Ww2 hides vs. modern hides

[Micawber]

This subject comes up at least once a year which is understandable with new members wanting to ask about it.

The answers are the same though...

Original A-2 hides were chrome tanned and the method used is different to now so there are differences in drape and appearance.

It's maybe oversimplifying but it's essentially on the money, and to keep it concise...

Modern veg tanned leathers usually have a better similarity in appearance to the surface qualities of original A-2s but the drape of the leather it far, far stiffer than an original A-2 would have had when new.

Modern chrome tanned leathers often have a drape which more closely resembles the drape that an original would have had but the appearance of the leather 9 times out of 10 lacks the variance, richness and depth that the old school, old method chrome tanning produced.

So therein lies the classic trade-off - drape versus appearance of modern leather choices for an A-2.

Good post Tim, it should be pinned somewhere

 

[Grant]

Eastman Leather A-2 “Pearl Harbor”

Wow, doesn't get much better than that.

 

[ZuZu]

Wow, doesn't get much better than that.

But for the pattern...

 

[CBI]

yes to all above, for me mainly poor hides (use whatever you've got) in WW2 and waaaay more worn hours during WW2 pics than us guys today.......especially with multiple jackets in the modern rotation.

 

[ZuZu]

yes to all above, for me mainly poor hides (use whatever you've got) in WW2 and waaaay more worn hours during WW2 pics than us guys today.......especially with multiple jackets in the modern rotation.

I disagree that WW2 hides were "poor". They used methods that can't be replicated today to make leather. The leather was inspected. Some of the leather is truly just unearthly in its beauty. Just 'cause it wasn't all smooth and perfect doesn't mean it wasn't better leather than today's and I think in fact that a leather jacket in the 30s and 40s was OK having a bit of grain- exactly as we nuts like it today. Also- there might be an argument that in fact that a lot of A-2s weren't necessarily worn more than what some of us do today. Early in the war maybe when they were actually flight jackets but later more of a noodling around time on the base thing. Later in the war A-2s were in the rotation with B-10s, 15s and FE2/3 electric suits. I think a lot of what we see is insouciant post war wear- like M-65s in 1975 or something.

 

[CombatWombat]

I'll have to take a photo of my old flight jacket I had when I was a engineering loadmaster.
I ALWAYS wore it whenever I could get away with it on operations and after nearly 15 years it grained up fantastic
But in saying that I was wearing it for 12 hours per flight on average and it's goatskin, so the wear patterning is vastly different from the reproduction jackets

 

[Nickb123]

With leather, I think by and large the high-end repro collector who stumbles upon his or her first original will be in for a bit of a shock. I’m sure there are exceptions though.

One thing the originals have is a cut/fit/patterning/wear that is just on its own planet, that will forever remain 100% exactly irreplaceable.

Also some interesting graining those old hides had back then!

WWII-postwar goatskin, however, I’d argue is still superior to any repro goat I’ve encountered. Idk if it was the urine component or whatnot, but if so, those jackets are the piss.

 

[CombatWombat]

This is what I mean about the graining of my "flight jacket"
It's got nice graining after nearly 15 years of 10-12 hour flight rotations.
It's a pretty thick but supple goatskin that has one of the most bulletproof topcoats I've seen on a leather jacket and it's only had wear where the load harness rubbed over the years....... also has the strangest knits I've seen on a jacket (I thought it was acrylic yet it wears and burnt like wool when a casing landed on it )

 

[Flightengineer]

With leather, I think by and large the high-end repro collector who stumbles upon his or her first original will be in for a bit of a shock. I’m sure there are exceptions though.

One thing the originals have is a cut/fit/patterning/wear that is just on its own planet, that will forever remain 100% exactly irreplaceable.

Also some interesting graining those old hides had back then!

WWII-postwar goatskin, however, I’d argue is still superior to any repro goat I’ve encountered. Idk if it was the urine component or whatnot, but if so, those jackets are the piss.

100% agree, to get the same wear it need the same iron cockpits of those iron birds.