Depot Refurbished A-2 knits

[Jennison]

If an A-2 was to be depot refurbished under the 1943 Order and there was nothing aesthetically or functionally wrong with it, would they just just redye the jacket or would they also replace the knits? If the idea was uniformity, Aero red, lighter russet, medium brown and seal brown knits don’t exactly fit the bill.

 

[mulceber]

There’s definite examples of Aeros that have been depot re-dyed and still have the red knits. The concern as I understand it was less about everyone looking the same and more that the lighter brown was showing oil and grease stains that couldn’t be cleaned, so the wearer tended to look like a grease monkey.

 

[Jennison]

Now that make perfect sense.

 

[mulceber]

From the Eastman A-2 guide page 99 (not to belabor the point, just to provide evidence for the bit about Aeros):

 

[Silver Surfer]

a-2s sent to depots to be "refurbished" were more often than not, simply redyed. however some were shipped back to the manufactures, and those a-2s were redyed [far more carefully than depot redyes] in russet [yes russet] as well as seal. also some had the knit elements replaced, as well as zippers replaced. I have handled some of these, and the workmanship [probably done by women] is generally of a high quality.

 

[Spitfireace]

Men can do good sewing jobs too. I'm all for equal rights but they gotta be equal.

 

[Spitfireace]

Yes, the factory redyes were better than depot. I have a Monarch with a russet redye done in depot. Pretty sloppy. So obvious.

 

[Spitfireace]

From the Eastman A-2 guide page 99 (not to belabor the point, just to provide evidence for the bit about Aeros):

Talk about your wonky pockets. Lol.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Some years ago I read an article in an old magazine (life?) that claimed over %75 of light manufacturing workers during the war were women. Presumably, this would include the textile, and related industries….like uniform, parachute, leather goods, etc. so when I wrote, “probably done be women” I don’t think that I was missing something. One of the factory refurbished jackets I owned was a first contract dubow. The work done on this example was done so well that without looking in the pockets or seeing the tell tale russet pigment on the snaps, you could hardly tell that it was worked on.

 

[mulceber]

Some years ago I read an article in an old magazine (life?) that claimed over %75 of light manufacturing workers during the war were women. Presumably, this would include the textile, and related industries….like uniform, parachute, leather goods, etc. so when I wrote, “probably done be women” I don’t think that I was missing something. One of the factory refurbished jackets I owned was a first contract dubow. The work done on this example was done so well the without looking in the pockets or seeing the tell tale russet pigment on the snaps, you could hardly tell that it was worked on.

JC told me once that the factories tended to reserve their male employees for sewing shearling, because it was more physically-demanding than sewing ordinary clothing.

As for why the women at the factories did a better job than the men at the depots, I'd say it's because they were working for a company that demanded they do a good job. A military guy working at the depot gets told to dye a bunch of old jackets? He doesn't care what the end result is.

 

[Silver Surfer]

yeah makes sense, jan.

 

[Grant]

Years ago had the opportunity to speak with a woman in Beacon, NY who worked at the Aero factory before and during the war. We spoke at length about what it was like sewing A-2 jackets and what went on in the factory. She said they would get in large bins of returned jackets to be refurbished and returned to service. Those that had any kind of paint or artwork were thrown in the dumpster (can you imagine raiding that dumpster back in the 1940's!) while the others would get a re-dye and new lining, knits and zippers. She said she enjoyed sewing new A-2's and would often include a note in the pocket of jackets with her name and a greeting. Men mostly worked on the heavier shearling jackets although some also sewed A-2's. She also mentioned before the war Aero made women's' hats! I wish like hell I had recorded the conversation..

 

[Pa12]

Years ago had the opportunity to speak with a woman in Beacon, NY who worked at the Aero factory before and during the war. We spoke at length about what it was like sewing A-2 jackets and what went on in the factory. She said they would get in large bins of returned jackets to be refurbished and returned to service. Those that had any kind of paint or artwork were thrown in the dumpster (can you imagine raiding that dumpster back in the 1940's!) while the others would get a re-dye and new lining, knits and zippers. She said she enjoyed sewing new A-2's and would often include a note in the pocket of jackets with her name and a greeting. Men mostly worked on the heavier shearling jackets although some also sewed A-2's. She also mentioned before the war Aero made women's' hats! I wish like hell I had recorded the conversation..

That’s pretty cool. Imagine having one with the note . Years ago I was changing the tail light on an old car and found that the painter had put his signature on the sheet metal under the light assembly. Pride in workmanship.

 

[Jennison]

Quite often, the hubs on B-17 steering yokes had messages scratched on the inside by a worker, most often wishing good luck to the reader (and boy, did they ever need it)

 

[Silver Surfer]

Yeah, those at work on the home front were pulling for those on the line or in combat. Too bad that today we do not have that “pull together” attitude. Nowadays tap, tap tappers, break their devices because they over use the “I” key.

 

[Dany McDonald]

Woman win wars, they provide the boys, the comfort, the empathy and then we ask of them to work the industrial plant... equal rights baloney.

Anyways, some Beacon Aero girls doing what looks like B-3's!

Images taken from here: https://www.loc.gov/search/?fa=partof:lot+1898

Regards boys,

D

 

[Spitfireace]

Beacon Aero girls... yes ,,,,

 

[Spitfireace]

Imagine ye ran ye head into a bumper of a car that says Ford. Henry Ford that is.