ELC Pearl Harbor collection?

[dmoser1978]

Hello,
I've been reading through the forum with great interest and have been a fan of A2 jacket for the past couple of years. I've got a seal brown goatskin A2 from US Authentic, as well as a Cockpit "current issue" A2, which I really like as a jacket, even if it is only an approximation of the originals.

I've been looking at the Eastman "Pearl Harbor" collection jackets. Are these a reproductions of a particular A2 or are they a generic example. I really do like the American Walnut color.

Thanks!

 

[TankBuster]

They are a somewhat generic design and are made of Steerhide vs. Horse/Goat. They look very nice though. Eastmans Roughwear repro is their specialty although I think their Cable is a very good repro of the real WWII MFG if you don't mind Goatskin.

 

[Roughwear]

They are generic A2s, although with the collar stand and curved pocket flaps they are not far off Rough Wear A2s.

 

[rich]

Hello,
I've been reading through the forum with great interest and have been a fan of A2 jacket for the past couple of years. I've got a seal brown goatskin A2 from US Authentic, as well as a Cockpit "current issue" A2, which I really like as a jacket, even if it is only an approximation of the originals.

I've been looking at the Eastman "Pearl Harbor" collection jackets. Are these a reproductions of a particular A2 or are they a generic example. I really do like the American Walnut color.

Thanks!

IMO they are nice jackets - also the fit is closer and more 'military' than earlier house ELC's I have owned. Here are some shots I took earlier in the year, see what you think - it won't be everybody's cup of tea though.

 

[bseal]

Rich,

It's exquisite photos like yours that keep me coming back to VLJ. Thanks for the post.

 

[Andrew]

Rich, the marbling on your jacket is exactly like that on the few originals I have. Really beautiful. Is this typical of this range?

 

[rich]

Rich,

It's exquisite photos like yours that keep me coming back to VLJ. Thanks for the post.

Bseal, it's much more to do with the natural light flooding in through the window than my ability as a photographer, but that's a very generous compliment, thank-you.

Andrew, I can't say how typical this jacket is but I imagine it must be similar to the recently introduced 50 cal? With regards to the improved fit though, I came across this info in C.G. Sweeting's excellent book, Combat Flying Clothing - quite interesting with regard to the debate around repro sizing issues. I hope Mr. Sweeting won't mind me quoting from his book,

"the then chief of the laboratory, Col. Otis O. Benson, Jr., in cooperation with Harvard professor Earnest A. Hooton, the noted physical anthropologist, directed another program at the AML. They studied 1,871 young men in the AAF to determine the average height, weight, dimensions, and physical characteristics of flyers and made their findings available to clothing, equipment, and aircraft designers and manufacturers. The typical American flyer in 1942 had the following measurements:
Height 5ft. 9in
Weight 154.3 lbs
Arm span 71 1/2 in
Reach 35 in
Shoulders 17 3/4 in
Chest diameter 8 in
Waist diameter 8 in
Chest circumference 36 1/4 in
Waist cicumference 30 in
Head (7 1/8 hat) 22 1/4 in
Biceps 11 1/2 in
Forearm 9 1/2 in
Thigh 20 5/8 in
Calf 14 in
Height, seated 36 1/4 in
Back to knee seated 23 3/8 in
Knee to floor 21 3/4 in
Breadth of seat 14 in
Foot length 10 1/2 in
Hand length 7 5/8 in

I wonder what the average of forum members might be, a fair bit bigger than this perhaps!?!? Apologies to all if this is re-treading old ground

 

[CBI]

these are nice jackets but you might be just as well off buying a used one that has some wear on it or adding some wear yourself on a different new model

 

[srivats]

