G&B Mark 43 A-2

[bfrench]

Hi, Guys,

After reading the Moderator thread I got to thinking about other repros.

G&B is at the starter level in authenticity, leather quality and price level.

As one poster said these are repros and will never be in the same class as originals so with that in mind here's a composite pic made from John Chapman's cd showing the G&B beside two original Dubows.

The greatest difference that jumps out is the collar points but a lot of the other details are quite close - enough so to give the look especially to those of us with more than ample frame sizes.

Oh, and did I mention price difference.

Bill French

 

[airfrogusmc]

Bill I like F/S (G&B). In a few years that jacket will look GREAT.

 

[Robman]

I love mine. Russet color not overly orange and red, fit is comfortable. I enjoy it.

 

[Anonymous]

I love mine also, great price, the zip works fine, might not be 100% NOS ww2 but looks the part, knits stong and authentic as is the leather IMHO. Mark 31 model. I take a size 46 but in G/B jackets I size down and the fit is trim but comfortable.

 

[zoomer]

Is the horsey thick and spongy, as on US Authentics? Or how does it feel?

 

[kkochheiser]

I also have a G&B A-2, mine's a Mk 41 in mahogany. Nice jacket, for the price especially. Heavy HH but not spongy. The glossy finish will take approximately forever to break in and show much character, I'm afraid. My 44 is perfect across the shoulders and down the sleeves but the body is much too wide pit-to-pit and all the way down. I'm afraid that a 42 body would be better but the sleeves would be too short. My solution was to order a GW in Vermont Espresso last month. All part of the learning experience. Great customer service at G&B and a good, honest product.

 

[Anonymous]

MK 31 is russet goat

 

[Chandler]

Anyone else notice the shape difference between the GB and the other two? The point of the FS/GB squared shoulders has been addressed in the past (of which I'm really not complaining, I have a GB goat A-2 that I love), but looking at it alongside an original really highlights that the shoulders aren't truly "authentic."

Chandler

 

[Robman]

Two things....I look at it this way. Many folks do not look right today in shoulder designs of the 1940s. Many buy repos/styles that simply don't look accurate on them for one reason or another, usually having it look too tight. The G&B looks right on me.

As to the sizing, I normally wear a 44 suit but got a 42R with added sleeve length on mine and it's excellent...trim and comfortable across my shoulders too.

To each his own.

 

[FtrPlt]

I purchased a G&B Mk 31 goatskin (paid an extra $25 to lose the collar stand) about 18 months ago. As already noted, these tend to run a size bigger than the label shows. Quality is excellent. Mine's now well broken in and exposure to rain/weather has really allowed the leather to form-fit itself. Not really true reproductions but a nice, well-made jacket that's going to last. The knits are bulletproof.

 

[Robman]

Here's mine, a 42R body with one inch added to the sleeve length. It has a trim fit but has movement room and comfort at the same time, with some "comfort slack" across the back shoulders.

 

[Robman]

Here's a close-up of the grain on the right sleeve...they outdid themselves with mismatching as I requested.

 

[bfrench]

Here's a close-up of the grain on the right sleeve...they outdid themselves with mismatching as I requested.

Hi, Robman,

Great pics - good color especially when taken in direct sunlight.

When you say mismatching - do you mean the finish color or the way the surface of the leather looks - ie, smooth and grainy leather? Not the same type of leather surface all over?

Bill French

 

[Robman]

Bill, I mean the texture of the hide, some areas smooth, some quite grainy and wrinkly.

 

[rick.canavar]

What exactly is the difference between the Mk41 and Mk43 versions? I've not seen anything on the G&B website that explains it.

 

[bfrench]

What exactly is the difference between the Mk41 and Mk43 versions? I've not seen anything on the G&B website that explains it.

Hi, Rick,

The Mark 31 is a goatskin jacket with a collar stand - russet only.

The Mark 41 is a horsehide jacket with a collar stand - russet and mahogany brown (seal)

The Mark 43 is a horsehide jacket minus the collar stand - russet and mahogany brown (seal).

The colors are bullet proof - that is they don't wear away giving a mottled look of the originals but they are supposedly very accurate to color original match.

The knits are excellent - many restorers use theirs for replacements on repro and original jackets.

Biggest problems with Flight Suits ( now Gibson and Barnes) is the finishes are shiny and take a while to wear down and the leather, as with most repro makers with the exception of GW) tends to be featureless.

If we could only talk G&B into using a grainy, gnarly leather, we'd have an exceptional generic entry level A-2.

They do tend to run large for their size but that only means ordering a size smaller than you normally wear and as Robman said earlier maybe adding a 1/2" to 1" to the sleeve length.

Bill French

 

[FlyingToastman]

This my MK 41 (W/O Collarstand, Mahogany)

I picked this jacket up in 2003 and its been my daily wearer despite the autographs in the lininging. As you can see the jacket has a nice square fit on me - I have a linebacker's build and the generous cut helps.

Unzipped.

At Attention:

One more for the road...

The jacket color stays true, except for the high wear areas and it blackens some - but I've had my jacket continuously since 2003. the Mahogany is more like a deeper chestnut and under certain light conditions actually was very close to the Unnamed 27753 jacket I used to have.

Even if it's considered a mid range repro - its a very good, very durable, and argueably the best bang for your buck and their customer service personnel/show room are a dream.

Christos

 

[Robman]

I also have a mahagony Mark 41 with olive drab stitching. Has a lot of RW 27752 features without being a "stitch for stitch" copy.

The mahagony shade of A2 they have is definitely just as nice as their russet for sure. It's a true brown, not confused with a blackish modern seal shade....chestnut is a good way of describing it.

What I like about them is that I can wear an A2 trimly with comfort.

 

[Robman]

The russet Mark 43 size 42 fits similarly to my 27753 original 44 with more comfort room across the upper back.