A-2 Bill Kelso "42 long" dimensions.

[Kermit3D]

I own an A-2 Bill Kelso Dubow (sold by Brettafett) that is a "42 Long".
I compared the dimensions of my A-2 (42L) with the beautiful original A-2 Perry Sportswear (42) that Silver Surfer recently sold.
It's funny to see that the dimensions are very close :

A-2 Bill Kelso Dubow (42 Long) :
- Shoulder to shoulder : 45.5 cm / 17.9"
- Armpit to armpit : 56 cm / 22"
- Sleeves : 66 cm / 26"
- Back length : 62 cm / 24.4"

Original A-2 Perry Sportswear (42):
- Shoulder to shoulder : 45.7 cm / 18"
- Armpit to armpit : 56.5 cm / 22.25"
- Sleeves : 65 cm / 25.5"
- Back length : 63 cm / 25"

So Bill Kelso's "42 Long" doesn't look so long. It is even 1 cm shorter than the original Perry.
I know they are not the same contract, so the comparison is not quite valid. But I was still surprised by this comparison.

Would an A-2 Bill Kelso "42 Regular" really be shorter ?

 

[mulceber]

I think it's also valuable to add in the listed measurements of a BK Dubow:

pit-to-pit 22.5"
shoulders: 18"
back: 24.5"
sleeves: 25.5"

Your jacket falls short of all four of those measurements. Now, there's prone to be some variation in construction, but I think the main culprit here is shrinkage, which is typical of Victoria horsehide. My guess is that your long started out with the following measurements, which would indeed make it noticeably longer than the Perry:

pit-to-pit: 22.5"
shoulders: 18"
back: 25"
sleeves 26.5"

 

[Kermit3D]

Good point ! I didn't get the jacket new so I don't quite realize the shrinkage effect of the leather.

 

[Brettafett]

It was hardly worn when you received it K, I was wearing my other Dubow and RW all the time. So yours was very, very... almost new.

I have the original measurements for it... Size 42 with a little added length.
pit-to-pit 22"
shoulders: 17.75"
back: 25"
sleeves: 26"

So, no, it is not overly long by any means... And only some 'shrinkage' seems to as occurred.
Just as, I have to assume, with the original decades old Perry.

My Platon has shrunk a teeny bit in the body also (in a good way). It was 25.5, its now 25"
Thats a different leather though.

Those measurements from BK (and every other maker) are based off their originals, but... decades old originals...
As always, makers who handle multiple originals will 'average' it out Im sure.

 

[Kermit3D]

Thanks Brett for the additional measurement.
I couldn't be happier with this BK Dubow jacket. The dimensions fit me perfectly. It shouldn't have been any longer, or any shorter.

But I figure the originals have also shrunk over a long life (80 years or so). Aren't the (new) reproductions based on originals that have already undergone the shrinking process ? And therefore should be slightly longer ?
This thought is valid for the stiffness of the leather, but that's another subject.

It would be interesting to have the dimensions of an original A-2 Dubow in size 42.

 

[Kermit3D]

But as mulceber said, there was a lot of disparity in the cut on the same contract, and this is probably also the case on reproductions.
So I think I'm getting my brain in knots for nothing.

 

[Brettafett]

I think its another black hole discussion. There are so many variations among originals, even same contract, same size.
You'll get slightly different measurements for every original you measure...
Sure you'll find that an XYZ size 42 generally measures XYZ, but more than likely there'll be variations...

Besides leather and materials, the war-time manufacturing process... the old adage, "there was a war on... We have tens of thousands of these jackets to make, get it done!" etc holds true.

Then one has to consider, these jackets were worn as intended, mostly by young men going war, in extreme environs.
They wore them in Sun, rain and snow. They wore them wet, wore them layered under and over, they sweat bullets in them...
So what we have today, decades AFTER all of this, is what we base all our high end repros on.
You have to allow for variances and tolerances.

Also depends on who's measuring and if two blokes are measuring the same way etc.

Jorge may shed some light as he has a mint with box original, is it a Perry or 1756? A real Golden Goose!

Bottom line is, if you have an original that fits, great. If you pay money for a high end repro, then make sure it fits great.