How do I have a Patch made?

[CryptoDave]

If anyone can help me it would mean a lot. I have a color drawing that my father in law drew for the mascott of his Squardron when he was a reconnaissance crew member during WWII. I would love to have it made up as a patch that I could have sewn on to a jacket.

I can scan the image.

Can anyone help?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[dmar836]

There are several guys here who paint them. If you want to notch it up a bit some very nice ones are the multi-piece leather patches made by A2jacketpatches.
What ever you decide, please show us the final result!
JMO,
Dave

 

[CryptoDave]

Thanks

 

[CryptoDave]

How do I contact A2jacketpatches?

Thanks

Dave

 

[a2jacketpatches]

[email protected]
Send your reference photos here, and we can proceed.
Sean

 

[Jeff M]

As an aside....and please correct me if I am wrong....it is my understanding that while there were no "rules" for how patches were made in WW2, different styles were associated with different theaters of war.
The multi-piece layered leather patch design associated with the CBI theater. (Can't recall seeing any examples of this style outside of the Pacific/CBI.)

"Incised" patches with the Mediterranean theater.

Flat painted leather patches with all.

Textile with....not sure. Random?

If looking for a bit more "authenticity", you may want to match the style of patch with that associated with the theater where your father was stationed.

 

[capt71]

As an aside....and please correct me if I am wrong....it is my understanding that while there were no "rules" for how patches were made in WW2, different styles were associated with different theaters of war.
The multi-piece layered leather patch design associated with the CBI theater. (Can't recall seeing any examples of this style outside of the Pacific/CBI.)
"Incised" patches with the Mediterranean theater.
Flat painted leather patches with all.
Textile with....not sure. Random?
If looking for a bit more "authenticity", you may want to match the style of patch with that associated with the theater where your father was stationed.

Not sure that's all completely true. I know that the patches for the BG my father flew in (380th BG, Northern Australia) and its 4 bomb squadrons all had, at least originally, fabric/embroidered patches. Many of the personnel had patches made (or remade) in-theater with whatever material was available locally, so some of those patches could very well have been leather or painted. I can't speak for other units in other theaters of war.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

I've seen a multi-piece leather 8th and 9th AF as well. I'm sure there's a little of this and that everywhere. But the only way to be truly accurate, is to have your patch made the way it was originally. I do multi-piece for all theaters because guys like the way it looks, as simple as that.

I can embroider a patch, incise, multi-piece leather, painted, whatever. Embroidered is very expensive though, takes a long time.

 

[capt71]

A company I used a few years ago for some repro embroidered patches (of the one shown in my avatar):

http://www.qualityembroideredpatches.com/

They will do a one-off if that's all you want (most other commercial patch making companies I have researched require a minimum order). Their prices were very reasonable, the quality excellent, and the turn-around time was not very long.

Not trying to take any business away from the talented makers here, but just giving another source if you are looking for embroidered patches only.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

A company I used a few years ago for some repro embroidered patches (of the one shown in my avatar):

http://www.qualityembroideredpatches.com/

They will do a one-off if that's all you want (most other commercial patch making companies I have researched require a minimum order). Their prices were very reasonable, the quality excellent, and the turn-around time was not very long.

Not trying to take any business away from the talented makers here, but just giving another source if you are looking for embroidered patches only.

What's the cost on the single patch you had done? I just bookmarked them and may contact for some work if they can use 100% cotton or even silk. Probably cost effective compared to my embroidery, but all mine are meant to look theater made by a human whether embroidered, painted, or cut and stitched. Personally, that's what got me going on the whole A2 jacket thing. I always thought the hand made insignia gave these jackets a appeal over and above other flight garments. Not saying they are exclusive to the hand made stuff, just that it's what comes to mind when I think decorated A2.

