GW Rough Wear 18091

[Heisenberg]

RW 27752 will be my next GW in some months ...

 

[Heisenberg]

I want a perfect copy of the Great Escape jacket .
I have exchanged long mails with John about Virgil Hilts jacket , he knows the subject perfectly ...
for him, the jacket is a RW 27752 not a RW 16159 with some details that he has analyzed like pockets and zipper , here is his analysis :
" those were only made with straight puller Talons like the one on this jacket (which was their next contract), and I cannot imagine some costumer back in 1962 finding a bell shaped pull tab for a Talon zipper to replace the one in the jacket. The pocket design is also typical of a 27752, not a 16159. "
And my analysis on the little details of this jacket that I gave to John :
" About Mc Queen’s jacket , for me the ranks of captain on the shoulders do not exist , it is a discolored of the leather of the previous ranks removed ... ( see the pictures ) and captain's ranks paint and a Lining Stencils " V-Hilts 08 1721 8 " is a " commercial " legend ... and I would like this detail on the ranks removed to be finally reproduced . "

John offered to make this jacket with " Horween " Horsehide and the green/brown knits .
I think this leather will be perfect for this jacket and that he will age perfectly .

Horween Horsehide example :

John wrote :

" Also, for the McQueen jacket, give me a few months. I think the best leather is Horween horsehide, as it really looks the part, and I'll be getting a few different batches. I can make a jacket that looks painfully close to what he wore. "

the result will be visible in a few months ...

For me , it's a simple jacket that many have made into a complicated jacket ...
the hardest part is to find the right manufacturer who is able to reproduce it perfectly

 

[Brettafett]

My second GW was a RW27752! John makes one of the very best 27752s out there... Unfortunately it was a touch big on me

 

[Nickb123]

I want a perfect copy of the Great Escape jacket .
I have exchanged long mails with John about Virgil Hilts jacket , he knows the subject perfectly ...
for him, the jacket is a RW 27752 not a RW 16159 with some details that he has analyzed like pockets and zipper , here is his analysis :
" those were only made with straight puller Talons like the one on this jacket (which was their next contract), and I cannot imagine some costumer back in 1962 finding a bell shaped pull tab for a Talon zipper to replace the one in the jacket. The pocket design is also typical of a 27752, not a 16159. "
And my analysis on the little details of this jacket that I gave to John :
" About Mc Queen’s jacket , for me the ranks of captain on the shoulders do not exist , it is a discolored of the leather of the previous ranks removed ... ( see the pictures ) and captain's ranks paint and a Lining Stencils " V-Hilts 08 1721 8 " is a " commercial " legend ... and I would like this detail on the ranks removed to be finally reproduced . "

View attachment 35777View attachment 35778

View attachment 35789

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John offered to make this jacket with " Horween " Horsehide and the green/brown knits .
I think this leather will be perfect for this jacket and that he will age perfectly .

Horween Horsehide example :

View attachment 35779

View attachment 35780


John wrote :

" Also, for the McQueen jacket, give me a few months. I think the best leather is Horween horsehide, as it really looks the part, and I'll be getting a few different batches. I can make a jacket that looks painfully close to what he wore. "

the result will be visible in a few months ...

For me , it's a simple jacket that many have made into a complicated jacket ...
the hardest part is to find the right manufacturer who is able to reproduce it perfectly

John could make a fabulous Escape jacket. First thing I thought of with my worn-finished Monarch.

 

[2BM2K]

I agree that the Hilts jacket is probably a RW27752. That leather will make a great looking jacket.

There is one detail I have not been able to pin down and that is the shoulder insignia. Someone on this forum pointed out that the SSI reads ARMY AIR CORPS which can be seen in this photo;

I have not found any other photo that shows this detail, either AAF or AAC.

At first glance this seems daft but consider that the film used mostly German and British uniforms there probably was little knowledge of American uniforms. It must have been a detail added by the props department.

So it remains a mystery.

