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AVI M422A Development and Improvements

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
I’m sending my next AVI M- 422a to you for the collar USN work . That’s as good as any professional job I’ve seen . :)
 

coolhandluke

Well-Known Member
I’m sending my next AVI M- 422a to you for the collar USN work . That’s as good as any professional job I’ve seen . :)

Thanks for the kind words Burt. In all honesty, I may have one or two spare vinyl decal stencils left on hand if anyone needs one. Luckily, one of my wife's good friends had a Cricut machine and was able to cut a handful of stencils for me to use.
 

coolhandluke

Well-Known Member
Here are photos of the patch after treating it with the antique fabric spray and the stencil after applying a matte sealer. Even after being aged pretty heavily, the metallic silver paint still reflects light quite well. I'll try to get a couple photos wearing the jacket later this evening.

The actual appearance of the patch in person has been difficult to capture in a photo. The color is now a dull gold rather than a bright yellow. The white colors also have brown overtones to them which don't show up at all in photos.

20220721_202652.jpg


Ui7jPpz.jpeg
 
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Enigma1938

Well-Known Member
Here are photos of the patch after treating it with the antique fabric spray and the stencil after applying a matte sealer. Even after being aged pretty heavily, the metallic silver paint still reflects light quite well. I'll try to get a couple photos wearing the jacket later this evening.

The actual appearance of the patch in person has been difficult to capture in a photo. The color is now a dull gold rather than a bright yellow. The whites colors also have brown overtones to them which don't show up at all in photos.

View attachment 81353

View attachment 81354
Looks awesome Luke. I like your jacket pretty much! The stencil is perfect
 

coolhandluke

Well-Known Member
Here's a few pics of the finished project as promised. The patch is still overly saturated and not nearly as bright in person as it appears in the photos. The last photo shows a comparison before and after treating the patch with fabric antique spray.

QDwMeiH.jpeg


WvlAUl7.jpeg


rlf1BvP.jpeg


20220724_221346.jpg
 
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pierregloom

Well-Known Member
I hope you don't mind if I post in this thread as it's for a kind of customization...

I've just point out that my AVI M422-A lacks its top zipper stop. I don't know if I've lost it or if it wasn't there when I received my jacket back in April. I'm not quite used to focus on such little details...

But well, I would like to fix this little thing.
I would like to know how you changed yours (for those here who've made it on a jacket)?

Is it the same size on each side of the zipper?

I don't need to replace everything for original Talon stuff, if I could find some top zipper stop of the same kind as AVI uses it will be good enough for me :).

Thanks for you precious help !!!
 

coolhandluke

Well-Known Member
I hope you don't mind if I post in this thread as it's for a kind of customization...

I've just point out that my AVI M422-A lacks its top zipper stop. I don't know if I've lost it or if it wasn't there when I received my jacket back in April. I'm not quite used to focus on such little details...

But well, I would like to fix this little thing.
I would like to know how you changed yours (for those here who've made it on a jacket)?

Is it the same size on each side of the zipper?

I don't need to replace everything for original Talon stuff, if I could find some top zipper stop of the same kind as AVI uses it will be good enough for me :).

Thanks for you precious help !!!

Pierre,

You'll just need to purchase a small package of U shaped No 5 top zipper stops like the ones shown below. They are easily crimped in place with a set of pliers. Just do the best you can in matching the finish.

images.jpeg-9.jpg


20220630_190217.jpg
 

pierregloom

Well-Known Member
Thanks @Enigma1938 & @coolhandluke ;) !
I think I will try to find a model corresponding to the one that remains on my jacket, but I didn't know that Mash also provides this kind of stuff, I only knew them for the decals and the knits. It's good to know !
I'll show you when my little work is done, I'm also planning to paint the USN stencil on the collar :cool:.
 

pierregloom

Well-Known Member
imho, it would be better to just remove the one remaining, and replace both stops with ones like what Enigma posted, since the stops used by AVI (and other makers who use the cheaper talon repros) aren’t accurate to original jackets:
I agree with you, but it would mean to pay 3 times the price of the zipper stops just for the shipping... for the moment, as I have no other things I need from Mash, I think it's may be more cost effective to do with the same model as used by AVI, which seems to be easier to find, and to change for a more accurate when I need to buy other things from Mash later.
Unless someone has a cheaper solution to find products more similar to the originals in Europe...?
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
I Have the "C" Stops for the Talon zips. I can spare a pair. What type of puller does it have? If it is a #5 tape, I can send the correct M1942 Talon puller by Talon USA. I have an extra one of those too. You might as well change that out. It will just pull right off the top without the stopper. I would just ask for you to pay the shipping charges. I don't sell parts usually but I read this and I have extra parts at the moment I can spare.
Shoot me a PM.
 

mulceber

Moderator
If it is a #5 tape, I can send the correct M1942 Talon puller by Talon USA. I have an extra one of those too.
Seconded. While the G&F contract did have some M-39 talons (the kind AVI uses), M-42 is more typical, and the repro M-42s are almost indistinguishable from originals. Unlike the M-39 repros...
 
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pierregloom

Well-Known Member
Little update on my AVI M422-A :
I've done the USN stencil on the collar.
Thanks @coolhandluke for the tips you gave me to do it well, I'm happy with the result, it's not easy to take a picture of it showing it's aligned properly, but for real it is, and it's not as bright as the pictures too.
Not perfect maybe, but like originals are or were I guess... I saw so many photos where the letters were not exactly aligned the same, more or less worn, that it took me a while to decide how I was going to do it.

I've just got some little details to improve now that I've done this, repaired the left button of the collar, and the right pocket one.
My zip stop is repaired with the same one used by Avi for the moment, so I guess my jacket is maybe as finished now as I could expect.


IMG_2293.jpg



IMG_2292.jpg
 

coolhandluke

Well-Known Member
Little update on my AVI M422-A :
I've done the USN stencil on the collar.
Thanks @coolhandluke for the tips you gave me to do it well, I'm happy with the result, it's not easy to take a picture of it showing it's aligned properly, but for real it is, and it's not as bright as the pictures too.
Not perfect maybe, but like originals are or were I guess... I saw so many photos where the letters were not exactly aligned the same, more or less worn, that it took me a while to decide how I was going to do it.

I've just got some little details to improve now that I've done this, repaired the left button of the collar, and the right pocket one.
My zip stop is repaired with the same one used by Avi for the moment, so I guess my jacket is maybe as finished now as I could expect.


View attachment 84247


View attachment 84248

Looks great Pierre! Good job my friend.
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
The work that you’ve done to the collar looks outstanding. Perfection is not a word commonly used when talking about original WWII flight jackets. They all had a little wonkiness to them. Nicely done.
 
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