My Father's A-2

[capt71]

In the "Cloth" forum, a couple of people asked that I post photos of my father's WW2 A-2. It was restored a few years back by AeroLeather Scotland. The first 5 are photos AeroLeather took of the restoration process on his A-2. The last 6 are the jacket as it is today:

At Aeroleather
Removing original knits:

Original lining removed (they also returned the original lining to me):

Patterns for new lining:

Sewing in new lining:

Finished (before leather conditioning):

Jacket present day (after 2 Pecard's treatments):

528th BS Patch

Detail

5th AF Patch

Name Tag

Label

Bill

 

[Anonymous]

Looks great, what a treasure.

 

[JDAM]

Good for you, great looking jacket!

 

[dujardin]

wowwwwwwwwww

what a splendid jacket you have there; your father's restaured A2, what a treasure for you.
congrats, and thanks for sharing it with us
really interesting to see the evolution in photos

 

[wheat1479]

Wow !!! It has so much history,both personal and American.The jacket looks great.

 

[Roughwear]

Aero did an amazing restoration job on your Dad's RW A2.

 

[Weasel_Loader]

What a treasure. Looks great!

 

[HackerF15E]

Very, very special.

Care to post more details about your father's service and what that jacket might have been through?

 

[Andrew]

Hacker, here's a summary of the reunion....

http://www.oldnautibits.com/features/aerofeature6.shtml


Bill, thanks for posting these shots- I knew there were more that we'd not seen. So the lining was too damaged to keep- was that the collar area? Does it fit you? What are your succession plans for it? I hope there's some interested and passionate Grandkid in the wings.

I still can't get over how lucky you were to get it back. I'm dreaming of the day I come across one like it left behind here as a souvenir for a local girl- like I know that'll never happen.

WRT your that conversation in "Cloth", and your Dad's free time in town before heading off to Fenton, with those movie star looks he would have been the embodiment of the typical well dressed Yank who swept the local ladies off their feet. Great uniform, plenty of money and charm. There were plenty of War brides who left here at Wars End and and never came back. Good thing he was already married or you'd be half Australian. BTW, if you ever come across any references to Brisbane in his stuff and you want me to try to get a shot of any surviving buildings let me know. There are quite a number of buildings around Town that were used by the 5thAF that are still standing.

 

[Marrk]

That's a very special piece and it looks like the restoration was brilliant! Great to see!

 

[HackerF15E]

Hacker, here's a summary of the reunion....

http://www.oldnautibits.com/features/aerofeature6.shtml.

Great story, thanks for sharing it!

 

[johnwayne]

I would be so proud if that was my Dad's and I'm sure you must be too, even if you are not necessarily a jacket fan like most here that's a family treasure nonetheless.
Thanks for sharing it with us

cheers
Wayne