A-2 from Flying Equipment Co

[bjoy]

I have seen a few G-1 jackets from Flying Equipment Co of Chicago, but never realized that they made A-2 jackets as well until I saw a picture of one recently. It was goatskin with a 50's looking brass zipper. There were stitch holes that were in the right place for a military-type name tag.

What was odd to me that it had what looked like same black/gold tag as the G-1, and also the same contract number of 261953 I have seen on their G-1 tags.

Anybody have more information about this maker or jacket? Perhaps they had a line of military type jackets for private purchase in the 1953 time frame?

Bill

 

[deeb7]

Anybody have more information about this maker or jacket? Perhaps they had a line of military type jackets for private purchase in the 1953 time frame?

I believe that all the Flying Equipment Co. jackets were made for the post war civilian market ... Google tells me that an example is now on John Chapmans CD, so maybe he has other information.

Aero leather have for many years listed the following ...

Excellent 50's G-1. Rayon lining, real mouton collar the collar has a little bit of wear. The goatskin in fantastic condition. Nice fine pebbly grain. 50's era G-1s are a lot more desirable than the later model. The jacket has the original waistband . We need to fix the cuffs up .No cuffs have been put on at one time but it is a very poor job. The zipper need a needs a new slider because the puller has come off. One person thinks that this might be a repro jacket only because he has never heard of this company making jackets for the military. However, really good repros are only a recent innovation . Commercially available imitations of military jackets were of very poor quality in the 50's. However, because of this slight doubt we have priced this at £275. Had we been sure that this was a genuine issued jacket it would be priced at £400. Size 40"

There are statements there that I would dispute ... and it seems that no one else is buying it.

Here's a link to Popular Mechanics May 1947, showing an advertisement for the Flying Equipment Co. A-2 with optional mouton collar ...

http://books.google.com/books?id=094DAA ... et&f=false

 

[bjoy]

Thanks, David.

It was the black/gold label matching the early Navy jackets that confused me. If they did make actual 55J14 jackets for the Navy, it would explain why there are military-looking labels on what must be reproductions (even if Aero doesn't agree).

 

[deeb7]

It was the black/gold label matching the early Navy jackets that confused me. If they did make actual 55J14 jackets for the Navy, it would explain why there are military-looking labels on what must be reproductions (even if Aero doesn't agree).

I think the G-1's are also civilian, although the labels are the right colour they are not correct, and the jackets always lack the USN marking.

Here's one from Yahoo Japan, note also the zipper ...

 

[fjm]

Hi Guys,
Short story: about 1978 I came across an ad in some magazine for A2 & G1 jackets from a Co. claiming to have been a war years supplier :Flying Equipment Co. in Chicago.
The ad looked convincing [and just where could you get any A2 or G1 of good quality back then? so
I called the Co. & spoke to an older gentleman who I believe said he was the owner & assured me that the jackets he sold were indeed every bit as good as the ones made during the war.
[this was the first of many misunderstandings between myself & other companies that sold A2's].
Off went my Money order & of course when the jacket arrived it was nothing like the photos I had been studying so back it went & the search went on!
I will say that the gentleman I spoke with probably did believe that the jackets he sold were just like the ones made during the war but even then I knew better!

 

[ties70]

Hi,

that picture above of the Flying Equipment G-1 looks kinda odd to me....

Here is my jacket, totally different: Original mouton, rib-rack waistband, black anodized CONMAR zipper....The cuffs have been replaced with M*A*S*H parts...the buttons should be replaced, too.