New Mash Co A-2 decal

[Peter Graham]

What is the history of the AAF decal on the shoulder? Looks like the majority of A-2 jackets did not have it. Was it applied by the contractor or done by depot supply. I know my dads jacket had the cloth AAF patch and 5th AF patch on the shoulders.

I don't have the exact information or dates at hand but it's something like this. Sometime in late 43 or maybe early 44 it was decided that all aircrew equipment should have clear military markings so that downed airmen could not be mistaken for spies and shot out of hand by the Germans. Therefore only the few A-2 contracts being finished after that date would have the AAF decal and lining stamp applied at the factory or maybe the supply depot. Most A-2's with the decal applied will have had this done during a depot refurbishment when other work may well have been done such as a re-dye and knit replacement. The cloth patches are a different matter. I think they were a matter of choice or the whim of a squadron commander perhaps. So really, a lot of repro A-2's have decals and stamps that shouldn't be there. Here's a pic of a depot refurb decal from the shoulder of a Perry D-1 that I once owned and stupidly sold.

 

[omarco]

love it!

 

[omarco]

my kit arrived from MASH and i must say its a nice little package to get in the post, MASH parcels look the business!

I'v done a little test on a spare leather sample and it went on fine no probs. What i am wondering though is there any way of pre ageing these things a little? the colours are very bright and vibrant and a little out of character with the rest of my jacket which already has a little wear on it.

Anyone tried it?

 

[omarco]

i already tried soaking it and dabbing with a damp cloth but this didn't work at all. I also tried dabbing it with a little lighter fluid which didn't work either but i suspect it will be something like this that does the trick, maybe some nail polish remover (acetone) ?

 

[omarco]

right - nail polish remover fades these things and removes as much or little of the colour as you want. You have to be careful - if you apply too much you can remove too much colour. The best way seems to be to take it slow and do as many light wipes across the decal as it takes to get the finish you want... i'll put up some pictures once i'v got it looking right

ps this is before putting the decal onto the jacket!

 

[Rutger]

Really aged & faded would be nice I think.
Yeah, the bright colours, that really puts me off, it sort of pulls the attention away. They never ever made them just outlined in white, did they? Like on later nylon I mean. Maybe some exception someone may have ever seen?

 

[dmar836]

I've seen the white on leather trousers, gloves, boots, B-2 caps, B-4 bags, and I thought on some odd ball leather jackets but can't remember what I've seen it on - I'll check but I seem to remember a smeared white logo skipping over a seam somewhere around here. They used "outlined" black ink on my B-7.
IMO, just like the jackets themselves, I would age the decal with wear alone. If there is reported any trouble at all in the patches not adhering perfectly, this would age it. My fear would be that one rubs through to a white base layer. Lean slowly and repeatedly against a brick wall, sleep in it on your left side, etc. It would "fade" quickly and more realistically that way IMO. If the decal is too bold, having it look authentically muted would require it to look almost gone or 50% chipped. Getting the faded on cloth(think old B-15) look on a leather jacket 'aint happenin'.
The problem with artificial aging of leather, decals, paint, whatever, is that the effect cannot be locked in time. Authentic aging on top of artificial techniques often looks bad IMO.
Keep us informed,
Dave

 

[dujardin]

stupidly sold.





:lol:

 

[omarco]

I've seen the white on leather trousers, gloves, boots, B-2 caps, B-4 bags, and I thought on some odd ball leather jackets but can't remember what I've seen it on - I'll check but I seem to remember a smeared white logo skipping over a seam somewhere around here. They used "outlined" black ink on my B-7.
IMO, just like the jackets themselves, I would age the decal with wear alone. If there is reported any trouble at all in the patches not adhering perfectly, this would age it. My fear would be that one rubs through to a white base layer. Lean slowly and repeatedly against a brick wall, sleep in it on your left side, etc. It would "fade" quickly and more realistically that way IMO. If the decal is too bold, having it look authentically muted would require it to look almost gone or 50% chipped. Getting the faded on cloth(think old B-15) look on a leather jacket 'aint happenin'.
The problem with artificial aging of leather, decals, paint, whatever, is that the effect cannot be locked in time. Authentic aging on top of artificial techniques often looks bad IMO.
Keep us informed,
Dave

Having messed about with this a little bit i think you're right. Getting it to look consistently faded is VERY hard, i'v messed up two decals trying it so i think its time to stop! You're also right about the white background underneath the colour - when too much colour is removed it revels a white background beneath.

