Original Jackets vs. Repros; what are your thoughts?

[Lord Flashheart]

That's pretty much how I feel about it P-47. Wearing a repro doesn't detract from my appreciation of the small piece of history these jackets represent. I'm also grateful that there is enough interest out there for people to make accurate reproductions so that we can experience just a very very little of what it might've been for the the guys who wore them in earnest.

And if wearing a repro widens the awareness of this footnote to the history of aviation perhaps even sparking interest from someone who had not given it a second thought then I reckon it worthwhile.

 

[rob20uk]

I thought I would put my jacket in the ring on this.

In short my thoughts are that originals come with things that often need doing to them. Be that new knits or just reconditioning the leather etc. The repos are new straight out of the box. Personally my preference at the moment is more towards the reproductions but a lot of that is just because I like the fact they are less work.

 

[flyincowboy]

Have had the chance to have an original B3 Jacket was in good condition, done some leather treatment to keep it supple After some enquiries found the history of this jacket B17 SHOT DOWN ON HIS BOMB RUN while bombing a French airport occupied by the luftwaffe training school..... The original owner waistgunner after swapping his flying gear for civilians clothes was captured by the german at a check point and ended as a POW. This jacket is a piece of history definitely! And belong to a museum where it will stay as such a witness of the past. To me its better to have a reproduction to wear most of the time!

 

[CBI]

Let me put it this way............

after YEARS of collection and owning countless originals and repros, the only leather flight jackets I even occasionally wear are my few remaining originals.

Owning high end repros that are EXACTLY (or as close to exact as possible) like originals is great but if authenticity is so darned important, just wear the real thing and be done with it.

I would think the best mid point for jacket nuts is to own one of each (or in the case of us all .........LOADS of each!)

I don't wear the jackets for compliments or conversation pieces but when it does come up:

"is that an original WW2 jacket?"

I like the answer to be "yes".

not

"no, but its an exact copy"

That said, I do love a killer repos

If I would wear leather on a regular basis, I would wear the repro - saving the real deal for limited wear)

............ things to NOT wear original , American shearling, jackets with original painted artwork on the hide, an A-1, etc.

of course in the near future we are looking at original jackets that will be 100 years old so I guess there needs to be a cut-off date for wearing the real deal!!!!!

 

[Micawber]

Let me put it this way............

after YEARS of collection and owning countless originals and repros, the only leather flight jackets I even occasionally wear are my few remaining originals.

Owning high end repros that are EXACTLY (or as close to exact as possible) like originals is great but if authenticity is so darned important, just wear the real thing and be done with it.

I would think the best mid point for jacket nuts is to own one of each (or in the case of us all .........LOADS of each!)

I don't wear the jackets for compliments or conversation pieces but when it does come up:

"is that an original WW2 jacket?"

I like the answer to be "yes".

not

"no, but its an exact copy"

That said, I do love a killer repos

If I would wear leather on a regular basis, I would wear the repro -saving the real deal for limited wear)

Let me put it this way, I like a lot of what you say but it only holds water if there is a supply of wearable originals, available to purchase in the size you require

 

[CBI]

yep, unless one is an odd size, there should be something out there. at least there used to be. it can take some time

 

[Micawber]

yep, unless one is an odd size, there should be something out there. at least there used to be. it can take some time

Yep true. However there are less about now and certainly fewer up for grabs here in Old Blighty. Of course it all depends on the country or origin and type of jacket you are after.

 

[BobJ]

I'd like to ask a question of those of you who have been fortunate enough to handle original A2s - is the leather thinner, and lighter in weight, than Aero's jerky horsehide?

It's a question that has been bugging me in the back of my mind for several years now. I have a jacket in their jerky hh, which they claim is historically accurate, but the old photos always look like the leather was thinner and more drapey and flexible.

Thanks!

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

The Cobra is superb. It must be incredible to drive... personally this car would scare me !
But you can drive it hard, it's a repro (like 99% of Cobras, and it's still a fantastic car).

