J.A. Dubow and Flying Equipment Co connection?

[bjoy]

Interesting back story on this eBay jacket. Does it sound possible to anybody?

Nice example of a WWII Army Air Forces pilot's private purchase jacket with decal on leather Air Transport Command patch. Made by the Flying Equipment Company, 1643 Wolfram St, Chicago 13, Il, a commercial enterprise that J. A Dubow (a few blocks away at 1913 N. Milwaukee Ave) used to produce civilian aviator wear from government contract leftovers to keep their civlian sales running between contracts (like Aviator Clothing Company did for Aero Leather in Beacon, NY).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/120836755710

 

[Stony]

Interesting story and I think this would make these jackets a little more valuable if true.

 

[Roughwear]

It would be interesting if hard evidence is found to link the two firms. The Flying Equipment A2 could have been made by Dubow. It does have some features typical of this maker, the long rectangular stitching on the epaulets, the rounded pockets and pointed collar. However the pocket flaps are not the typical scalloped Dubow ones and the snaps are not the familiar nipple variety. Even if the two firms were not formally linked there may have been various connections as there were between some other makers.

 

[deeb7]

It would be interesting if hard evidence is found to link the two firms. The Flying Equipment A2 could have been made by Dubow.

Yes, if there is any connection, this is much more likely than the eBay seller's verion.

 

[Roughwear]

It is interesting that the same manufacturer also made a G-1 in the early '50s and used the same fictitious contract number. This might suggest that the A2 is post War or simply that they used the same "contract" number for several years- 261953. Could the last four digits indicate the date?

 

[RCSignals]

The whole number could indicate a date. To follow the US standard. Feb 6, 1953. Who knows.

 

[derleicaman]

I did a google search on the 1913 N. Milwaukee Ave address in Chicago. Multiple listings for a now closed restaurant called the "Avacado Eatery and Cafe". From the pics, the location looks way too small to be a manufacturing site of any kind, let alone manufacturing thousands of A-2s during wartime. That area of Chicago has a lot of light manufacturing, so the area might be right, but I have my doubts about that exact address.

BTW, my shop is located on Milwaukee Ave. about 45 minutes north of the above address!

 

[deeb7]

From the pics, the location looks way too small to be a manufacturing site of any kind, let alone manufacturing thousands of A-2s during wartime.

The property at 1905-1913 N. Milwaukee has a total of 30,000 SF of lettable space, so it is possible that Dubow occupied a larger area.

 

[deeb7]

Okay, here's the Dubow factory today ...

http://wrightsflights.blogspot.com/2007 ... chive.html

 

[airfrogusmc]

Okay, here's the Dubow factory today ...

http://wrightsflights.blogspot.com/2007 ... chive.html

Yes thats the old Dubow factory. Its now condos.....

 

[Stony]

Yes thats the old Dubow factory. Its now condos.....

I wonder of the smell of leather still permeates throughout the building and the ghosts of seamstresses walk the halls.