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V505 Aussie A-2 on auction

SuinBruin

Well-Known Member
Kinda shot, tho.

click here for the auction of the V505

27542
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
I agree with you. There’s a lot of history that accompanies that jacket and someone should consider doing a repro..,,,,
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
Not seeing the label for the contract. Private purchase reference only. I had a Melbourne made M41 that my Dad scored as a young kid. My Grandfather was a Policeman in Melbourne. Got to break up the fights at 6pm and pour the soldiers onto the trams.
 

SuinBruin

Well-Known Member
The tag is apparently missing but it has all the features of a V505. I expect few outside of this forum even know that an official Aussie-made A-2 ever existed, so no surprise that the auctioneer would call it a "private purchase" jacket.

Compare to this one on the forum:
V505 jacket

The shape of the jacket, color, lining, pockets... all match up.
 

tibor

Well-Known Member
Anybody know who J Rudd was. Don’t recall the name in AVG rosters. China Air Task Force? 14th Air Force?
 

Silver Surfer

Well-Known Member
if the tiger patch is legit, and i think it is, the value is easy what the estimate is, as that is one rare patch....not to mention the blood chit.
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
The tag is apparently missing but it has all the features of a V505. I expect few outside of this forum even know that an official Aussie-made A-2 ever existed, so no surprise that the auctioneer would call it a "private purchase" jacket.

Compare to this one on the forum:
V505 jacket

The shape of the jacket, color, lining, pockets... all match up.

I get that. The same contractor could have continued to make the jackets in Melbourne beyond the contract. Without the label I think that the jacket just ties the amazing patches together.
 

tibor

Well-Known Member
If he was part of the 2nd AVG that diverted to Australia, guess he could have picked up a jacket later on. No real connection to Chennault or China, but maybe he liked the logo and reputation, and wanted to feel a part. That logo was a Disney produced if I recall and didn’t really hit the group right away. Also possible he transferred into the 14th Air Force. A lot of guys said the we’re Flying Tigers but weren’t in the 1st AVG - but were in China.
 

Technonut2112

Well-Known Member
The only references I can find of an 'R. Judd', is a Captain R.W. Judd with the 498th 'Falcons' BS, 345th 'Air Apaches' BG, flying B-25's out of New Guinea in 1943. Long-distance missions were conducted over Southeastern China in 1945, but I can find none directly attributed to him, or affiliation with the AVG.
 

33-1729

Well-Known Member
While reading Smokey Yunick’s book I was really surprised to learn they were making Flying Tiger leather jackets by the hundreds to re-sell during WWII. Excerpt below…

In another deal, you got any idea how much a genuine Flying Tiger leather jacket would bring from a visiting politician or movie personality at the Kanarni Estates? I could buy 100 of ‘em for 10 bucks apiece, and in the right place, 100 to 200 each was like falling off a log. I had one little deal to do, promote all jackets to Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel or Major. Yup, I’d leave an officer’s name on the jacket.

Since the First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Chinese Air Force operated during 1941–1942, an original Flying Tiger jacket wouldn't have used an A-2 contract from 1943. Other than that, how could you tell a real from a fake if all the bits were from the time and made at the time?
 
Ahh I know I'm late to the party.....but there is a VERY limited production run being sold at a Sydney based store.....
And due to the V505 labels having "Made in Australia" printed on them means that a overseas company can't produce the label accurately die to IP/copyright protection (much like Champaign wine and Swarovski Crystal)
 

33-1729

Well-Known Member
Ahh I know I'm late to the party.....but there is a VERY limited production run being sold at a Sydney based store.....
And due to the V505 labels having "Made in Australia" printed on them means that a overseas company can't produce the label accurately die to IP/copyright protection (much like Champaign wine and Swarovski Crystal)

Who is selling the Australian made V505 A-2 reproduction?

V505.JPG


Note: Minutes of the Australian Contract Board Supply Business Paper Numbers 8605 (dated 19/5/43) & 9032 (dated 2/6/43) confirm this contract. V505 jackets have been shown to be used by some members of the U.S. Fifth Air Force
 
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Who is selling the Australian made V505 A-2 reproduction?

View attachment 44081

Note: Minutes of the Australian Contract Board Supply Business Paper Numbers 8605 (dated 19/5/43) & 9032 (dated 2/6/43) confirm this contract. V505 jackets have been shown to be used by some members of the U.S. Fifth Air Force
It's being done through Christie's Sydney
Not a reproduction company......but they do have the drawings for it as well as a "stock" goatskin A2
Their website isn't the best (they the guy is lightening in replying to emails) but I saw it afew weeks ago when I picked up a pair of RAEME cufflinks from them
 

33-1729

Well-Known Member
It's being done through Christie's Sydney
Not a reproduction company......but they do have the drawings for it as well as a "stock" goatskin A2
Their website isn't the best (they the guy is lightening in replying to emails) but I saw it afew weeks ago when I picked up a pair of RAEME cufflinks from them

Thank you!

I found a link.


Looks like A-2 style jackets made to meet current RAAF specifications (goatskin was found to be an excellent flame retardant and, therefore, an RAAF requirement versus he original V505 made of cow skin).
 
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