I come here seeking help. I’m retired Air Force and was issued an A2 flight jacket in 1989. My son will be commissioning in the Army next week and as you all know, the Army has authorized the A2 to be optional with their new AGSU. My jacket is still in great condition- I put leather condition on it every few years. I also had it customized back in the day with a blood chit sewn in the lining, had interior pockets installed and had my name embroidered inside. I want to give my son my jacket, but there is Velcro sewn on it for a name tag and for a command patch- as per Air Force regulations. The Army doesn’t have any patches on their A2. Is there any way I can remove the Velcro and fill the stitching holes so my son can wear my jacket? I pulled back a corner of the Velcro and the holes are noticeable.
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A2 stitching help
- Thread starter DomG
- Start date
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Great looking jacket ! Thanks for posting it . Stitch holes are a problem we all have to deal with from time to time .There are a couple of things you can do from trying to fill them to putting something over top of them . Honestly if it were me, I would send it off to a professional to try and fix . We have a few here on the forum and I’m sure others can recommend people outside of the forum . I’ve been told that this lady is as good as any of them . You can check out her work on her website.
Thanks, but that is not an option if he wants to wear it in uniform. Nor are visible stitch holes. Needs to be clean for Army wear.
Thanks. I'll look into her. It needs to be near perfect for him to be able to use it as part of his uniform.
Ken at Aero Leather
Well-Known Member
We have a TV Show in The UK called "THe Repair Shop"
Twice recently I've seen them use a Leather Filler to repair tears, wear holes etc, I'd never heard of this before in 50 years of making leather jackets but it seems to work................on the TV screen at least.
Well worth a try
Twice recently I've seen them use a Leather Filler to repair tears, wear holes etc, I'd never heard of this before in 50 years of making leather jackets but it seems to work................on the TV screen at least.
Well worth a try
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
P-47 thunderbolt
Well-Known Member
I've mixed up some brown modelling paint, enamel I think it was, and blobbed it into a stray stitch hole I found, worked a treat. I just matched up the right colour, you can always build it up in each hole with subsequent layers after drying. Just don't let it stain the liner material
I spoke to Dena at Leather Care Specialists. I’m shipping it off to her today. She thinks she can fill and dye it where it would only be noticeabe if you knew it was there. Reasonably priced job. Also having her clean and condition it. Worst case- it will not be usable in uniform but can be a civilian jacket for him, or I’ll sell it if he buys his own. I was wearing that jacket when I met my wife, so I thought that would be extra cool for him to have. It’s been sitting in my closet for over 20 years, so I may as well put it back into use. I dug out my old corfram shoes to give to him to use for ROTC a few years ago and they were all dry rotted and crumbly. Saving for the sake of saving is pointless.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
If your son can’t wear it for any reason, why let him sell it off ? It seems to have some personal history attached to it , so why not keep it and wear it around yourself . If your wife thought you looked hot in it before she married you , she’d probably think it still make you look good now 
I had it issued to me when I was 22. I'm almost 55 now. The jacket shrunk in the last 32+ years. If he can wear it, he can keep it. If it gets sold off, I'll be doing the selling.If your son can’t wear it for any reason, why let him sell it off ? It seems to have some personal history attached to it , so why not keep it and wear it around yourself . If your wife thought you looked hot in it before she married you , she’d probably think it still make you look good now
Chandler
Well-Known Member
I *hate* when that happens!
Micawber
Well-Known Member
Chandler
Well-Known Member
Funny thing is, I'm starting to see that too -- ever since I was diagnosed with heart trouble almost 2 years ago, and started paying closer attention to taking better care of myself, I've dropped more weight than I ever expected... and it's starting to effect my wardrobe.Oh yes, and when they get too large as well
But that 1977 size 40 Schott is still too snug.
Micawber
Well-Known Member
Funny thing is, I'm starting to see that too -- ever since I was diagnosed with heart trouble almost 2 years ago, and started paying closer attention to taking better care of myself, I've dropped more weight than I ever expected... and it's starting to effect my wardrobe.
But that 1977 size 40 Schott is still too snug.
Just got the jacket back today. Perfect timing. My son received his commission last Saturday and leaves for active duty in two days. The filling of the holes and dyeing to match the leather went very well. However, the imprint from my Command patch and name tape show a little. Overall it is looks excellent. My jacket was the original reissue A2, produced in 1988, so I’m hoping that over time the leather will soften over these spots. We think it will be wearable for him in uniform.
Silver Surfer
Well-Known Member
Not too shabby, not too shabby at all, dom. It’s easy to see by way of your pix, how the jacket had shrunk. A buddy of mine was into getting all of his leather jackets made out of elephant penis hide. Don’t laugh, cause he had good read on the shrinkage prob. When the jacket would shrink a little, he just gave it a light oil rub. Voila, the jacket would get bigger. Well my buddy put on some real weight, so he repeated the oil rub process. Damn if he didnt go to far. He rubbed the jacket down for about an hour, and the jacket just got bigger and bigger......like a size 60, if there is such a thing. Funny thing is, a couple hours later, the jacket returned to its original size.
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