 

[B-Man2]

Hi Raphael..
You and John are correct in your observation that the Hilts jacket never had captains bars on the shoulders. I’ve been saying the same thing myself, every time I would see someone come out with a new rendition of a Hilts jacket. If the original jacket had captains bars on the shoulders he wouldn’t have had to pin his captains bars under the collar.
I do have to ask you about the greenish brown knits you referred to. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them on any other jacket other than Hub Zemkes original A2, and I’ve always thought they were replacement knits. Where did you hear about them?

 

[Heisenberg]

Hi Raphael..
You and John are correct in your observation that the Hilts jacket never had captains bars on the shoulders. I’ve been saying the same thing myself, every time I would see someone come out with a new rendition of a Hilts jacket. If the original jacket had captains bars on the shoulders he wouldn’t have had to pin his captains bars under the collar.
I do have to ask you about the greenish brown knits you referred to. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them on any other jacket other than Hub Zemkes original A2, and I’ve always thought they were replacement knits. Where did you hear about them?

the sense of observation and analysis of the many photos :
The color of knits is brown khaki

 

[B-Man2]

I understand how you could think the knits might be greenish brown but to me they look like faded brown. Here’s a photo of Hub Zemkes jacket with what looks to me like Olive Drab knits. Did John happen to have a photo of Greenish brown knits ?

Thanks

 

[Heisenberg]

the USAAF name tag it will be a little larger than normal , with the Hilts V spaced :

V . HILTS

 

[Heisenberg]

Look at the color of the knits

 

[B-Man2]

This is great
Can’t wait to see the one that JC makes for you. Please keep us updated as you go.
Good luck with it.
Cheers

 

[Brettafett]

I was once obsessed with the Hilts' jacket myself. One of the most iconic A-2s imo.
I had so many pics a while ago.
I'd be careful with the knits, lighting can be a very tricky thing. Especially from screen grabs and photos from a film from 1963, where the colours are rather 'bleached'...
Could be they were mid brown knits that 'faded' slightly over time.

Here are some original RW27752s, without colour correction.

 

[Heisenberg]

You are probably right , Bretta . I got a little ahead in my text for knits , it's me and not John's suggestion ... but I know he will find the right color . I saw somewhere these green brown knitwear ... but where ?
But if you think they are medium brown, then it will be medium brown , anyway there are no 36 colors ...

 

[Heisenberg]

Ah ! here are the knitwear from Platon and I think there are all the colors. You're right Bretta, it's mid brown ! Many thanks for your intervention which avoids misleading photos .

 

[Heisenberg]

I agree that the Hilts jacket is probably a RW27752. That leather will make a great looking jacket.

There is one detail I have not been able to pin down and that is the shoulder insignia. Someone on this forum pointed out that the SSI reads ARMY AIR CORPS which can be seen in this photo;

View attachment 35797

I have not found any other photo that shows this detail, either AAF or AAC.

At first glance this seems daft but consider that the film used mostly German and British uniforms there probably was little knowledge of American uniforms. It must have been a detail added by the props department.

So it remains a mystery.

it is indeed a mystery ...

 

[Heisenberg]

Hi Raphael..
You and John are correct in your observation that the Hilts jacket never had captains bars on the shoulders. I’ve been saying the same thing myself, every time I would see someone come out with a new rendition of a Hilts jacket. If the original jacket had captains bars on the shoulders he wouldn’t have had to pin his captains bars under the collar.
I do have to ask you about the greenish brown knits you referred to. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them on any other jacket other than Hub Zemkes original A2, and I’ve always thought they were replacement knits. Where did you hear about them?

and you're probably right my friend, look :

 

[Technonut2112]

Here's my GW RW 27752.. The Shinki HH which JC used isn't over-the-top grainy, and was well chosen IMO:

 

[Brettafett]

And heres my RW23380 with BK/ Platons mid brown knit, Seal Liberty...

 

[Heisenberg]

Here's my GW RW 27752.. The Shinki HH which JC used isn't over-the-top grainy, and was well chosen IMO:

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incredible !

 

[Heisenberg]

And heres my RW23380 with BK/ Platons mid brown knit, Seal Liberty...
View attachment 35845

Beautiful BK