American A-2 jacket made for IAF (Israeli Air Force)

[nagmashdriver]

Sometime in the mid 1990s-early 2000s I picked up a typical A-2 made for the USAF (as an inducement to extend their service) but with an interesting twist; this was made exclusively for the Israeli Air Force. I immediately contacted my fellow IDF veterans and found out that these were "bonus goodies" given to the IAF when they purchased another block of F-15s or -16s back in the day.

How it ended up in a thrift store in Ventura, California, I have no idea; perhaps it was a reject, production over-run or perhaps even an employee-owned jacket who passed on?? I dunno!

I ended up selling it to a collector in Italy of all places...

 

[B-Man2]

Interesting …. Never saw one with that designation on the label .

 

[JonnyCrow]

Never seen a Israeli A2, I have seen Israeli used British paratrooper helmets and American M1

 

[nagmashdriver]

Never seen a Israeli A2, I have seen Israeli used British paratrooper helmets and American M1

Indeed, Israeli surplus is PDR for "pretty damned rare"! Many years ago in the mid 1990s I saw a surplus store in Los Angeles with Israeli old-school tanker helmets; I bought one or two but I still don't know why I didn't buy them all! Oh yeah, I wasn't on ebay yet, that's why!!

 

[JonnyCrow]

Indeed, Israeli surplus is PDR for "pretty damned rare"! Many years ago in the mid 1990s I saw a surplus store in Los Angeles with Israeli old-school tanker helmets; I bought one or two but I still don't know why I didn't buy them all! Oh yeah, I wasn't on ebay yet, that's why!!

Oh I agree, the rarest I saw was the mkII British parachute helmet