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Original Patched Monarch A-2 Coming Soon

jeremiah

jeremiah

Well-Known Member
Hard to tell from that pic but that does not look like goat hide to me. Were some broncos made with horse or cow?
 
Juanito

Juanito

Well-Known Member
Stony said:
I also have a question? If it was turned in at the end of the war, how did it end up on the market? Did someone in supply steal this and other jackets only to sell them down the road? Interesting to say the least.
Click to expand...

I think I can answer that, at least to a point.

In the 1980's when I first started seriously collecting USAAF gear and jackets, I once brought home an A-11 helmet, a Bronco A-2 jacket, an A-14 oxygen mask and a "Mae-West" life vest I recently scored to show my dad. Thinking I had struck pay dirt, he was wholly unimpressed. I thought this was odd for two reason, first, my dad actually knew what I had but had never expressed any interst in my hobby in the past, and two that he didn't think it was much of a find.

My dad grew up in Sacramento, CA, Carmichael specifically. Whenever we went down o visit my grandparent in the 1970s, we would always take a trip to this massive Army Navy Surplus store. After I showed my dad my finds, he starts to tell me that right after WWII and into the 1950s, the leather Air Force helmets, gloves, boots, and flight jackets were plentiful, as well as just about any other military clothing or gear that you would want. In his words "bins of those leather helmets, and racks of flying jackets." He said the helmets could be purchased for a nickle or a dime and the jackets were a dollar or two. He went on to say that he distinctly remembered some of the jackets being painted, because nobody wanted those--they wanted "clean" jackets so they could paint their own their club names on them.

He also mentioned that there were literally barrels full of Japanese Arisaka rifles at the Army Navy store and at just about any hardware store you visited. Take your choice, $5.00 each. My how times have changed.

The really crazy thing was that my late uncle (my mom's brother) completely unprompted pretty much said the same thing about that store about 10 years ago (they grew up in the same area of Sacramento but my mom and dad met much later than that in the 1960's), but his group of friend were more into the ground combat thing with their specialty being helmets, and he had a hilarious story about his junior high school banning the helmets since all the kids were wearing them at school.

...anyway, I would guess literally tons of this stuff was liqudated as surplus from the government in lots or on pallets, probably sold by weight. In fact, One of the largest chain Army Navy stores called G.I. Joes here in the Western US started out this way, first with sleeping bags and then other stuff. When I was growing up, there seemed to be an Army Navy Surplus store in every town, but they are almost all gone, or are just selling camping crap made in China.
 
Pilot

Pilot

Well-Known Member
...forgot to mention....will be listed...but sorry.... not here anymore...
But love this forum...
 
Last edited:
Stony

Stony

Well-Known Member
Well, thanks Spitfireace for sharing your jacket. If we’ve learned anything from this, it’s that Stony had better not show his when it arrives!
I guess it’s as much my fault as anyone’s for the direction this thread took but this used to be a forum full of original jacket posts. It’s sort of a product of our culture and technology but I’d like to think that every jacket posted now won’t be tied to this type of debate.
Click to expand...

Since the vet of the jacket that I'm getting has passed away many years ago and his son sold it to me, I have no worries about anything weird happening down the road. The son also sold me his USAF blouse and "nylon flight jacket", but I don't know what type of nylon it is, so that will be a surprise when everything arrives in the next few days. The son also said there are more items he's going to send me, but that he has to locate them as they have moved recently.

There will be pictures forthcoming, but in a new thread.
 
Pilot

Pilot

Well-Known Member
silvio76 said:
Why not here? I am sure you will find buyer here.
Click to expand...
Sure, but my little experciences selling here ended more as a donation but not like a real sale...Plus...some new owners soon relisted elswhere with a hefty profit...
All legit and fine...but...
 
silvio76

silvio76

Well-Known Member
Pilot said:
Sure, my little experciences selling here ended more as a donation but not like a real sale...Plus...some new owners soon relisted elswhere with a hefty profit...
All legit and fine...but...
Click to expand...
Understand your reasons. I did not buy jacket from you, because it was too expensive for me and my intention is not reseling. Send me the message when you listed some of yours jackets.
 
