B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Hi Guys 
I wasn’t sure if this topic fit in the Vintage thread but since the first Gulf war ended in 1991, I thought that 30 years might be a long enough period of time to included this post here. Now to be precise , although the war Is recognized as encompassing the period from August 2,1990 thru July 31, 1991, jackets issued during that time period continued being made , issued and used well into the turn of the decade. So what I’m talking about in this post is a series of jackets that were officially designated as the rebirth of the USAF A2 jackets which were reissued to the USAF air crews in 1987, and worn through the Gulf War up until 2000. OK .. with that bit of information out of our way, let me say that this is a topic you’ve heard me rant about before. On several occasions we’ve discussed what it was like in the “old days” when you could find original WWII A2 jackets in surplus stores for $25.00 to $30.00 each, and no one wanted them . They had racks of them hanging on walls when I was a kid and they couldn’t give them away . Today those jackets are selling for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. So.. the purpose of this post isn’t for us “old shits” who missed the boat on some grand opportunities, but rather for you younger guys who are just getting into this hobby and have a similar opportunity that exists today, but is not being pursued . It seems that in the last few years the emphasis on purchasing A2 repro jackets has been focused on getting the best quality repro for the cheapest possible cost. Now believe me .. I have no problem with that game plan . As an older collector who has seen the cost of this hobby continuously increase year after year .. I get it ! But here’s where I think many of the younger guys are missing the window of opportunity. There are a wealth of US Government USAF issued jackets , made during the 1990 -1995 time frame, that are outstanding goatskin jackets , in great shape , that are original issued contract jackets, that are currently available today at stupidly ridiculously low prices .Most of them cheaper than the cheapest repros being purchased today . These jackets have a history , they have a lineage, they often have a name or an owner attached to them , who can be researched and a story learned and shared. From my perspective that’s what makes this hobby interesting . The original jackets and the people who wore them and the stories that often come with them . Now the cost of these jackets has been low in the last few years but like 99 % of everything in this world, the prices will go up over time. So this is why I’ve been beating this drum to death , in hopes that some of the younger guys will grab one of these nice goatskins and put it away for a decade or so . Hell ... for the price of $75.00 - $180.00 what have you got to loose . It’s nice original USAF issued goatskin flight jacket that’s cheaper than any if the current “Stars” being sold. And it’s got a history . Here’s a couple I’ve snagged, the most expensive of which was $125.00.
Well... that’s it from me . I hope some of you might consider this suggestion , if you happen to purchase one I think you’ll be happy with it . As always if you do buy one ..... Wear the piss out of it !
I wasn’t sure if this topic fit in the Vintage thread but since the first Gulf war ended in 1991, I thought that 30 years might be a long enough period of time to included this post here. Now to be precise , although the war Is recognized as encompassing the period from August 2,1990 thru July 31, 1991, jackets issued during that time period continued being made , issued and used well into the turn of the decade. So what I’m talking about in this post is a series of jackets that were officially designated as the rebirth of the USAF A2 jackets which were reissued to the USAF air crews in 1987, and worn through the Gulf War up until 2000. OK .. with that bit of information out of our way, let me say that this is a topic you’ve heard me rant about before. On several occasions we’ve discussed what it was like in the “old days” when you could find original WWII A2 jackets in surplus stores for $25.00 to $30.00 each, and no one wanted them . They had racks of them hanging on walls when I was a kid and they couldn’t give them away . Today those jackets are selling for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. So.. the purpose of this post isn’t for us “old shits” who missed the boat on some grand opportunities, but rather for you younger guys who are just getting into this hobby and have a similar opportunity that exists today, but is not being pursued . It seems that in the last few years the emphasis on purchasing A2 repro jackets has been focused on getting the best quality repro for the cheapest possible cost. Now believe me .. I have no problem with that game plan . As an older collector who has seen the cost of this hobby continuously increase year after year .. I get it ! But here’s where I think many of the younger guys are missing the window of opportunity. There are a wealth of US Government USAF issued jackets , made during the 1990 -1995 time frame, that are outstanding goatskin jackets , in great shape , that are original issued contract jackets, that are currently available today at stupidly ridiculously low prices .Most of them cheaper than the cheapest repros being purchased today . These jackets have a history , they have a lineage, they often have a name or an owner attached to them , who can be researched and a story learned and shared. From my perspective that’s what makes this hobby interesting . The original jackets and the people who wore them and the stories that often come with them . Now the cost of these jackets has been low in the last few years but like 99 % of everything in this world, the prices will go up over time. So this is why I’ve been beating this drum to death , in hopes that some of the younger guys will grab one of these nice goatskins and put it away for a decade or so . Hell ... for the price of $75.00 - $180.00 what have you got to loose . It’s nice original USAF issued goatskin flight jacket that’s cheaper than any if the current “Stars” being sold
. And it’s got a history . Here’s a couple I’ve snagged, the most expensive of which was $125.00.Well... that’s it from me . I hope some of you might consider this suggestion , if you happen to purchase one I think you’ll be happy with it . As always if you do buy one ..... Wear the piss out of it !
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