A-2 flight jacket Good Wear David D. Doniger sz 42

[442RCT]

Wow, finally a jacket in my size.

http://cgi.ebay.com/A2-A-2-flight-jacke ... dZViewItem

 

[Roughwear]

Wow, finally a jacket in my size.

http://cgi.ebay.com/A2-A-2-flight-jacke ... dZViewItem

So I guess you are not going for this one as you have flagged it up here?

 

[shiloh]

Is this one a goatskin or a HH jacket? Looks like goat but I am not for sure. :?: :?:

Shiloh

Wow, finally a jacket in my size.

http://cgi.ebay.com/A2-A-2-flight-jacke ... dZViewItem

 

[Roughwear]

Is this one a goatskin or a HH jacket? Looks like goat but I am not for sure. :?: :?:

Shiloh

Wow, finally a jacket in my size.

http://cgi.ebay.com/A2-A-2-flight-jacke ... dZViewItem

This one like all original Donigers this is made of goat.

 

[shiloh]

Thanks Andrew, I have to learn a lot about original A-2 jackets

Shiloh

Is this one a goatskin or a HH jacket? Looks like goat but I am not for sure. :?: :?:

Shiloh

Wow, finally a jacket in my size.

http://cgi.ebay.com/A2-A-2-flight-jacke ... dZViewItem

This one like all original Donigers this is made of goat.

 

[Cobblers161]

Nice jacket but it seems an odd size for a 42".

The shoulders don't seem to have enough width to get that marginal overhang(ie not trim on the shoulders), the torso seems too trim and the arms too short. It's obviously been customised to suit the seller but from these dimensions he comes across quite tall with rather short arms!

For a 42" Doniger shouldn't the shoulders be at least 19" and the chest 23" to suit the contract shape? This seems more a 40" with a 42/44" body and a 38 sleeve length.

Maybe it's a trim military fit?

Of course I stand to be corrected...

 

[greyhound52]

Nice jacket but it seems an odd size for a 42".

The shoulders don't seem to have enough width to get that marginal overhang(ie not trim on the shoulders), the torso seems too trim and the arms too short. It's obviously been customised to suit the seller but from these dimensions he comes across quite tall with rather short arms!

For a 42" Doniger shouldn't the shoulders be at least 19" and the chest 23" to suit the contract shape? This seems more a 40" with a 42/44" body and a 38 sleeve length.

Maybe it's a trim military fit?

Of course I stand to be corrected...

Original 44 Doniger I have has 18.5 shoulder span and about almost 24 across at the pits. Sleeve length is about 25. And I have two of them both 44 and they measure exactly the same so no you don't have to have 19 in the shoulder span area.

 

[Roughwear]

This is interesting. My size 42 original is 23" pit to pit, 18.5" across the shoulders and 24.5" for the sleeves and was used as a pattern by JC for his size 42 Donigers. It's possible this repro was customised for the buyer-ie shorter sleeves.

 

[Dr H]

Just my fourpenny worth...

Coincidentally, I measured my GW Doni this morning during a 'conversation' with Andrew Swatland about Perry dimensions.

My GW Doni is tagged a size 42 and the measurements are: pit-to-pit 23", sleeve 24.5" with the curve, shoulders 18.5" straight across the back, 20" over the top shoulder line, 24" base of collar to rear waistband.

I am slightly shorter in the arm so 24.5" to end of knitted cuff works well with no tunnelling (but equally the sleeves do not appear stretched taut), but these dimensions do give a true 42" fit (my chest is 41" when fully 'inflated') and John made no other changes to the contract to suit me.

The fit is on me is comparable with Andrew's original 44 on him in his images elsewhere on the forum (smart and well fitted, shirt-like without being too trim and with no bagginess). My Doni has enough width in the shoulders to sit comfortably without feeling constrained and marginally overhanging (fraction of an inch) without drooping.

Having said that, maybe I'm just deformed and everybody is being too polite...

