Aero Real Deal cuff length + scars/cracks

[Swedish_Pilot]

Hi!
I've just got my new Aero Real Deal which is really a master piece!!!
I find it incredibly beautiful!
I'll try to post some pictures further on.

I'm just wondering how long an average A-2 cuff, and a normal Aero cuff, are supposed to be?
I'm comparing my Real Deal with an old Flight Suits Civil A-2 whose cuffs are approx. 8.5 cm long (3.35 inch.), but the Real Deal's are approx. just 5.5 cm long (2.17 inch.). Are the Real Deal ones too short, or are they more accurate??

How about those natural scars and cracks which the Real Deal feature? Should they "be taken care of" in any particular way to prevent further damage?

Apart from wearing the jacket, is there any good way to soften the leather upp without loosing the color/finish?
The horsehide is really stiff at the moment.

Thanks in prehand from a little anxious but very proud parent of a new Real Deal!
/Swedish_Pilot

 

[jacketimp]

Hi!
I've just got my new Aero Real Deal which is really a master piece!!!
I find it incredibly beautiful!
I'll try to post some pictures further on.

I'm just wondering how long an average A-2 cuff, and a normal Aero cuff, are supposed to be?
I'm comparing my Real Deal with an old Flight Suits Civil A-2 whose cuffs are approx. 8.5 cm long (3.35 inch.), but the Real Deal's are approx. just 5.5 cm long (2.17 inch.). Are the Real Deal ones too short, or are they more accurate??

How about those natural scars and cracks which the Real Deal feature? Should they "be taken care of" in any particular way to prevent further damage?

Apart from wearing the jacket, is there any good way to soften the leather upp without loosing the color/finish?
The horsehide is really stiff at the moment.

Thanks in prehand from a little anxious but very proud parent of a new Real Deal!
/Swedish_Pilot

congrats on new addition to the family!

enjoy her in good health!

 

[Jason]

My Aero Real Deal also has cuffs about 5cm in length, but not ever having owned an original Aero, I can't say wether this is accurate to the original Aeros or not. But the short cuffs suit me just fine.
Don't worry about the scars and cracks in the Aero RD leather - its all part of its natural charm. If you want to hide them a little, some Pecards rubbed into the scar area will help hide them. But personally I wouldn't do anything - unless there's a 'flap' of leather lifting up that could be pulled on or open up to a more ugly blemish. In that case you could use a tiny bit of leather-working glue to glue it down.

I love my Aero RD, its actually one of the best fitting repro jackets I have (would be perfect if it were about an inch longer in the body) and with all the wear I've given it in the last 18 months its also looking very nice too.

 

[Vcruiser]

Swedish_Pilot
Here's a pic of my older RealDeal. It has a few scars and areas of jerky hide(Grainy)...but "no" cracks through the leather! If the finish has cracks..I would notify Aero. The knit cuffs on both my repro and original Aero are 2 1/4 ". My Aero RealDeal is my favorite A2 repro....so far.
Van

 

[jacketimp]

van, where you get em patches? real sweeeeet!

 

[Vcruiser]

van, where you get em patches? real sweeeeet!

Thanks
Got the wings from eBay.
Sleeve lthr layered roundel from Aero.
The 527th BS chestpatch from our own Jerome.
Van

 

[Hawkeye]

That russet horsehide looks amazing! I've been thinking lately that an aero real deal is the jacket for me. Does Aero have Long sizes for their jackets? I'd probobly need a size 42 that has a 26.5 inch back and 25 inch arms, while any size 42 real deals ive seen on ebay have only 25 inch backs.

 

[Vcruiser]

That russet horsehide looks amazing! I've been thinking lately that an aero real deal is the jacket for me. Does Aero have Long sizes for their jackets? I'd probobly need a size 42 that has a 26.5 inch back and 25 inch arms, while any size 42 real deals ive seen on ebay have only 25 inch backs.

Hawkeye
The Aero is a custom jacket....if ordered to your measurements and requested alterations. At the time I ordered my jacket there was no charge for extra length.
Van

 

[better duck]

I'll try to post some pictures further on.

So, some time and a few answering posts later: where are our pics? (Not that I'm impatient or anything, just curious!)

 

[Swedish_Pilot]

Hi all!
Thanks for the replies!

where are our pics? (Not that I'm impatient or anything, just curious!)

I'll really try to post some pics this weekend, please be patient
I'll also try to post some comparisons between the Civil A-2 and the Real Deal.

