DISCUSS

[Roughwear]

I somehow doubt that as most of the stitching on the repair work is of a very poor quality, to replace an epaulette without leaving a trail of stitch holes on the top stitch around the sleeve head requires an altogether higher level of ability tha is shown in every other aspect of the renovation . I also doubt such a close colour match could be achieved on a used jacket with a different hide

Yes, but are you 100% certain it has not been replaced at some stage in its life? The epaulets could have been replaced by someone else, not the same person who replaced the lining.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

So if it is not an issued Spiewak Ken, who made it? It does not conform to any other jacket in Gary's book. So do you own the jacket? If so, then you will be in the best position to check out the epaulets, which may well be later replacements.

Sadly we don't have the jacket, nor was it one of those stolen from Aero. I started the thread because I thought it might run, this forum is rather short on posts, you must agree.

All I will say with total confidence is that is a WW2 era jacket which has been relined, whether it was originally a private purchase or an issue jacket I couldn't say for sure, I've never considered my self an "expert" on military garments but I probably do understand leather jacket construction better than anyone of this forum, sewing has been my trade for over 50 years

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Yes, but are you 100% certain it has not been replaced at some stage in its life? The epaulets could have been replaced by someone else, not the same person who replaced the lining.

It's starting to sound like Trigger's Broom

 

[Roughwear]

It's starting to sound like Trigger's Broom

That is the idea Ken! Hahaha!

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Fot those outside The UK

 

[johnwayne]

Before the debate I did think Spiewak, purely by the pointed collar and I'm not as knowledgeable as you fine chaps but that aside it was a lot of $'s for its condition!!

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

The waters are / were further muddied by USAAF contractors making civvy / private purchase A-2 jackets
Kurlands civvy A-2 has differences from the Star Sportswear issue A-2, same firm
Aero Leather's are quite different from any of their issue A-2, we've had several, there is one in the showroom as I write, based on the Aero USAAF jackets, I doubt if I'd have ID'ed any of their Civvy jackets as being an Aero were it not for their civvy labels

If anyone is aware of other examples of other USAAF contractors also making civvy / private purchase A-2 jackets please let us know

 

[johnwayne]

I found the name of the site amusing, is it Australian? Couldn't see anything to tell me but Weareskoalas! Some good links on it too. Good discussion Ken, as you said not too many of them here of late.

 

[Roughwear]

Doniger made a civi version of their issued A-2. The knits, snaps and zipper are different from the ones found on their issued A-2s.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

..........any idea who made Bloomingdale's A-2s, way back in The Thrift Shop days we had a couple of CBI jackets with provenance pass through our hands with Bloomingdale's labels, USAAF Spec detailling.
Haven't seen one since

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

I found the name of the site amusing, is it Australian? Couldn't see anything to tell me but Weareskoalas! Some good links on it too. Good discussion Ken, as you said not too many of them here of late

Not sure where they are based, we came across the site while researching a new Barnstormer last year

http://wearekoalasvintage.com/2015/02/sold-on-ebay-antique-1930s-horsehide-leather-car-coat/

The internal styling clues are obvious on our adapted version

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=3139

 

[Steve27752]

Not sure where they are based, we came across the site while researching a new Barnstormer last year

http://wearekoalasvintage.com/2015/02/sold-on-ebay-antique-1930s-horsehide-leather-car-coat/

The internal styling clues are obvious on our adapted version

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=3139

Hi Ken, very nice. In my opinion it would be nicer in brown (as per the first link) without the fur collar.

 

[Roughwear]

The other Spiewak on the site is mostly still original, apart from the wristlets, missing label and absent male part of the the throat latch.

http://wearekoalasvintage.com/2013/11/sold-ebay-vintage-wwii-a2-leather-jacket-1876-99/

 

[johnwayne]

Bloody nice coat that Ken, black or brown! Trouble is everyone drives everywhere these days am I'm no different so personally it wouldn't get much wear like a leather pea coat I have! Same reason I've never got into shearlings even though I'd love one of your B3's!! Ultimately I've got too many jackets, or so I'm told by 'er indoors!!!

 

[Juanito]

[QUOTE
I've heard of L&T A-2s, but not seen one, to the best of my knowledge they were a minor player in the 80s/90s not period manufacturers so I'd forget them, that's a red herring, this is a WW2 era jacket.
So who made it?[/QUOTE]

Here's a little info on the L&T labeled jackets: http://www.smwholesaleusa.com/a-2-aviator-jacket-story

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Hi Ken, very nice. In my opinion it would be nicer in brown (as per the first link) without the fur collar.

It takes about 20 years of hard wear to get our Brown Horsehide to look like that!!
The coat was designed backwards, first we found the lining, then designed the label to suit the lining, decided on the Blizzard name to suit the first mock up of the label artwork and what we envisaged the coat might look like, by that time the components had talked us into the Shearling collar.
The first sample of a new lighter version with leather collar is currently half finished on Julie's machine.

 

[fleet16b]

Fantastic jacket. You often see wear points on the upper arm and both elbows from jackets used in single seat fighters and the worn areas on the epaulettes are from the seat harness and those directly behind the epaulettes are most probably from the parachute harness straps rubbing when the pilot leans forward. One thing you can tell for certain from that jacket is that it has been worn a LOT operationally in a fighter.

Thanks for posting Ken!

http://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/2004-eastman-rw1401p.20240/

If you look on my thread , you can see what happens to an A2 that has been used in cramped Vintage aircraft cockpits. The wear and tear on my jacket is just as you describe . The finish is gone on the arms and is you look carefully you can see the pattern on the center of the back were the shoulder harness junctions have left their marks . My jacket has a lot of flight hours on it

 

[Smithy]

Your jacket looks fantastic fleet16b and the patina on yours is the genuine article. Keep wearing it whilst flying!

 

[Roughwear]

I agree with Tim here. It is one beautiful ELC Roughwear which could be mistaken for an original.

 

[Dr H]

I owned that one for a while - lovely Doniger/McGregor Sportswear...