Showing Aero Some love

[Lord Flashheart]

Picking up on the idea that Jan kicked off in his Eastman thread I thought we haven't spoken much about Aero here lately but they're solidly in the reproduction flying jacket market too. Like Eastman there's been some nitpicking in the past but Ken and Aero Leathers have a long history in repro flying jacket manufacture with a wide range of styles. Ken has been a regular contributor here on the background of Aero, their wartime contracts and the realities of wartime jacket manufacture. As Ken has pointed out repro flying jackets are just a small part of their business.

I think it would be fun to share one Aero product that we own and/or one that's on our wish list. Please tell us why that hits the spot for you.

The Aero I really love is my multi panelled Late War RAF Irvin repro. It's proved to be a really versatile jacket, not too heavy and accommodating layering underneath well. On top of that the multi panel design is developing great character. This is a pic just after I got it:

And the one I don't own (yet) isn't a flying jacket but it's Aeros Royale. I've not seen many posted here or on TFL but I really like the 1930's style (and it'd be change from a flying jacket):

 

[Pilot]

Ken was kind enough to duplicate precisely this Aero sitting in the Seoul Korea war museum.
A few little amendments were made towards the standard Aero A-2 of the same contract (42-15142-P )

 

[Pilot]

Now in Hanoi...

 

[Nickb123]

Ridley. Great pattern; I’ve had 4 of them!

Teamster in FQHH

 

[D97x7]

Probably not my favourite Aero, that's the Highwayman I posted yesterday, but I do love this Teamster in FQHH, it's a crackingly versatile jacket that I should wear more often. This is the replacement after the first one was part of the storse incident, rather glad it was actually as this one is far better than the first and full marks to Aero for owning up and sorting it out.

 

[D97x7]

Two Nicks, two Teamsters, snap

 

[Nickb123]

Two Nicks, two Teamsters, snap

Deceivingly comfortable.

 

[saucerfiend]

Now in Hanoi...View attachment 115847View attachment 115851

Great post! Beautiful jacket!

 

[Pilot]

Great post! Beautiful jacket!

Thankyou appreciate!

 

[coolhandluke]

Ridley. Great pattern; I’ve had 4 of them!
View attachment 115863
Teamster in FQHH
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That Ridley looks amazing on you Nick!

 

[mulceber]

My Merino Irvin is a knockout for me. One and done, got a helluva jacket, don’t need another Irvin repro:

As for one I don’t own? Probably their Hudson: mouton collar, alpaca liner, all those pockets? Still love it. I was about to order one shortly after I got into the hobby, but then you lot sent me tumbling down a rabbit hole of military flight jackets from which I’ve yet to emerge.

 

[Spitfireace]

 

[Spitfireace]

George Preddy I'm not worthy

View attachment 115883

 

[Lord Flashheart]

....

As for one I don’t own? Probably their Hudson: mouton collar, alpaca liner, all those pockets? Still love it. I was about to order one shortly after I got into the hobby, but then you lot sent me tumbling down a rabbit hole of military flight jackets from which I’ve yet to emerge.

Curious. I don't hear you complaining much Jan ...

 

[Kermit3D]

My Merino Irvin is a knockout for me. One and done, got a helluva jacket, don’t need another Irvin repro:
View attachment 115879

As for one I don’t own? Probably their Hudson: mouton collar, alpaca liner, all those pockets? Still love it. I was about to order one shortly after I got into the hobby, but then you lot sent me tumbling down a rabbit hole of military flight jackets from which I’ve yet to emerge.
View attachment 115881

Every time I see a picture of your Irvin, I go to the Aero Leather website to check if they have one in the "ready to wear" section.
You were really right to keep it !

 

[dinomartino1]

I have a royale and still my favourite jacket, if you ever get one I would recommend the battered steer hide, this is a jacket thats needs to drape at the back, a lot of british jackets where made from sheepskin which is why they are so rare now, when it gets really old or dried out is does not it crack it starts to fall apart, thats why we don't see original A1's.
I've always wanted an aero windward.

My new aero royale

My new Aero Royale in battered steerhide. My jacket size is normally a 38 but I had to go down to 36 for the right fit. I had the waistband made wider, the same width as on the 38 as on the 36 it would have been pretty tight. Being as I live in a very hot climate the lining is cotton Lanark...

www.vintageleatherjackets.org

A 1950s militus by millets

A 1950s swand brand, like millets they are still around but they were always famous for their household appliances, I don't know why they branched put into clothing it would be like GE making clothes.

 

[Southoftheborder]

This is my 1930s HB I picked up from their ready to wear page a few years ago and it's one of my best fitting jackets. I stopped wearing it after I bought an Eastman Californian a couple of years later because it was too similar to the Eastman and that had a nicer hide - so I sold it.

But the ELC didn't fit me as well, and the veg tanned hide though lovely to look at did not drape so well. So with some regret I sold that and as luck had it this came up for sale; and I bought it back from the bloke I sold it to in exactly the same condition as I sold it to him. It was too short for him and he never wore it.

I always make sure I really, really don't want a jacket now before it goes and I've got some I wear once a year if that. But they aren't costing me anything to maintain even if they do take up space.

 

[CombatWombat]

I've got a "Highwayman" that i think must have been a custom job.
It's similar to the original 80's one they brought out (and smells like Connelly Roses) but has been altered around the front yoke and has a later Aero tag on it as well as relined in what I can only call poncho blanket

I'm definitely sure it's had more than one owner before me due to a bloody YKK main zip replacement that is going strong for nearly 4 years I've had it (I've got a nice brass schovill I'm going to replace it with when it finally breaks)

 

[Happy Hooligan]

I've been an Aero fan and buyer for almost 30 years. Our almost latest Aero's. Mine is their Original Hercules and my son's is their 30's Half-belt.

 

[B-Man2]

I've been an Aero fan and buyer for almost 30 years. Our almost latest Aero's. Mine is their Original Hercules and my son's is their 30's Half-belt.
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Let us know when you’re going to do another jacket review