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Buzz v Bronson [2020]: MA-1 Comparison; the little details...

s4rmark

Well-Known Member
The Bronson MA-1 arrived today,actually took 3 weeks from time of ordering . According to the tracker it spent a week in Belgium before being shipped to the UK. Overall I am very pleased with it, as I was also with the B-15c ( much the same ) apart from the more robust main zip. No brass pen holders though , which shows on their web page.
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
I really want one of these but I'm worried about the sizes.
I wear between a 42 and a 44 due to my shoulders and arm lengths. Sounds like a XXL would be best?
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
Just pulled the trigger on one from an ebay vendor once I saw the 2XLs were sold out from Bronson directly and the vendor only had two left. I put in for faster shipping, should get it by the end of the month, right before my birthday if it works out okay.
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
The eBay vendor PM'd me asking for my stats to see if it'll fit. I gave my height and weight and said I usually wear either r a 42 or 44 jacket due to my shoulders and sleeve length and he said a 2XL should fit me then. I noticed after I nabbed mine, they only had one left in 2XL. I have a birthday coming up at the end of the month and my wife was just fine with that being my present (one less thing for her to do herself, I can't fault her for that).
Congrats on your purchase
I think you’ll like it .
From what I read here, I think I will. I've always drooled over the BR ones in the catalogues (I will pick those up every 2-3 years at a good Japanese bookstore in Seattle) but realized I'd never pay that much for one.
There's also the size issue. Those high end Asian replicas seem to stop around 40 or 42 chests. That's just too small for me. I'm not a tubby guy but I have a slight middle age gut. My issues was always my shoulders, as jackets that fit me there often leave a lot of room below my upper chest.
Anyway, I've always wanted a good flight jacket between all the light windbreakers I have and the B-10, for those days when it's cold but not very cold.
 

MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
Just got mine in the mail today:
20211116_195748-01.jpeg

Per the vendor, Bronson is sold out of XXL and they only had one after they sold me mine. The website lists all sizes out of stock for these.
I'm 6 feet tall with a shirt size needing a between a 33 and 34 inch sleeve, and wear generally a 42 or 44 inch shirt or jacket. This 2XL feels like it was custom made. The sleeve isn't too long or too short and the jacket isn't very roomy but has some room. I think I could get a flight suit underneath it, but not much else.
Contrary to popular notions today (though probably not on this forum), flight jackets back then weren't meant to be worn baggy anyway.
I haven't had one in ages, but in the past I've owned a couple original MA-1s and B-15Cs and they nailed the look very well. It's well worth what I paid (though my wife seriously disagreed with that, she is certain that all 'green jackets' are the same in every way...)
I've drooled over the Buzz Rickson MA-1s and have always wanted a good wearable replica. Mission accomplished.
And guys, these reviews are the reason why I pulled the trigger. I can't thank you all enough for that!
This was birthday present and though that's at the end of this month, I might wind up wearing it before then.
I've also found a repro patch for my Dad's USAF unit (he was an electrical mechanic on F-86Ds with the 496th Fighter/Interceptor SQ in the late 50s), and I'm seriously contemplating having it sewn to it. The pilots back then would have worn these, I'm sure.
For certain I'm going to mark the lining with Dad's personal marking set, which he kept and gave me a few years ago:
20211116_211519-01.jpeg
 
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MauldinFan

Well-Known Member
Fit pixs please :)
This is the best I could do but I look like the freaking Michelin man at this angle:
20211116_124732-01.jpeg

I just nabbed one of those off eBay, for my Dad's USAF squadron in the late 50s, and plan on sewing it to it:
s-l1600 (3).jpg
 
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