Old & Tired, But What Is It?

[B-Man2]

Nicely done ..,… what made you decide to put the Roundel on the shoulder ?

 

[tda003]

And more.

 

[tda003]

And finally

 

[tda003]

B-Man2,

If you look carefully at the left shoulder on the "before" pictures, you can see that there was a rondel there that had been rubbed off. It was put there when it was refurbed. I just replaced it.

 

[Chandler]

@tda003 -- great job by Dena, and a great vintage example you've got there.

 

[tda003]

Thanks. I have very carefully looked at the label. I cannot see the maker's name or contract number. I expect that it existed where the dark spot at the top of the label is which I expect is grime from years of wear. As stated earlier, the details indicate that's a Dubow and either a 27798 or 23379, but I expect that's as much as I'll ever know. I may try a "black" light and magnifier, but don't expect much. The label is too fragile to be handled much and the 1st refurb removed all other tags, etc. I guess I have a "John Doe". Hated that in homicide and don't much like it hear.

 

[JimO]

@DenaHamilton performed an absolutely stellar restoration on your jacket. The before & after images are night & day.

Enjoy & wear it in good health!

 

[tda003]

I checked the label carefully under several lighting types and it's a no go. Maker info may never have been on it. It's too frail to try any more examining as it's already worn through in places. Unless there's a way to determine the maker from the body, it's now a "TDA003"
Checking carefully, the zipper was replaced with a Talon, which may or may not what the original. It measures 212" pit-to-pit. If I ever get thin enough to wear it, then at that time, someone will be penning my obituary.

 

[mulceber]

Maker info may never have been on it.

I suspect that's correct. Because A-2 jackets were listed as government property on their label, it seems some pilots were afraid, at the end of the war, that they wouldn't be allowed to keep their flight jackets, and so they removed the label. It's been documented that some pilots even went to the length of acquiring labels from civilian jackets and putting them in their A-2s, so they could pass them off as private purchase jackets. My guess is, that's what happened here.

 

[tda003]

Thanks. If it were my size It would be an occasional wearer. The leather is soft and flexible. If it weren't for the cracks in the collar, you now couldn't tell what it's been through. Scars from an abusive relationship.