Identification of type M422a Aero Leather required

[Herman_the_German]

Ah! Okay - you might excuse me: that is my lack of the english language. I have simply overread that! Thanks.

 

[Harris_HTM]

Ah! Okay - you might excuse me: that is my lack of the english language. I have simply overread that! Thanks.

no worries, I get you. English is actually my 3rd language so it happens to me as well.

 

[Southoftheborder]

Ah! Okay - you might excuse me: that is my lack of the english language. I have simply overread that! Thanks.

You have every right to be confused. Replica of a private purchase jacket is pretty meaningless. Anyway technically it would be a reproduction not a replica because Aero Leather Scotland never produced the original.

As it is it's a civilian type repro which you could call a private purchase type jacket at a stretch, and personally I prefer a civilian jacket without the repro label- but I didn't buy it. The rest is sales talk and them trying to blow smoke up your arse.

 

[Herman_the_German]

You have every right to be confused. Replica of a private purchase jacket is pretty meaningless. Anyway technically it would be a reproduction not a replica because Aero Leather Scotland never produced the original.

Thanks.

 

[mulceber]

If I read the email from Aero correct: "and he’s said this looks like a replica of a “private Purchase”".

Exactly. It's not an original private purchase jacket, they're just replicating a private purchase jacket. Sounds a bit odd to us, but because Aero never got a Navy contract (at least not before they changed their name to Aviators' Clothing Co.), I think Ken probably wanted to make a Navy jacket that was plausible for the Aero name. In like fashion, Aero's B-10 repro is presented as an "experimental test sample," since the real Aero Leather never had a B-10 contract.

 

[MikeyB-17]

To clarify-it was not uncommon during the war for fliers to buy commercially available jackets, usually very similar but not identical to issued ones, and wear them operationally. This appears to be Aero producing their version of such a private purchase jacket- they’re not copying one, just producing something similar-an M-422a with differences. The label is one that Aero use now. M-422a’s had rayon linings, military contract labels and brown knits, usually with single ply, double weave waist knits. It’s a really nice jacket, Aero don’t make any rubbish. The boys in Japan have previously shown a fondness for interesting knit colours, I wonder if it was a test jacket for the Japanese market.

 

[Herman_the_German]

To clarify-it was not uncommon during the war for fliers to buy commercially available jackets, usually very similar but not identical to issued ones, and wear them operationally. This appears to be Aero producing their version of such a private purchase jacket- they’re not copying one, just producing something similar-an M-422a with differences. The label is one that Aero use now. M-422a’s had rayon linings, military contract labels and brown knits, usually with single ply, double weave waist knits. It’s a really nice jacket, Aero don’t make any rubbish. The boys in Japan have previously shown a fondness for interesting knit colours, I wonder if it was a test jacket for the Japanese market.

First of all, thank you for the many and profound tips. It is very supportive and makes me very happy!

The previous owner of the jacket told me that it was actually customised for a Japanese man. I dismissed that as a sales pitch, but there seems to be something to it after all. The small size of the jacket speaks for itself, it really is a small 40.

And: I like the jacket a lot, so it is even more interesting to know details about it.