Pilot

Pilot

Well-Known Member
silvio76 said:
Understand your reasons. I did not buy jacket from you, because it was too expensive for me and my intention is not reseling. Send me the message when you listed some of yours jackets.
Click to expand...
Hi Silvio, thx for your words ...precisely because of your opinion and several others; I will not list here anymore but only inform "will be soon listed" ...whoever is interested is free or not to PM.
Please be assured, I receive(d) a lot of PM´s and normally all goes quite fast...expensive or not...
:) :) :)
 
silvio76

silvio76

Well-Known Member
Pilot said:
Hi Silvio, thx for your words ...precisely because of your opinion and several others; I will not list here anymore but only inform "will be soon listed" ...whoever is interested is free or not to PM.
Please be assured, I receive(d) a lot of PM´s and normally all goes quite fast...expensive or not...
:) :) :)
Click to expand...
If you have something in size 46, just send "will be soon listed". :)
 
EmergencyIan

EmergencyIan

Active Member
Juanito said:
I think I can answer that, at least to a point.

In the 1980's when I first started seriously collecting USAAF gear and jackets, I once brought home an A-11 helmet, a Bronco A-2 jacket, an A-14 oxygen mask and a "Mae-West" life vest I recently scored to show my dad. Thinking I had struck pay dirt, he was wholly unimpressed. I thought this was odd for two reason, first, my dad actually knew what I had but had never expressed any interst in my hobby in the past, and two that he didn't think it was much of a find.

My dad grew up in Sacramento, CA, Carmichael specifically. Whenever we went down o visit my grandparent in the 1970s, we would always take a trip to this massive Army Navy Surplus store. After I showed my dad my finds, he starts to tell me that right after WWII and into the 1950s, the leather Air Force helmets, gloves, boots, and flight jackets were plentiful, as well as just about any other military clothing or gear that you would want. In his words "bins of those leather helmets, and racks of flying jackets." He said the helmets could be purchased for a nickle or a dime and the jackets were a dollar or two. He went on to say that he distinctly remembered some of the jackets being painted, because nobody wanted those--they wanted "clean" jackets so they could paint their own their club names on them.

He also mentioned that there were literally barrels full of Japanese Arisaka rifles at the Army Navy store and at just about any hardware store you visited. Take your choice, $5.00 each. My how times have changed.

The really crazy thing was that my late uncle (my mom's brother) completely unprompted pretty much said the same thing about that store about 10 years ago (they grew up in the same area of Sacramento but my mom and dad met much later than that in the 1960's), but his group of friend were more into the ground combat thing with their specialty being helmets, and he had a hilarious story about his junior high school banning the helmets since all the kids were wearing them at school.

...anyway, I would guess literally tons of this stuff was liqudated as surplus from the government in lots or on pallets, probably sold by weight. In fact, One of the largest chain Army Navy stores called G.I. Joes here in the Western US started out this way, first with sleeping bags and then other stuff. When I was growing up, there seemed to be an Army Navy Surplus store in every town, but they are almost all gone, or are just selling camping crap made in China.
Click to expand...

When I was a kid the local surplus stores had tons of U.S. and British WWII stuff. They’d cut a refrigerator box in half and fill it with fully assembled M1 helmets, etc, etc. my grandfather wound almost always take me. At one point, I recall him recognizing some pieces of kit and then proceeding to look for his serial number on them. With that said, none of the items had been issued to him...no surprise. Anyhow, back then, surplus stores were a treasure chest for guys like us and most little boys ...all the way up to their veteran grandfathers. I’ll never forget the musty/mildew smell of those stores. They smelled like vintage army tent canvas. In fact, my grandfather and I got a WWII pup tent from the place and put it up in the back yard. He remembered how to do it like he’d just done it the day before.

- Ian
 
EmergencyIan

EmergencyIan

Active Member
^ Yeah, whether it’s NYC or Indiana, the surplus stores have almost no surplus anymore. I’d bet eBay had something to do with it, but there must be other reasons, as well. I say that because our military surplus stores weren’t getting their surplus from flee markets and private dealers/collectors.

- Ian
 
Stony

Stony

Well-Known Member
After the Monarch arrives, the next jacket on my bucket list will be an original Cooper.
 
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