It wasn't a repro...............that was my whole point..........it was being used virtually daily for what it was made for

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

I'd like to ask a question of those of you who have been fortunate enough to handle original A2s - is the leather thinner, and lighter in weight, than Aero's jerky horsehide?

It's a question that has been bugging me in the back of my mind for several years now. I have a jacket in their jerky hh, which they claim is historically accurate, but the old photos always look like the leather was thinner and more drapey and flexible.

Thanks!

Considering The Thrift Shop regularily had between 50 and 100 in stock at any one time I've had plenty through my hands to base an opinion on
the most striking point was how much the leather varied from maker to maker, Aero Beacon's grainy Horsefrom 1942 was probably the heaviest of the lot while some others were thinner than 70s Mall Jackets
Here's my, now sold, own wearer 30 years + of fairly regular use from the mid 80s on till I sold itabout 8 years ago
That the one Jerky was copied from

BTW We now have a super Jerky, major upgrade to our regular much loved Jerky from the same tannery

 

[BobJ]

Thanks Ken,

Yeah, I know it's hard to tell anything about the weight and flexibility of leather from photographs. It's actually really nice for me to know that the leather on my jacket is like what those young heroes were wearing.

Mine is almost eight years old now, it's my only leather jacket, and I get to wear it all the time here on the wet and windy Oregon coast, even in the evenings in July and August! It sees a lot of weather, so I have to oil it once in a while, and it is aging very nicely. I think your jerky hh is very underappreciated.

What makes your super jerky different?

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Thanks Ken,

Yeah, I know it's hard to tell anything about the weight and flexibility of leather from photographs. It's actually really nice for me to know that the leather on my jacket is like what those young heroes were wearing.

Mine is almost eight years old now, it's my only leather jacket, and I get to wear it all the time here on the wet and windy Oregon coast, even in the evenings in July and August! It sees a lot of weather, so I have to oil it once in a while, and it is aging very nicely. I think your jerky hh is very underappreciated.

What makes your super jerky different?

I wouldn't think your A-2 needs any treatment yet. I have a heavily abused repro, 20 years old, no need for anything yet.

Super Jerky is really just the selection. The tannery are only using the very grainiest butts and working those by hand. The leather is basically the same as before but only using the very highest grade hand selected butts and without any flat areas that there was in the original Jerky, "as it comes" Real Deal A-2s

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Here's some shots of the "Super Selected" Jerky

Might need to blow them up a tad to fully appreciate the hides

 

[CBI]

Ken - that SUPER Jerky is terrific!!!!!

 

[B-Man2]

Great looking jackets and that hide is awesome .

 

[BobJ]

Oh my gosh, that super jerky IS gorgeous! I have a few panels like that on my jacket. The front and back panels are pretty smooth, but the arms are more grainy and jerky. Whoever did the cutting put some thought into it.

I don't do a heavy treatment on my jacket, but it gets wet a lot from the rain here, and once in a while, from salty sea spray. So every two or three years, when it starts to feel a little dry, I rub on a very thin layer of Bag Balm - which is like Vasoline, but with a little lanolin. My jacket seems to like it, it gives it a soft and silky hand.

I really like the character it's developing, and get compliments on it, but I'm 68 years old, and I don't think I'm going to live long enough to see it reach its full potential!

Bob

 

[B-Man2]

“Bag Balm”
LOL!!
Not sure that many here know what that is ..or what it’s used for...we may want to share it with them as it’s not your everyday “go to leather treatment”.

Bag Balm - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[BobJ]

Yeah, it's specially formulated for cowhide... the thinner, more jerky parts!

 

[Pilot]

In deed a fantastic Horsehide!
Here in our Reichsverteidigung jacket

 

[MaydayWei]

In deed a fantastic Horsehide!
Here in our Reichsverteidigung jacketView attachment 55727View attachment 55728View attachment 55729View attachment 55760

What an incredibly decadent royal blue collar. It looks so luxurious, perhaps too luxurious, for a flight jacket.
Paired with that royal blue lining, good golly.
Who even made that jacket? Is that an original?