Who Makes the Best Mall Bomber /A-2 Jacket?

[Pilotomutante]

I own a Flight Apparel IND. jacket and it is the most confortable jacket I own. Great quality if you do not care about small detail in a repro A-2.

 

[les_garten]

I own a Flight Apparel IND. jacket and it is the most confortable jacket I own. Great quality if you do not care about small detail in a repro A-2.

Link?

Everything I found said they went out of business 30 years ago or so??

 

[Pilotomutante]

Link?

Everything I found said they went out of business 30 years ago or so??

Bought it in NYC several years ago in a surplus store near canal St. Awesome fit and quality but inaccurate in small details. I always thought it was cowhide but it might as well be HH. Either way great quality hide.

 

[herk115]

I always thought it was cowhide but it might as well be HH. Either way great quality hide.

You know, I've got to agree. I just found my Flight Apparel A-2 that I haven't seen in over 20 years and I'm amazed at the quality of the hide. If they'd just have made the darn thing close to correctly, they would have had a winner on their hands.

 

[Anonymous]

I have had several, still own one, they are pretty good jackets. I changed the dark neck hooks, and replaced them with chrome steel, and sewed the jacket hanger through the back of the jacket. I also put the AAF and AN stamp in the liner.

 

[herk115]

I have had several, still own one, they are pretty good jackets. I changed the dark neck hooks, and replaced them with chrome steel, and sewed the jacket hanger through the back of the jacket. I also put the AAF and AN stamp in the liner.

What did you do about those sleeves? All three of my Flight Apparels seem to have the sleeve sewn to the torso at the elbow. I took a stab at altering one with leather patches and as an experimental job it didn't turn out half bad.

 

[Anonymous]

Not following, high arm hole?

 

[herk115]

Not following, high arm hole?

No, too low an arm hole. On my Flight Apparels, it's as if the bottom of the armpit hole, where the sleeve joins the torso in the armpit, is way too low on the torso, and you can barely raise your arm above your waist without the entire jacket riding almost over your head. Forget trying to salute. Maybe FA corrected this defect by the time you got your copies.

Also, I notice the epaulets were improperly made. I had to remove them and put in the inner two stitch lines. Did you have either of these two problems?

 

[Hamsterbear]

The FAI jackets were made in Hammondton, NJ in the 1980's and early 1990's, and for an A-2 replica of that era, they were very good. I know they did not have the correct details reproductions have today, but they were NOT a "mall jacket". Think period reproduction. This was back when it was very hard to find a decent A-2. The owner of the company was killed in a light plane accident, and the company died with him. I owned several over the years, and sold as I out grew them. They made a very good Navy G-1, possibly also a military contract for the Navy ( I forget)

 

[Anonymous]

Not following, high arm hole?

No, too low an arm hole. On my Flight Apparels, it's as if the bottom of the armpit hole, where the sleeve joins the torso in the armpit, is way too low on the torso, and you can barely raise your arm above your waist without the entire jacket riding almost over your head. Forget trying to salute. Maybe FA corrected this defect by the time you got your copies.

Also, I notice the epaulets were improperly made. I had to remove them and put in the inner two stitch lines. Did you have either of these two problems?

I did notice that issue to some degree, however the only person I have to salute is my wife, and I'm not ususally wearing a jacket at the time. :lol:

 

[zoomer]

I notice the epaulets were improperly made. I had to remove them and put in the inner two stitch lines.

Just don't do this to a Werber 1729, ok? The improper make is part of the contract design.

 

[herk115]

I notice the epaulets were improperly made. I had to remove them and put in the inner two stitch lines.

Just don't do this to a Werber 1729, ok? The improper make is part of the contract design.

Gotcha, but don't worry. There is nothing "Werber" about a Flight Apparel.

 

[Anonymous]

Miss quoted never said anything about restitching?

 

[zoomer]

Gotcha, but don't worry. There is nothing "Werber" about a Flight Apparel.

Except maybe the drastically v-shaped midsection. :shock: (me, gasping for breath after trying on my FAI)

 

[Anonymous]

Start doing those situps.

 

[fishmeok]

Back in the day before I started making my own I was very happy with an old Avirex A-2- but you have to be careful, they used the same label for a couple decades. You may think you are getting an early Avirex, but are actually getting some 90's monstrosity with cheap leather, hand pockets, etc.

I would recommend G&B as well, they make nice jackets with a "modern" fit.

Cheers
Mark

 

[Anonymous]

Had a very early Avirex, Talon zip, and a few other nice details. I noticed the label was much smaller that later models, even smaller that a Dubow label. The collar, and windflap we also very small in comparison to newer jackets.