put it on display in his office. And hide it from everyone else, so they don't confuse it with any production jackets they may receive.

 

[Pilot]

I recon he will offer to buy it from you, so he can put it on display in his office. And hide it from everyone else, so they don't confuse it with any production jackets they may receive.

Absolutely...

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Is there a prize, did I miss something?

 

[Smithy]

Is there a prize, did I miss something?

Free jacket apparently for the winner Ken.

 

[Pilot]

Ken, please send some photos.....
but...we have a lot of restrictions here...
-Orange undercoats not allowed
-pear shaped torso design not allowed
- misaligned stiching/ structure or designed ( pockets) not allowed
-rigger tape to hide a hole in liner not allowed
- plastic/ lizard like looking coat not allowed
- 4days old jacket ,....for sale...nobody wants...not allowed

Sure you have a few things which can overcome the hiderings..

cheers...

 

[Pilot]

J. you will be the winner...
A bottle of Champagne waiting for you in any case...winning or not....
Let me know...pm.. or officially via here...Happy to celebrate with you..whatever the outcome is...Will get it to you and yours.. via my APO .
( nice kid of yours BTW on your avatar)

J... pm me your data and the bubbles will come in as fast as APO can deliver...
( Why did my BK not look like yours...you and me will debate over the bubbles for ages....)

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Pilot

I don't think we are allowed to call Greeks "Bubbles" in this PC age :>)

US members might need to consult Google

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

We are doing a training programme on A-2s at the factory next week, I'll tell the girls there's a prize for the nearest to a WW2 A-2.
The first effort of a new trainee is normally just about on par with a the quality and finish of a typical WW2 Aero so, we've got head's start already :>)
The other's will be going into our Quartermasters Store in October

 

[B-Man2]

Ken
Make it a size 46 or 48 and you might have a buyer here

 

[Otter]

Ken,
From what I have read B24 pilots tended to over develop the muscles in one arm due to the control column forces. They may have actually appreciated a jacket with one pocket placed slightly lower, easier to get into.
So just market any with wonky pockets as "B-24 Specials".

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

1983 Aero A-2 Not an entry but nice patina, classic wonky Aero Beacon pocket, made by myself in The Thrift Shop

Not in our possession, a photo was sent in to the factory to ID it.

 

[jeremiah]

That’s awesome.

 

[falcon_ib]

Hope to see some in 36 Ken!!

 

[Smithy]

I like that too. Proves that wonky is sometimes better than completely perfect Looks more original than if it was laser stitched, to the mm perfect.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

I had an area about 6ft square to work in, in that space I had to cut (unless the shop was quiet and I could use the counter, which was rare) fit in a machine, studder and usually climb over a stack of Levi's waiting for new zippers, it was sometimes easier to use a sack of jeans as a seat. I'm actually quite chuffed how well it's turned out 35 years later considering.
Some here will remember the shop

 

[Smithy]

You might have made it in a cupboard sitting on a pile of 501s Ken but that's one of the nicest Aero made A-2s I've seen. It's got bags of character and whoever owns it must be mighty chuffed with it.

 

[jeremiah]

Heard back from Andy. I need to get him a photo without my head cropped. I will have one taken outside. Hard to get good lighting here in Mississippi but will try.

 

[Skip]

Overcast lighting my friend, or at least a tiny amount of sun either end of the day, that will show it off to its best without being too contrasty. We're going to try and get you that jacket soldier.