I guess I don't have to worry about the scars then. Some of them seem though to be quite deep, at least it's possible to feel their "structure" between the finger tips with one finger on the outside of the leather and the other one on the inside (on the lining).

The cracks I was talking about are more like cracks in the coloring. Some areas of the jacket are quite soft (the collar for example), as they have already been broken in, and they feature small lighter lines showing the basic color of the leather. I guess it should be like that?

/S_P

 

[Swedish_Pilot]

My Aero Real Deal also has cuffs about 5cm in length, but not ever having owned an original Aero, I can't say wether this is accurate to the original Aeros or not. But the short cuffs suit me just fine.
Don't worry about the scars and cracks in the Aero RD leather - its all part of its natural charm. If you want to hide them a little, some Pecards rubbed into the scar area will help hide them. But personally I wouldn't do anything - unless there's a 'flap' of leather lifting up that could be pulled on or open up to a more ugly blemish. In that case you could use a tiny bit of leather-working glue to glue it down.

I love my Aero RD, its actually one of the best fitting repro jackets I have (would be perfect if it were about an inch longer in the body) and with all the wear I've given it in the last 18 months its also looking very nice too.

BTW Jason, do you have some pics of your RD?

 

[interbak]

Hey Jason,

Not to hi jack the thread, but... You refer to repairing a split with leather-working glue, what brand do you recommend? I have a vintage jacket with a split in the finish that I'd like to repair.

Thanks, Brian

 

[T-Bolt]

Brian,

This is the best leather cement that I know of.......Barge Cement. I have used it for both large and small repairs on leather goods. The best place to find it is at your local leather/shoe repair shop. Or, you can mail order it from companies such as the example below.

http://www.hanksclothing.com/barge_rubber_cement.html


Ted

 

[Peter Graham]

Whoops ! Mistake

 

[interbak]

Thanks Jason, I'll check it out.

Brian

 

[Swedish_Pilot]

Here are some pictures showing the new Real Deal (you'll have to excuse the quality of the pics).
It is a size 50 made 2" longer (torso and sleeves). The jacket is so stiff, that it was hard to make it lie still

Here is a picture showing some of those cracks I was talking about:

Here are some pictures showing my old FS Civil goatskin A-2 size 50T (the picture of the cuff really looks beautiful on this picture compared to the reality). The torso is actually shorter than the Real Deal's (!):

As possible to see on the pics, the seal color of the FS is more grey-brown than red-brown (as the RD's is)

 

[Swedish_Pilot]

Re: Aero Real Deal - updated with pics!

BTW, what do you think of the fit?
/S_P

 

[deeb7]

Re: Aero Real Deal - updated with pics!

BTW, what do you think of the fit?

Well there's a lot of different opinions here about fit.

But to my eyes, it's being worn oversized, and because of this it didn't need the extra lengths added. With the shoulders dropped, it's going to sit lower anyway, so being extra long in the body, it kind of loses some of it's A-2ness.

 

[Swedish_Pilot]

Well there's a lot of different opinions here about fit.

But to my eyes, it's being worn oversized, and because of this it didn't need the extra lengths added. With the shoulders dropped, it's going to sit lower anyway, so being extra long in the body, it kind of loses some of it's A-2ness.

Thanks for the feedback!

It's quite interesting, because I've read several posts (at least in the older forum) which stated that Aeros usually are short in the torso and "small" in size?

When I ordered the jacket, I was asked to send them some few measurements including chest (relaxed, "inflated") and stomach circumference. To make sure that they would have as a complete picture as possible, I sent them a filled in copy of the self-measuring chart that Flight Suits provides (which includes far more measurements). They said that they really had sized the jacket up to me. Have they changed their perception about the "A-2ness" then?

Anyway, I wore the jacket outside for the first time yesterday. I visited a great outside theatre, but it started to rain quite heavily. The jacket got soaked with cold rain water!! How does that usually affect HH and its finish/coloring?

/S_P

 

[deeb7]

Have they changed their perception about the "A-2ness" then?

To me, an A-2 is short, and boxy, almost square, with the leather finishing at the belt. I guess you need to ask Aero.

The jacket got soaked with cold rain water!! How does that usually affect HH and its finish/coloring?

That should bring out more grain, help it to take on your shape, and set in some wrinkles at the elbows etc. It might help to take the newness off the finish, but it shouldn't affect the colour.

All in all, a good thing, and recommended.