New shipment from Fivestar

[ZuZu]

I see the point and i'm 100% with Burt @B-Man2 especially in the point of whether to "invest" in a repop jacket 1.200 USD or probably 500 USD. Well the ANJ3 was priced well below 500 even tough quality and craftmanship would suggest a 500 bucks pricetag.

As some of you know i got some original jackets in the collection as well. Mostly USN-jackets of which the Ed Church was the most expensive one (but still below 1.200 bucks. Since G1 are still available in a pricerange starting from 150 USD up to more than 1.000 (for pristine ones) i'm still below the pricelevel of an EASTMAN repop or of an AERO - not mentioning the smaller producers of exquisit reproductions.

I was looking for a G1-ish jacket without mouton to wear even in warmer periods. Since i like shape and cut of the USN-jackets much more than of the A2 my choice was an ANJ but as everyone of us know originals are pretty hard to get hands on. So the only option is a reproduction.

In general - inspired by Burt @B-Man2 , @Chandler and some other folks on the forum - i meanwhile rather buy an original than a reproduction ...

If I ever get an ANJ3 type jacket (for the reasons you describe- more comfort- no mouton) I will get the new black US Navy SWO jacket. Basically it's a modern ANJ3- but with new goofy features like Velcro closures for the pockets with fake buttons sewn on. The official version so far can't be bought but Legendary USA has civilian versions (supposedly from the same factory and Union made). The civilian version has the goofy pockets but also side-entry pockets which are well disguised. It aslo has the blackened YKK zip. Probably official versions will start showing up on Ebay but so far not. Also- Cockpit USA makes a goatskin copy- it doesn't have the goofy Velcro pockets but it looks nice,


Official US Navy SWO: (it's black- this is just bad camera color adjustment)

Legendary USA supposedly from the same factory:

Cockpit USA goatskin:

 

[ZuZu]

SWO:

 

[caddyd]

Not bad for the young and the restless but I'm old so prefer the patina to match.

 

[ZuZu]

Oh I'm old too. I just like it because it's an actual issue jacket and the first new leather issue jacket with a different pattern since 1938 or so.

 

[caddyd]

I think a modern version ANJ in goat is a fine idea.

 

[Thomas Koehle]

i'd be a bit irritated bout fake buttons and stuff - but cool jacket anyway (but still looks shitty compared to my 5* ... )

 

[D97x7]

Intrigued by the M-421a, did you have it altered at all? I'm thinking about getting one but with a little added to the sleeves.

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Intrigued by the M-421a, did you have it altered at all? I'm thinking about getting one but with a little added to the sleeves.

I added 2 cm to the sleeves coz they seemed to be a bit on the short side ...

That's the older one i have before i added the patches - not yet managed to take fitpics of the latest one i got

 

[D97x7]

Thanks Thomas

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Some fitpics of the steerhide ANJ3 made by @Shawn Ali and hsi associates ...

Due to the still pretty high temperatures there wheren't that many occasions before to wear it but even though i didn't use it frequently the jacket broke in pretty nice ...

 

[B-Man2]

The entire outfit looks good Thomas .

 

[Thomas Koehle]

The entire outfit looks good Thomas .

Thanks Burt!

 

[JonnyCrow]

Totally agree with you Zu……
but ….. the reality is that 99.% of the US population wouldn’t know the difference between these jackets and the original ones.
I’ve often said the same about high end repros . The truth is ….”We few , we happy few. We band of brothers “( See what I did there ?) are the only ones who dwell on the most intricate parts of these jackets and we are the ones who could pick a repro out in a crowd in the blink of an eye.
So for the price they aren’t really that bad for the 99% of those who are less discerning about the accuracy of these jackets .

RULE # 5
Regardless of how we as collectors view these jackets, most people can’t tell the difference between one A2 from another, so remember that, when deciding if you need the $1200 repro or the $500. one.

Exactly Burt, we in this group are one percenters, the average Joe on the street wouldn't know or even give a feck, so if it looks good who cares really except us, or one reenactor?

 

[JonnyCrow]

That is my guiding belief in a nutshell. By and large, I am one of the people chasing the perfection unicorn. I know it will always remain just out of grasp, but I enjoy trying to get as close as possible. But I'm not everyone. Not everyone cares, or can be in that chase, or wants to be in that chase. It would be a very boring hobby if everyone were after the same thing. And it would be very quiet too - because aside from one or two VLJers, GW/ELC/Sheeley/BR/RMC jacket purchases are NOT a common event. This community couldn't sustain itself on originals and luxury repros alone.

Everyone has a Shangri-la Burt, whether it's perfection in ourselves, life, wife, girlfriends, objects, I gave up my unicorn long ago, but just occasionally I still believe in unicorns

 

[Saint-ex]

Everyone has a Shangri-la

A Shangri-la ?

All joking aside, this is a vast debate that will never be closed here.

Fivestar now offers jackets that are very well made, with customization possibilities that are, in my opinion, too numerous, which allows some people to do anything and which devalues accuracy in the eyes of purists.
Because not everyone can, or doesn't want to, put $1600 into a jacket so that only their 10 internet friends can see the difference with an Avirex.
I will do it but I am not a model of money management.

For me the main "problem" with Fivestar remains the skin colors mainly on dark tones: This seal brown is too blackish for my taste.
However, I preferred 1000 times to wear the ANJ3 shown by @Thomas Koehle than the "Official US Navy SWO" which looks so much like a mall jacket from the 80s.

 

[flyincowboy]

Some fitpics of the steerhide ANJ3 made by @Shawn Ali and hsi associates ...

Due to the still pretty high temperatures there wheren't that many occasions before to wear it but even though i didn't use it frequently the jacket broke in pretty nice ...

Well! nice fit good looking jacket and i love the flat cap too!

 

[Flightengineer]

Some fitpics of the steerhide ANJ3 made by @Shawn Ali and hsi associates ...

Due to the still pretty high temperatures there wheren't that many occasions before to wear it but even though i didn't use it frequently the jacket broke in pretty nice ...

Looks cool, buddy, and I like your overall too!