A-2 Govt Supplied Materials Question

[CBI]

thanks for the info John. didn't mean to paraphrase you in 2 sentences but I wasn't up for writing an essay!

 

[2BM2K]

Even the leather had very tight specs.

Indeed. There are scans of the leather specification in the new A-2 Manual, these
specifications call for chrome tanning.

Horsehide, cowhide, goatskin all chrome tanned. No mention of vegetable tanning.

 

[Roughwear]

This spec is from Feb 1941 and I'm wondering if veg tanned leather was used widely on A2s in the 1930s.

 

[2BM2K]

I can see no reason why chrome tanning would not have been used for
flying jackets in the 1930's.

The document on page 33 is interesting as it gives an idea of what properties the army
was looking for in it's flying jackets.

 

[Roughwear]

However there is no documentary evidence as far as I know that indicates veg tanning was not used on A2s in the 1930s.

 

[zoomer]

I can see no reason why chrome tanning would not have been used for
flying jackets in the 1930's.

IIRC, the Navy specified it for their A-1 variant, Spec 37J1. One reason, surely, is that chrome tanning makes leather resist water better than vegetable tanning. Some sources also suggest that veg tanning stiffens leather more, making it more appropriate for tack, beltings, or holsters than for jackets.

Then there's the question of dyeing, a whole separate process from tanning, and I assume, much more evident to the eye and hand.

 

[Phantomfixer]

Then there is this comment posted on another thread currently running about re; steerhide use in A2's. It's from a discussion over at the old Yahoo discussion group;

"I had a fascinating conversation yesterday with a
woman who worked at the old Aero factory in Beacon, NY
during the war. I asked her if they used only horsehide.
She said they used whatever hides they could get
their hands on, including cow, horse and sheepskins. As
she put it, "there was a war on, so we used whatever
we could get our hands on".<br><br>Grant"

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vintagele ... essage/931

She doesn't say "we used whatever the government sent us", but rather "whatever we could get our hands on".

So does this help with the use of steerhide in A-2 construction or maybe muddy the water more......??? I concede on others research that steerhide was not used per contract, not to say it was not slipped in a time or two....