G&B Mk 31 at 18 months

[FtrPlt]

I've had my slightly modified G&B Mk 31 goat A-2 (no collar stand) for about 18 months now. Other than some early, pre-purchase issues with trying to figure out what size to get, I've been pretty happy with the experience. The veg-tanned goat was pliable right out-of-the-box and has broken in nicely over the past year. The only adornment has been the addition of a Garcia Aviation nametag.

The shiny finish rapidly dulled down to a nice matte look and the high-wear areas are starting to show some lighter undertones. The leather itself is showing wrinkling and more pronounced pebbling. Nothing has been done to speed things along (hot water treatment, etc). All normal wear and tear via daily use for motorcycling and flying.

This jacket was a replacement for my ELC 1401P which, at the same 18 month point, had both wrist knits falling apart and lining frayed/torn and coming loose out at the zipper and collar stand upper/lower seams.

 

[Roughwear]

It would be really helpful to see some pics.

 

[Robman]

I have one too and at first didn't wear it much but grew to appreciate it. I always opted for my mahagony first. However I enjoy it as the G&B veg. goat is very similar in weight, feel, wear, etc. to the goatskin found on originals. I've seen Rough Wears, Perrys, and Cables that have the same look and graining as my Mark 31.

It's a beauty.

 

[FtrPlt]

I have one too and at first didn't wear it much but grew to appreciate it.

I was the same way for a short while. Getting the size sorted out was my biggest complaint. I measure a 41 chest and ended up with a size 38R. Since I was used to wearing my 1401P, I also originally thought the GB a bit blousy in the torso. With the leather now largely broken in, it drapes much better and the perceived blousiness is gone.

The biggest gain for me is the absence of the collar stand. The collar is much lower and finally out of the way.

 

[sealbeachbum]

My Mk-31 has become my favorite A-2. I think it's an awesome jacket. I have the collar stand but the collar has flattened out nicely. It is very comfortable.

 

[Anonymous]

My ELC had knits falling apart in only 6 months, the liner around the collar was worn thin and showing holes after 8 months...so my G/B MK 31 has become a daily wearer. Great jacket, bombproof and very comfortable.

 

[Hamsterbear]

I've always said the G&B goatskin jackets were fantastic, and I get many people asking me about which jacket I'm wearing, who made it and so on.... This jacket fits me better than ANY other A-2 I own, it fits nice and squarely in the shoulders, and the leather is like WWII originals, and the knits are holding up better than any other ones by any other jacket maker. My only complaint, and others have mentioned it as well, is that the finish on the leather is very shiny. The cure for that is to wear the hell out of the jacket, which I have done by wearing the jacket daily for the past year- something I did not do the first few years I owned it. Here are some photos of how it looks today:

This is the collar and throat area- you can see the collar is darkening slightly and the grain is starting to come out quite nicely.

This one shows that it has no collar stand, as it was made before the "Mark-31" series.

Shoulder and epaulet box

This is when the jacket was new, and is on John Chapman's "Flight Jackets USA" CD-
This is one of the many photos John took for his profile on this reproduction.

I have chosen not to add name tags or shoulder decals or any patches, etc., preferring to keep this example plain as issued.
-Brian
ps- more thoughts;
The lining is still excellent, showing no wear. This has the silk lining, not the cotton. Aero and Eastman linings tend to wear faster, especially around the neck.
The nickle plated YKK zipper has been flawless since day one- I wish this zipper was on every A-2 I own. I've had issues with other makers zippers. This actually does look nice, and no one will ever notice it's not an exact WWII replica or NOS zipper. (who cares anyway??)
BTW- this was on the clearance page of G&B's website and I got it for $299 back in October 2002, and the current version is almost twice that now. This may have been on clearance to make way for the "Mark- " series that were available shortly after I bought this. I prefer no collarstand on my A-2's.
This is me wearing it last weekend at the Collings Foundation "Wings of Freedom" tour at Livermore, California.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I've owned a few ELCs and the knits have all of the ones I've owned have been a problem and I haven't seen one (in person) that they weren't an issue. Yeah I've heard VERY good things about this jacket and I've seen some samples of the goat it its VERY NICE indeed. Bill, Brian, robman (I've seen photos) and FTR PLT they all looks very nice.

 

[bfrench]

Here's a pic of the collar right out of the box - show's even better grain now after two years.

Bill French

 

[sealbeachbum]

My Mk 31 was my jacket of choice while shooting down ME109s over Long Beach, CA.

 

[Anonymous]

What mission no. was that for you Bill?

 

[FlyingToastman]

This is my 5 year old jacket

Its developed a nice patina from wearing it almost all the time


Christos

 

[sealbeachbum]

What mission no. was that for you Bill?

#2. Just 23 more missions to go!

 

[Anonymous]

You might be ready for the Flak Farm by then!

 

[razor308]

I am in the processes of purchasing a G&B Model 31 with collar stand A-2 and was wondering on their sizing. I have a M422a from G&B and ordered my usual size 44 and was swimming in the jacket. I now have a size 42 and it fits great.

I have a U.S. Authentic in a size 44 for an A-2 along with several Cooper size 44s and they fit pretty good. Any help on the G&B sizing for the A-2 would be welcome.

Razor

 

[Hamsterbear]

The G&B m-422a runs 1 size too big, that's why you needed a 42. I take a 42 reg in their A-2's and a 40 in the m-422a, so go with a 44, and it should be OK.
-Brian

 

[Anonymous]

I take a size 46 in most jackets, for my G/B Mk 31 I got a 44 long and I am very happy with the fit.

 

[sealbeachbum]

I take a size 46 in most jackets, for my G/B Mk 31 I got a 44 long and I am very happy with the fit.

Same here

 

[Swing]

My Mk 31 was my jacket of choice while shooting down ME109s over Long Beach, CA.

At 'er boy, give 'em the gun!

~Swing

 

[269sqnhudson]

Do G&B still use proper repro labels in their historic A-2s? They started using awful cooper-esque things on the M422 a while back didn't they?