I have see a very nice one aged by GW and placed onto a D1 but he must have practised an awful lot to get it looking so authentic! Natural wear is the only way i'm gonna get it looking 100% i think.

 

[stanier]

Hi Omarco, just my tuppence worth, but put the decal on and wear it. IMO, they look mighty cool and lieterally before you know it it will look just like you want.

I've had them on a number of jackets and that's always been my experience.

Cheers

 

[Andrew]

My Perry 42-16175-P is obviously from a contract awarded in '42, yet it has the (pretty roughly applied) white stencilled insignia. I presume this means that it might have been added late in the War? Btw, there's no evidence that it's had two owners or been re-sprayed so aside from the decal it's not immediately obvious it may have had it applied later. This pic just shows where the 5th patch would have been located and where i'll re-attach it once that thread I bought arrives.

 

[RCSignals]

That almost looks like the same kind of stamp as used on linings was used there, maybe with a white paint.

 

[Peter Graham]

My Perry 42-16175-P is obviously from a contract awarded in '42, yet it has the (pretty roughly applied) white stencilled insignia. I presume this means that it might have been added late in the War?

It might well be that the jacket was not issued until after the direction that flight gear must be marked and the stencil applied in the depot when the jacket was new.

 

[Andrew]

Here's a similar stamp on a B-6 helmet I have. This one almost looks like a brand, but i'm sure it's a stencil.

 

[RCSignals]

Could be a stencil on the helmet, although the edge spill over looks like it could also have been a stamp block

 

[Andrew]

For sure, when you think about it it'd be the only sensible way to do it, especially on something of that shape and material.

I'll try to get a side by side shot to compare this weekend.

 

[lightning38]

How do I contact the Artist to have the AAF & Meatball painted on the sleeve of my A-2?
There's an artist called Dan McQuality that paints A-2's and says that because he uses more expensive paint with flex in it that he guarantee's the paint will never chip, peel or fade, ever which is what I hope other artist can say too.

Contact the artist and he will enthusiastically discuss services and costs.

 

[Peter Graham]

There's an artist called Dan McQuality that paints A-2's and says that because he uses more expensive paint with flex in it that he guarantee's the paint will never chip, peel or fade

Which means that it's never going to look authentic.

 

[lightning38]

bseal
I contacted Jerome and he's a great guy and I thank you for letting me know about him and I have recommended him to my friends.
I wanted him to paint the AAF meatball on the sleeve of my new A-2 and I wanted the AAF letters to be perfect like the decal letters are and then to my disappointment at the last minute, that because of the grain (peeble like) of goatskin which my A-2 is, he said that they wouldn't come out perfect like he could paint the AAF letters on a horsehide A-2's so I'm going to have to settle for my A-2 just having a leather name tag and squadron patch sewn on the jacket.
I talked to John Chapman at Goodwear the other day about the decals that the A-2 makers put on their A-2's today and he said the best ones he's ever seen that would hold up were ones that Real McCoys put on their A-2's in the 1990's and I believe he said they were iron-on decals.

Thanks Again
Mike

Contact the artist and he will enthusiastically discuss services and costs.

 

[virgil-hilts]

Guys, I have bought and applied the mash AAF decal. Works and looks the part. If you have ever built model aircraft then you know how to apply the decal. When I had John make my "Great Escape jacket in '08 he applied the decal. Their are pictures on the form of it. Just look for them been 2 years now of HARD wear and the decal has flaked a bit BUT that's what the originals do. If you want it right you have to go with a water transfer decal NOT painted. If you get it painted (and it does look good and I do own some of his art work) it not correct. Just know the tips and tricks of applying water type decals.

I am in the process of converting my Eastman Roughwear into a V. Hilts jacket. And have the Mash kit on order. Do you have pictures of your jacket? I have studied the movie images, and the one confusing thing about the jacket is regarding the epaulets. Does it have a Captain rank insignia? In the movie images I cannot see that it does.

Hi ,
look at this picture for the rank insignia :