Ed Rooney
Well-Known Member
I’m 99% sure that is a private purchase. I don’t think Avirex used those labels in issue jackets.
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Gulf War Era USAF Flight Jackets, What are we waiting for ?
- Thread starter B-Man2
- Start date
Officer Dibley
Well-Known Member
Found this in a drawer from when i bought a new Cooper years ago
Officer Dibley
Well-Known Member
Exactly what Burt was saying. Wartime A-2’s were also neglected & not the least collectible early on
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Hi Rutger !
How’s it going ?
I wanted to respond to you as I started the thread and I think I probably need to clarify what I was attempting to say .It’s really tough to compare the A2 jackets made in the 1990s with the WWII jackets . It’s like comparing the preverbal Apples and Oranges . The period , the manufacturing , the materials used , and the history of them , all completely different in so many respects . What I was trying to convey is that there is a window of opportunity these days to purchase original Military issued A2 jackets, that have their own history and were issued flight gear at very low prices. Much in the same as in the 1950s when you could buy an original A2 jackets at very low prices . These newer jackets are very accessible and like the original A2 jackets will increase in value over time . They will also be collectable as all of the WWII A2 jackets will slowly begin to disappear forever, as they fall apart from use or go into museums or collections , never to be seen again . I hope that clarifies what I was trying to say.
Cheers
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Officer Dibley
Well-Known Member
Burt, you asked.
I really Iike the jacket. Not thick goat but has the feel of an original WW2 jacket in the mix of weight, some suppleness, mix of grain & cut. Not the blousy oversized that you normally find.
The replacement wool knits are much nicer than the originally fitted ones & the ones found on issue jackets .
I really Iike the jacket. Not thick goat but has the feel of an original WW2 jacket in the mix of weight, some suppleness, mix of grain & cut. Not the blousy oversized that you normally find.
The replacement wool knits are much nicer than the originally fitted ones & the ones found on issue jackets .
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Officer Dibley
Well-Known Member
Here’s some pics of my 42r Avirex , then a comparison of the two, then some fit pics of each jacket. Pics make me look like i have a belly , which i do not have ! 
Officer Dibley
Well-Known Member
More pics. Copy jacket on left, issue on right. The copy is way nicer than the original IMHO
Dave
Dave
JCLO
Member
Hi Guys
I wasn’t sure if this topic fit in the Vintage thread but since the first Gulf war ended in 1991, I thought that 30 years might be a long enough period of time to included this post here. Now to be precise , although the war Is recognized as encompassing the period from August 2,1990 thru July 31, 1991, jackets issued during that time period continued being made , issued and used well into the turn of the decade. So what I’m talking about in this post is a series of jackets that were officially designated as the rebirth of the USAF A2 jackets which were reissued to the USAF air crews in 1987, and worn through the Gulf War up until 2000. OK .. with that bit of information out of our way, let me say that this is a topic you’ve heard me rant about before. On several occasions we’ve discussed what it was like in the “old days” when you could find original WWII A2 jackets in surplus stores for $25.00 to $30.00 each, and no one wanted them . They had racks of them hanging on walls when I was a kid and they couldn’t give them away . Today those jackets are selling for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. So.. the purpose of this post isn’t for us “old shits” who missed the boat on some grand opportunities, but rather for you younger guys who are just getting into this hobby and have a similar opportunity that exists today, but is not being pursued . It seems that in the last few years the emphasis on purchasing A2 repro jackets has been focused on getting the best quality repro for the cheapest possible cost. Now believe me .. I have no problem with that game plan . As an older collector who has seen the cost of this hobby continuously increase year after year .. I get it ! But here’s where I think many of the younger guys are missing the window of opportunity. There are a wealth of US Government USAF issued jackets , made during the 1990 -1995 time frame, that are outstanding goatskin jackets , in great shape , that are original issued contract jackets, that are currently available today at stupidly ridiculously low prices .Most of them cheaper than the cheapest repros being purchased today . These jackets have a history , they have a lineage, they often have a name or an owner attached to them , who can be researched and a story learned and shared. From my perspective that’s what makes this hobby interesting . The original jackets and the people who wore them and the stories that often come with them . Now the cost of these jackets has been low in the last few years but like 99 % of everything in this world, the prices will go up over time. So this is why I’ve been beating this drum to death , in hopes that some of the younger guys will grab one of these nice goatskins and put it away for a decade or so . Hell ... for the price of $75.00 - $180.00 what have you got to loose . It’s nice original USAF issued goatskin flight jacket that’s cheaper than any if the current “Stars” being sold
Well... that’s it from me . I hope some of you might consider this suggestion , if you happen to purchase one I think you’ll be happy with it . As always if you do buy one ..... Wear the piss out of it !
I actually gave mine away years ago because I had outgrown it. It had about a dozen different squadron patches sewn to the liner that I had picked up as trades. Now days I am trying to find one that fits my....um....more full physic. I bought one that was a total beater with stich holes, paint stains, and a mural that had been wiped off of the back. Needless to say I'm looking for a better example.
JCLO
Member
A
Size 52...Believe it or not I just scored one in excellent condition for $80 on Poshmark.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Outstanding !!
You see … good things happen when you join VLJ Congrats !
Now when it arrives .. it’s customary to post pictures of you wearing it . We call them “ Fit Pixs” or Pics .. whatever …. Anyway please post a few as we’d like to see them .
Now wear the piss outta that thing …
JCLO
Member
I'll have to have my better half snap a few shots. I'm also expecting a 5* G-1 Buaer 55J14.Outstanding !!
You see … good things happen when you join VLJ Congrats !
Now when it arrives .. it’s customary to post pictures of you wearing it . We call them “ Fit Pixs” or Pics .. whatever …. Anyway please post a few as we’d like to see them .
Now wear the piss outta that thing …
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Yep … you’ll have to treat momma good today on Mother’s Day ………… that way if she balks on snapping a few photos ….. … you can successfully guilt her into it!
JCLO
Member
I'm sure that it won't be to much of an ask.Yep … you’ll have to treat momma good today on Mother’s Day ………… that way if she balks on snapping a few photos ….. … you can successfully guilt her into it!
