Jacket fit.

[Ken at Aero Leather]

It's a fantastic photo that. I've tried to track down who that is but without success. He's one of those brilliant examples of what war does to a face - a young man's face but with an old man's eyes.

Or could the eyes be something to do with the Jazz Woodbine he's smoking?

 

[johnwayne]

Interesting thread this and seeing how we all think and feel differently as to what is perfect! I'm sure most of you are aware that the 'A' prefix in A2 denotes it as a summer jacket ('B' being winter) so unlikely back in the day much in the way of thickness would have been worn under an A2! When I got my first 'house'ELC' back in the early days and there was no other kind ie 'maker' types available I thought my jacket a great fit and I felt like the dogs doodahs wearing it, yet now I know it's not right in many respects even though I'm older and I must be honest heavier and actually, I can't recall the last time I wore it and why? Well quite simply the GW I've owned poss 10 years or more is to me the perfect fit, for me!! I've said here many times that from the first try on to this day it feels right in every respect, body length, sleeve length, where the shoulder seams sit and ultimately how comfortable it is to wear. My wife says come the day, I'll be buried in it!!! Maybe I just got lucky as it was not made for me by JC, just happened to be one he had available when an A1 I wanted John didn't think would fit me even though the sizes seemed spot on. Many a time at ELC's marquee at airshows I've tried on other A2' s but yet to find one 'that feels as right' as my GW and that is not an ELC put down nor tub thumping for GW - even my Dubow original whilst I love wearing because of what it is and represents, doesn't match in the fit and feel stakes!!!!

 

[Officer Dibley]

Here’s a suggestion regarding obtaining that wartime trim look. Take your A2 jacket, regardless of the manufacturer. Now put on a set of long underwear, over that put on a wool or gabardine shirt with a tie, now over the shirt, put on a sweater. Finish off the entire look with a scarf, and now put on your A2 jacket. If your jacket is too tight or you have trouble zipping it. It’s probably to small for you.
I say this because in most of the photos in this thread the pilots and the air crews had some, or most of that kit on and that accounts to some degree for that trim look. I guarantee if they just had a tee shirt on, their jackets in most cases would look baggy. Now throw on a parachute harness and you really have a trim looking jacket. Just my thoughts on the subject.

Exactly what i said Burt. Great minds think alike. However, i lack your gravitas and credibility on here so no one pay me much heed

 

[B-Man2]

Exactly what i said Burt. Great minds think alike. However, i lack your gravitas and credibility on here so no one pay me much heed

Dave
Nah,don’t think like that, we’re all subject matter experts in our own minds. Sincerity in your posts are the key to success. As a friend of mine once said, “Sincerity is everything , once you learn to fake that ....you’ve got it made!!”

 

[jeremiah]

I would say that the sleeves definitely need to be shortened.

I agree with you. I am going to wait though. My ELC monarch had sleeves that were just .5” shorter than this one. Now months later and after heavy wear in all sorts of weather, they are almost a tad too short to my liking. Could be the knits have shrunk too, but so will where knits. If after the same amount of time and same wear I find them still too long I can then have it done.

 

[Greg Gale]

Interesting thread this and seeing how we all think and feel differently as to what is perfect! I'm sure most of you are aware that the 'A' prefix in A2 denotes it as a summer jacket ('B' being winter) so unlikely back in the day much in the way of thickness would have been worn under an A2!

Precisely. Here's 80+ photos of the 4th FG. Check what they're wearing underneath. You'll find 1-2 sweaters tops (all of them on Godfrey), otherwise it's only a regulation shirt.

https://pin.it/b3bor2alijcti6

 

[Officer Dibley]

Weather looks nice .....

 

[Greg Gale]

Finally found an original "modern fit"

 

[Steve27752]

Finally found an original "modern fit"

View attachment 8088

Are they M37 trousers?

 

[Greg Gale]

The 3 in the middle, yes.

 

[2BM2K]

Nice selection of jackets here;

 

[Smithy]

Finally found an original "modern fit"

View attachment 8088

Who ate all the pies?

 

[Officer Dibley]

Finally found an original "modern fit"

View attachment 8088

Got to be honest, they all like like sacks of sh1t to me.....

 

[zoomer]

Finally found an original "modern fit"
View attachment 8088

that’s me! the fat major 2d from the right! my exact body type!

 

[dmar836]

Got to be honest, they all like like sacks of sh1t to me.....

Is it just me or do they look like office types that grab all the gear but never saw the interior of a plane?

Dave

 

[A2 B3au]

Or borrowed from a fellow crew member for a picture?

When your a kid and u wearyiur dad's jacket imo

 

[A2 B3au]

No, au contraire, your 27752 is in the middle of my scale, definitely not baggy. That's my point exactly. We have similar ideas, but we mean different things by trim/ baggy

Exactly Greg. Like tastes in women someone can be stunning to one man and so so to the next

 

[johnwayne]

That lot wearing the modern fit certainly miss out in 'cool' category, looking like the school team last of the pick!

 

[Carl]

Judging by the photo he was a very, very short guy, hence the fit.

Nothing wrong with being short !!

 

[Carl]

So, how about the fit of this A2? Off the shoulders and slightly too big?
View attachment 7927

Trainee "But its too big quartermaster !!"
Quartermaster " Next !!! "

Had about as much choice as to fit as the other thousands of guys who were issued A2's .