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Look good to me, cracks in all the right places. And the bottom one looks like airbrush and stencil. What is the unit designation? I'd like to check out some other documented examples.
I'd like to see a view of these on the entire jacket, they are made very similarly to known originals...or at least appear to be in these photos. This unit sometimes had their "patches" directly painted onto their jackets....that is the way you often see them.
As far as a definitive thumbs up or down, I think it is a bit hard to say from what I see in these pictures, but the initial look is promising. Painted patches can be very difficult....very difficult....sometimes to say for sure.
Couldn't find other examples to compare with but I like it. The cracks and wrinkles actually look random and natural. And the paint is acting as old paint would, cracking at the creases and revealing the color underneath. Provenance ain't all it's cracked up to be and can be faked easier that physical evidence with a name and some paperwork, The only provenance rock solid in my opinion is a picture of the guy wearing the jacket during WW2.
the 457th bg patch is identical to the one painted on my original "belle of the brawl" a-2. my a-2 has a 748th bs patch painted on the left front chest, and a painted pin up on the back with "belle of the brawl" painted above. because my a-2 has provenance, and has been authenticated to its original owner, i would have to assume that the patches on the subject jacket are the real deal.
Look good to me, cracks in all the right places. And the bottom one looks like airbrush and stencil. What is the unit designation? I'd like to check out some other documented examples.
Looking at the other pictures on the eBay selling page I am of the opinion its the real deal WW2 Jacket ,the other patches painted back and flag to hard to fake .
BIP
Guess I can admit that I wasn't 100% ready to bet the left one on this, but had a good initial feeling. Certainly would have dropped 250- on it then and now.
This one looks real to me. I have seen other jackets over the years from this Bomb Group with similar artwork. Those were all A-2's, but is not uncommon to see ground crew or other enlisted guys that for one reason or another did not rate an issue A-2 have private purchase jackets they had painted and patched up.
I will say, the other jackets have seen were slightly better executed....and some real works of art. But those were to guys that were clearly combat crewmen. That does make me think any less of this jacket as far as being wartime, it just is a lesser version, which makes sense given the entire package.
That was a neat one, at a real bargain....would be interesting to research the owner...another possibility is he had to turn his issue jacket in, and had this one made up once he got home using the patches and bits off his original one.
Bazelot
Thanks for the pics.
I've just sent my a-2 to get painted with "Kraut Krusher" artwork.
457th BG which had the "fireball group" insignia which your picture will help
but using the 748th BS patch.
American Flight jackets book page 138 has other pics of the Fireball insignia