Cheers

Ian

 

[Cobblers161]

Aha! I had Pauls old 40", lovely jacket, and that was 23" chest, 19" shoulders and 24" down the back and although it was a 40" I wore it as a 42" if that makes sense.

Maybe I'm the freak?

I imagined as this was Johns forst Doni that was the template for future sizing etc.. but maybe the patter changed slightly as they sometimes do. Although from the original pics I've seen there has always been plenty of room in the lower torso and a little shoulder overhang, or rather they look nicely rounded. This may however have been down to Aircrew wearing a nearest available size as opposed to the tailored fit.


Dr H we are exactly the same size, if you ever offload any GW's or originals I'm all ears

 

[greyhound52]

This is interesting. My size 42 original is 23" pit to pit, 18.5" across the shoulders and 24.5" for the sleeves and was used as a pattern by JC for his size 42 Donigers. It's possible this repro was customised for the buyer-ie shorter sleeves.

Went back and my sleeves are the same as yours length wise. Interesting that the only difference between the 44 and 42 appears to be the pit to pit measurement which is only an inch difference.

 

[Roughwear]

Thanks for the update George. Are your Donigers in good condition? Perhaps you could post some pics as I have never seen a size 44?

 

[Dr H]

Dr H we are exactly the same size, if you ever offload any GW's or originals I'm all ears

Aha, I've found my short armed twin... :lol:

I'm very attached to my Doni and goatskin Perry at present (both in 'your' tailored size) and the former is getting daily wear come rain or shine.

However, I might consider doing a deal with the GW Doni if you have a HH Perry (our size) hidden in your closet to tempt me :?:

On the other hand, if you don't have that elusive Perry and should I ever want to let the Doni go, then I'll give you first refusal .

It's a really lovely bit of JC's work as ever - I've studied images of authentic jackets closely and he really nailed the collar profile with the later examples, it's wearing in nicely, losing a little shine and burnishing nicely

 

[greyhound52]

Thanks for the update George. Are your Donigers in good condition? Perhaps you could post some pics as I have never seen a size 44?

Here you go it is the better of the two of them. This got a reseal at a depot. Has a USAF decal vice USAAF so this one was used after the war. Got the details on the original owner of the jacket a B-24 flight engineer in the Pacific area. This is a 29991(?) contract which while does not David Doniger on it this is definately a Doniger.

 

[Dr H]

Thanks for posting those images George - very interesting to see the pattern in such a radically different colour combination (shell, lining, and knits) from the conventional colouring.

It gives the A2 quite a different character...

 

[Roughwear]

George I now remember you did post these images sometime back! I believe this is the jacket worn by John on his Flight Jacket CD, a very rare jacket indeed. Do you wear the jacket from time to time?

 

[greyhound52]

George I now remember you did post these images sometime back! I believe this is the jacket worn by John on his Flight Jacket CD, a very rare jacket indeed. Do you wear the jacket from time to time?

Yes on the CD got the jacket from John one of my better buys. Yes wear it some. But with all the repros I have I very rarely wear my originals. Don't want to mess them up.

 

[johnwayne]

All this talk of GW Donigers makes me want one - always liked the more pointy collared A2's Is that original really that dark or is it my PC screen - looks almost black? Lovely jacket whatever!!
As to GW and his CD, he's still not responded to my request for a copy - yes he's busy we know, as touched on elsehwere on the site, perhaps I'll have to give Mr JC a nudge.

Cheers
Wayne

 

[442RCT]

Wow, finally a jacket in my size.

http://cgi.ebay.com/A2-A-2-flight-jacke ... dZViewItem

So I guess you are not going for this one as you have flagged it up here?

:lol: You're right, I'll be paying for something tomorrow that'll bust my toy budget for the month. So unless it's something I really,really,really want (like a Urbaniak painted jacket in my size), I'll probably take a pass.

 

[Chandler]

Here you go it is the better of the two of them.

Does that really say that's a 44? Those pockets look tiny.

Chandler