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Seal Brown??

bellumbill

Active Member
Thanks all! My point is that one can assume this is NOT a correct color that represents Seal Brown on WWII A2s, correct?? Best, Bill K

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P-47 thunderbolt

Well-Known Member
I have a private purchase Star A2, certainly the darkest period A2 I own. Would have been made in 1945 or thereabouts. Although not government contract, it shows the leather colours available and used in that era.
It is pretty mint condition so I doubt the colour would have change much over the years
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ZuZu

Well-Known Member
Fascinating subject. My only input is I think the lighting in WWII films had a lot to do with creating the nearly black A-2 in our collective psyche. McQueen’s redye didn’t help either.
I think this is one of the main factors in "Seal"! In the 70s my first jacket was an Avirex- almost black- and I was a bit surprised when I saw my first original was a chromatic brown. I can't really see "Russet" since I'm red/green colorblind. Just recently watching Memphis Belle outtakes you can see when jackets turn from almost black to suddenly now a light russet when the light changes.
 

Greg Gale

Well-Known Member
A-2s can look so different depending on the light…I’ve seen many photos of originals that look like they’re half way between ‘seal’ and ‘russet’ jackets offered by today’s jacket makers, but then again it may just be the light? But then are they dark looking russets or light looking seals? Hmm…
 

ZuZu

Well-Known Member
A-2s can look so different depending on the light…I’ve seen many photos of originals that look like they’re half way between ‘seal’ and ‘russet’ jackets offered by today’s jacket makers, but then again it may just be the light? But then are they dark looking russets or light looking seals? Hmm…
I agree- in fact this is one of my main arguments against the strict seal/russet dichotomy. Exactly- halfway between the seal and russet jackets offered today! Well put. Just brown really...
 

CBI

Well-Known Member
Just my opinion and I have said it before. I think the darker seal color is a much more practical option when wearing an A-2 in this day an age. The "traditional" russet brown as authentic as it is just looks like some "old man" jacket and kind of doesn't work in re general day to day wear. Of course many exceptions but a seal A-2 goes much better with "modern" clothes IMO. Hence all of those "black" Japanese A-2's - not authentic but they look cool........................
 

ZuZu

Well-Known Member
This was my first well fitting A-2- a Bronco- which I bought in 1979 for $250 which was a fortune back then.
To me the leather color looked a beautiful rich brown very chroma compared to the blackish seal Avirex I had.:

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Again- this photo doesn't capture the hue but it was not even close to seal.
I bought an Eastman house jacket in 1989 and thought from having seen one on a friend that it would match my Bronco. It looked like this: (thanks Grant!)
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When I got the Eastman I loved it but comparing the 2 jackets (Bronco and Eastman) the Eastman's color looked much lighter and orangish comparatively. It was a true russet. The Bronco (as Greg said) was in between- a rich brown.
 
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