"the then chief of the laboratory, Col. Otis O. Benson, Jr., in cooperation with Harvard professor Earnest A. Hooton, the noted physical anthropologist, directed another program at the AML. They studied 1,871 young men in the AAF to determine the average height, weight, dimensions, and physical characteristics of flyers and made their findings available to clothing, equipment, and aircraft designers and manufacturers. The typical American flyer in 1942 had the following measurements:
Height 5ft. 9in
Weight 154.3 lbs
Arm span 71 1/2 in
Reach 35 in
Shoulders 17 3/4 in
Chest diameter 8 in
Waist diameter 8 in
Chest circumference 36 1/4 in
Waist cicumference 30 in
Head (7 1/8 hat) 22 1/4 in
Biceps 11 1/2 in
Forearm 9 1/2 in
Thigh 20 5/8 in
Calf 14 in
Height, seated 36 1/4 in
Back to knee seated 23 3/8 in
Knee to floor 21 3/4 in
Breadth of seat 14 in
Foot length 10 1/2 in
Hand length 7 5/8 in

I have the EXACT same shoulder/chest/waist/bicep/forearm/weight measurements!

 

[rich]

Height 5ft. 9in
Weight 154.3 lbs
Arm span 71 1/2 in
Reach 35 in
Shoulders 17 3/4 in
Chest diameter 8 in
Waist diameter 8 in
Chest circumference 36 1/4 in
Waist cicumference 30 in
Head (7 1/8 hat) 22 1/4 in
Biceps 11 1/2 in
Forearm 9 1/2 in
Thigh 20 5/8 in
Calf 14 in
Height, seated 36 1/4 in
Back to knee seated 23 3/8 in
Knee to floor 21 3/4 in
Breadth of seat 14 in
Foot length 10 1/2 in
Hand length 7 5/8 in
[/quote]

I have the EXACT same shoulder/chest/waist/bicep/forearm/weight measurements![/quote]

You're a lucky man, must be very nice to be spoiled for choice! Have you got any originals that are a good fit?

 

[Grant]

Rich, awesome looking A-2!
Sorry for my confusion, but is that the ELC Pearl Harbor collection that's made from steerhide?

Thanks,
Grant

 

[rich]

Rich, awesome looking A-2!
Sorry for my confusion, but is that the ELC Pearl Harbor collection that's made from steerhide?

Thanks,
Grant

Hi Grant, to the best of my knowledge these jackets are steer, at least that's how they're described on the Eastman website. I don't know how you'd tell for sure though. :?

 

[bristolherc]

IMO they are nice jackets - also the fit is closer and more 'military' than earlier house ELC's I have owned. Here are some shots I took earlier in the year, see what you think - it won't be everybody's cup of tea though.

Just to compare, here are some pic's off the old forum of an original RW 27752. From memory it was a sz 50, and Grant may have handled it at a show/market ?

I'm not for one moment suggesting the original is steer, but the grain on the ELC is just plain scary.

BEVAN

 

[Chandler]

I'm not for one moment suggesting the original is steer,

Would that be such a horror?

My ELC Star is steerhide and is developing grain character very similar to both jackets on this thread -- I couldn't care less what the hide is, it looks and fits great.

Chandler

 

[bristolherc]

I'm not for one moment suggesting the original is steer,

Would that be such a horror? Chandler

No it wouldn't, but that not the point. I was trying not to go back to the steer vs HH on originals argument.

BEVAN

 

[Grant]

Actually you should care. Steerhide costs less than horsehide - unless you prefer ignorance and don't mind paying extra for it!

 

[Chandler]

Actually you should care. Steerhide costs less than horsehide

How much less? Based on the prices listed at HPA, there's a $30 difference. Not exactly a comparable jump between hamburger and steak. Not sure why GW is $100 more, maybe because of the size of the lots being purchased.

But my direction was more to the steerhide repros I've seen that really look a lot like originals. Maybe some originals were steer, maybe not. But seeing the 2 on this thread (and the 2 repros I have), I have to wonder.

Has there ever been any solid evidence revealed that steer was never used on originals? After all, it's certainly a durable, plentiful material.

Chandler

 

[srivats]

You're a lucky man, must be very nice to be spoiled for choice! Have you got any originals that are a good fit?

No, no originals yet ...

 

[Grant]

I've yet to see definitive proof that steer hide was used in A-2s. That's not to say it wasn't used though, as there are originals that look like they could be steer.

 

[Cliff]

These are pictures of my ELC PH not long about a week after I bought it a few years ago. Its steer but is hard to differentiate between my Horsehide Star jacket and this one .

you should see it now......amazing !!

rgds

Cliff