ULTRA RARE 1938 AERO-Size 50!!!

Roughwear · Aug 14, 2009

How many of these pre-War Aeros in any size does one see? Looking at the jacket the proportions might not suggest a size 50, so I've asked the seller for the dimensions. This was Aero's second contract for the USAAC, order number 38-1711-P. There are pics of one on JC's CD and another in Full Gear P. 24

http://cgi.ebay.com/Original-WWII-USAAF ... 286.c0.m14

greyhound52 · Aug 14, 2009

Wow a real real bird and in pretty good condition for its age. I really like my The Few repro of this jacket which sports the same talon zipper.

Roughwear · Aug 14, 2009

As such an ultra rare jacket what do you reckon it may fetch? I guess some big guns will be after it.

TankBuster · Aug 14, 2009

It will fetch big money I'm sure, and be off to Japan like the white B-3 that sold for almost $1,800 probably is. The size will bring more attention to it for sure.

Roughwear · Aug 14, 2009

TankBuster said:
It will fetch big money I'm sure, and be off to Japan like the white B-3 that sold for almost $1,800 probably is. The size will bring more
attention ot it for sure.

I agree Jeff, Japan is the obvious destination, but I remember a 1937 Aero being bought by Gary Eastman a couple of years ago so he might go for this or someone else over here or in the US, but not me!

Roughwear · Aug 15, 2009

Here are the dimensions which the seller gave me.

Across the shoulders is 19 inches
Sleeve from Shoulder seam to end of cuff is 25 inches
Down the back from base of collar to bottom of waistband is 25.5 inches.

These are the same measurements on some of my original size 44s. I have asked again for the crucial pit to pit measurement.

Jaydee · Aug 16, 2009

With a size 50 being such a rarity, it is interesting to me that there is no photo of the size tab. In the photo of the label, the size tab is bent back and appears to be a darker black then the label. Could it be a sewn in Repro size tab? Hard to tell from the photos but if it has the demensions of a Size 44, I would say it is a possibility.

Roughwear · Aug 16, 2009

Even if the tag says 50 it could be an incorrect later addition. Intrestingly the seller gave me the pit dimension as 18 or 19", but claimed he did not know how to measure it accurately! I too thinks its a 44 rather than a 50. Besides the proportion of the jacket to the pockets, which don't increase in size, look wrong for a 50.

greyhound52 · Aug 17, 2009

Roughwear said:
Even if the tag says 50 it could be an incorrect later addition. Intrestingly the seller gave me the pit dimension as 18 or 19", but claimed he did not know how to measure it accurately! I too thinks its a 44 rather than a 50. Besides the proportion of the jacket to the pockets, which don't increase in size, look wrong for a 50.

Yeah I had another seller tell me he didn't know how to measure the pit to pit size. How hard is this?

Roughwear · Aug 18, 2009

The seller has now measured the chest correctly on this jacket, and guess what its 21 or 22", so its most likely a size 40 or 42. He has put this info on the auction for others to see along with the size 50 tag which looks original to the jacket, just the wrong size tag.

MikeyB-17 · Aug 18, 2009

I've just pointed out to him that the patch is of the 67th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb group, 8th AAF, as denoted by the yellow nose on the bomb. If it was red it would have been the 66th, and white for the 68th. They flew B-24's out of Shipdham, and came down my way to bomb St.Nazaire, temporarily stopping at RAF Davidstow Moor. There are pics in one of Martin Bowman's books of guys from the 44th on R'n'R in Newquay, with a caption 'Yanks at the court of King Arthur'. King Arthur is associated with Tintagel, a good 20 miles from Newquay.

MikeyB-17 · Aug 19, 2009

Yeah, just got a reply, and not a particularly gracious one. May he be plagued by non-paying bidders.

MikeyB-17 · Aug 19, 2009

I dunno, I just re-read it, perhaps I was a bit harsh. Initially seemed he didn't believe me, perhaps it's just me. Whatever.

Roughwear · Aug 19, 2009

MikeyB-17 said:
Yeah, just got a reply, and not a particularly gracious one. May he be plagued by non-paying bidders.

This is quite likely as the size 50 no doubt attracted bidders initially. There are no bid re-tractions as yet. The guy may would get more the jacket were he to allow a sale outside the US.

rich · Aug 19, 2009

MikeyB-17 said:
I dunno, I just re-read it, perhaps I was a bit harsh. Initially seemed he didn't believe me, perhaps it's just me. Whatever.

No, it's not you Mike. He ought to seek reimbursement from the charm school. Also, if I was selling a jacket for $2,000+, you'd be given the dimensions to the nearest 16th..............

And who is this 'Andrew' fellow asking all those niggling questions...?

Roughwear · Aug 19, 2009

rich said:
MikeyB-17 said:

I dunno, I just re-read it, perhaps I was a bit harsh. Initially seemed he didn't believe me, perhaps it's just me. Whatever.

Click to expand...

No, it's not you Mike. He ought to seek reimbursement from the charm school. Also, if I was selling a jacket for $2,000+, you'd be given the dimensions to the nearest 16th..............

And who is this 'Andrew' fellow asking all those niggling questions...?

Yes, he's not the most accommodating seller is he! I wont be going for this jacket as it will go for a very high price, even though it would most likley fit me.

TankBuster · Aug 19, 2009

Looks like JCS (Contrailschaser) is hot to buy this one!!!
It's a bidding war between him and another guy.

Roughwear · Aug 19, 2009

This is interesting Jeff. So I presume the seller ships to Canada then? I wonder if JCS wants this for his collection or to sell on?

bristolherc · Aug 20, 2009

Of interest to me.....which no one has commented on....is the lack of top stitching around the cuff knits ( which I thought was a '38 Aero characteristic ) and that the stitching for the pockets and flaps runs through into the lining,...sooooooo were the pockets and flaps sewn on after the jacket was closed up?

Bevan

Andrew · Aug 20, 2009

bristolherc said:
... and that the stitching for the pockets and flaps runs through into the lining,...sooooooo were the pockets and flaps sewn on after the jacket was closed up?

Bevan

I wondered about that too, but assumed that the pockets had been resewn during an earlier not so careful refurb of the pockets where they'd become unstitched. I had a jacket like that once.

Roughwear said:
.... or to sell on?

...complete with ever so convincing scratchy and worn mission tallys and back art? :shock:

ULTRA RARE 1938 AERO-Size 50!!!

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