 

[capt71]

a2,
I actually had 25 or 30 made (don't remember for sure), and I don't remember the total cost (and unfortunately don't have the paperwork any longer), but if I remember correctly it was under $100.00 US at the time (it was 3 or 4 years ago). I don't think you have the option of cotton or silk thread from them, as the website says they use rayon, and the fabric backing they use is a canvas material. However, they do have color charts and you can choose the backing and thread colors. I've attached 3 photos below. The first is the original patch: I sent them a jpg of it which they used as a reference/template. The second and third are front/back views of the repro patch they made. They obviously machine embroider them, and the choice of backing is limited, but they were fine for my purposes and I was pleased with the result. The repros are the same size as the original: 5-1/2 inches diameter.

Original vintage patch:

Repro Front:

Repro Back:

I soaked the repros in cold coffee to age them a tad. You would have to contact them for a quote, which you can do on their site. BTW, I'm not associated in any way with the company.

Bill

PS: A small film company in England has just finished making a documentary about an incident involving the 380th BG, 528th BS B-24 "Shady Lady". I have been in contact with the producer/director after he asked the 380th BG Association for help at the beginning of the project. At his request I sent him 10 of my repro patches, which he used on the A-2 jackets in the film. On May 22 he is screening it in Cannes at their annual Industry screenings. After that he hopes to screen it briefly here in the US in order to qualify it for submission for Academy Award Nomination consideration.

 

[Andrew]

Bill that actually looks like a pretty accurate copy. Some of the repro fabric patches I've seen are a little on the thin side compared to the thickness of cotton sewn patches, how do these compare?

Btw, I'd love to check out that film so if you have a link I'd love to see it. Did they do any filming here and any idea who made the jackets?

 

[capt71]

Hi Andrew,
Yes, I thought they did a pretty good job with accuracy. As I said, the repro patch is a canvas material which is quite sturdy, but still flexible.

Here's a link to the film company that is making the documentary and info about the film (including a couple of photos and a short film clip):
http://www.factnotfictionfilms.com/shadylady.html

They did much of the initial filming in Northern Australia at the actual crash-landing site on the Anjo Peninsula, the northwest part of Napier-Broome Bay,
Kimberly region, about 60 miles northwest of the Royal Australian Air Force landing strip at Drysdale Mission, near Kalumburu. They flew the widow of the pilot of "Shady Lady" from the US to the site and she is in the opening scene. While in Australia, she was presented with a Presidential Unit Citation for the Shady Lady crew by the US military attache in Sydney. Most of the rest was filmed in England, Massachusetts and Florida, US. They filmed the B-24 interior sequences aboard the Collings Foundation B-24J "Witchcraft".

I don't know what brand of A-2 he used, or how many. I do remember him telling me that he went online to purchase them. I'll email him and ask. The film isn't released yet (should be by the end of May) and will be available on dvd when it's completely finished. I'll let you know.

Bill

 

[Andrew]

Thanks for that info Bill, and yeah, let me know when you see something. That would've been a fascinating project to work on and I hope it gets some exposure for the Group at home.

Now i'm looking at the image on the computer as opposed to the iphone I can see it's that canvas type stuff. I wonder if they could manage to do the same type of stitchwork on a thick felt base- like was done with 5thAF patches (and your original appears to be that too). Might give it a more substantial appearance?

 

[Andrew]

Just saw this link to sponsors at the bottom of their webpage- I suspect they may have provided the jackets... :shock:

http://www.flying-jacket.com/product-details.aspx?id=10

 

[capt71]

Just got a reply from the filmmaker. He said that 8 jackets were provided by "Leathercraft" (the sponsor shown on the web page) and he bought a few others "on email" (whatever that meant), but he didn't name the makers of those.

As for the patch material, perhaps they would make a patch from material supplied by the customer? I don't see why they couldn't, but you'd have to contact them about that.

Bill

 

[EMBLEMHUNTER]

How difficult would it be for them to purchase large sheet of the right color/thickness of felt and computer design the emblem and have it sewn onto the felt ..........................................................