Jacket fit.

[B-Man2]

I’d say that Dick Winters was a pretty trim guy however he had an muscular athletic build which only a few young guys had in those days . But once again I think we are over thinking the fit issue. We’ve discussed this topic probably more than any other during my time here. I’ve said this a number of times over the years and continue to say that the fit of their jackets depended on what sizes were available and what the supply Sgts handed/ threw at the man. That’s it , nothing more, end of story.
Once again the jacket was nothing more than a piece of survival gear, much like their parachutes , overalls and boots. The fact that it became a prized piece of kit to them and that they had them painted and wore them everywhere they went, simply reflects their attachment to their jackets . If you want a true wartime fit jacket do the following ;
Put on a pair of long underwear.
Over that put on a wool shirt and tie.
Over that put on a wool mechanics sweater.
Over that put on your A2 jacket and pick a size that fits comfortably over that gear.
Now once you’ve done that ... take all that gear off and put on a t-shirt and then put your A2 back on and let us know how the fit looks, and how it drapes. Oh and by the way, I sincerely doubt that any of them ever considered how their jackets drape, and probably only ever used the word to discuss living room window treatments. Just my humble opinion guys.

 

[Smithy]

Well said Burt!

 

[2BM2K]

 

[Smithy]

If you can't fit a shirt and jumper under it, it's too small. If you can fit a B-3 under it, it's too big!

 

[Technonut2112]

Here's just a couple of many, many, pics I collected over the years showing the reality of wartime A-2 fit.

 

[Griffon_301]

Just took delivery of a size 46 ELC RW 27752 A-2 and can attest that the fit is not what I expected. I own various jackets, mostly in size 46 and some in 44 as well and that A-2 has to be the trimmest fit of them all...the M-422a/G-1 feel very big in comparison. My A-2 feels and fits more like my B-15 in size 44.
But with a shirt underneath it's just great and I also manage to fit that proverbial sweater underneath too but that's about it... Good thing it's that my B-6 in 46 can be worn over it just as some pilots did in wartime...

As said I guess we are hunting something that the wartime pilots never really thought of, but as our jackets nowadays are also pieces to express our style and attitude I see that a different generation places a different thinking behind how these jackets should fit...

 

[Skanstull]

Just took delivery of a size 46 ELC RW 27752 A-2 and can attest that the fitness not is what I expected. I own various jackets, mostly in size 46 and some in 44 as well and that A-2 has to be the trimmest fit of them all...the M-422a/G-1 feel very big in comparison. My A-2 feels and fits more like my B-15 in size 44.
But with a shirt underneath it's just great and I also manage to fit that proverbial sweater underneath too but that's about it... Good thing it's that my B-6 in 46 can be worn over it just as some pilots did in wartime...

As said I guess we are hunting something that the wartime pilots never really thought of, but as our jackets nowadays are also pieces to express our style and attitude I see that a different generation places a different thinking behind how these jackets should fit...

Looking forward to a fit pic!

 

[Griffon_301]

That's the best I could manage quickly.....t-shirt and wool pullover underneath plus a high waist BR aviatorntrousers...

 

[ZuZu]

The gruff sargent throwing out A-2s to men in a line has been received wisdom since day one on this forum- I doubt that it's really true- I think the USAAF probably wanted clothes that fit on its men. All conjecture. One can see from all the photos posted that the jackets mostly look comfortably loose- especially if you consider that the upper bodies of these people were small- as someone said- Dick Winters wasn't typical. When we today wear a modern repro cut to modern proportions if it fits it's going to look sorta big- sadly it won't look like those in these photos. The best we can do is get a repro which is cut with actual WW2 patterns and details. Part of that "look" is the squareness of the jackets with a definitive angle between sleeve and shoulder and a definitive V in the front caused by the slight looseness of the jacket. Rarely if ever do we see that V on posted pictures of people wearing their repros- patterns are not correct...

 

[ZuZu]

That's the best I could manage quickly.....t-shirt and wool pullover underneath plus a high waist BR aviatorntrousers...

Definitely within parameters but no mistaking that it's an Eastman. It's 85% of the way there...

 

[ZuZu]

 

[ZuZu]

Here's what you would have gotten 10 years ago before Good Wear- a bespoke smooooooooooth weird looking exercise in not authentic...

 

[ZuZu]

The reason all the major players in World are making grainy jackets is directly linked to Good Wear's emergence on the mid 2000's.

 

[Griffon_301]

For comparison purposes... A BR L-2a in size 42, same layering underneath... The rather expensive french made bag in the back is not mine

 

[Brettafett]

I’d say that Dick Winters was a pretty trim guy however he had an muscular athletic build which only a few young guys had in those days . But once again I think we are over thinking the fit issue. We’ve discussed this topic probably more than any other during my time here. I’ve said this a number of times over the years and continue to say that the fit of their jackets depended on what sizes were available and what the supply Sgts handed/ threw at the man. That’s it , nothing more, end of story.
Once again the jacket was nothing more than a piece of survival gear, much like their parachutes , overalls and boots. The fact that it became a prized piece of kit to them and that they had them painted and wore them everywhere they went, simply reflects their attachment to their jackets . If you want a true wartime fit jacket do the following ;
Put on a pair of long underwear.
Over that put on a wool shirt and tie.
Over that put on a wool mechanics sweater.
Over that put on your A2 jacket and pick a size that fits comfortably over that gear.
Now once you’ve done that ... take all that gear off and put on a t-shirt and then put your A2 back on and let us know how the fit looks, and how it drapes. Oh and by the way, I sincerely doubt that any of them ever considered how their jackets drape, and probably only ever used the word to discuss living room window treatments. Just my humble opinion guys.

This is spot on!
In Pursuit & Destroy, Kit Carson says pretty much exactly the above. Dressing for a typical mission... Layers and layers... then an A-2 (or B-10/ B-15).

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

The reason all the major players in World are making grainy jackets is directly linked to Good Wear's emergence on the mid 2000's.

Correction

Aero launched our Jerky Horsehide Real Deal A-2 in 1998
They don't come much grainier than those

 

[Technonut2112]

I have a RW 27752 repro that JC directly patterned from an original. The upper sleeves are cut quite full, and the jacket is one of the more comfortable original contract A-2 repros I've owned out of many. Not really what I would call overly trim. I wouldn't want it any tighter across the chest or shoulders for certain, and enjoy it's range of movement while worn.

Here's a couple pics of me wearing it:

Here's a couple of JC wearing this same jacket:

 

[Thomas Koehle]

I’d say that Dick Winters was a pretty trim guy however he had an muscular athletic build which only a few young guys had in those days . But once again I think we are over thinking the fit issue. We’ve discussed this topic probably more than any other during my time here. I’ve said this a number of times over the years and continue to say that the fit of their jackets depended on what sizes were available and what the supply Sgts handed/ threw at the man. That’s it , nothing more, end of story.
Once again the jacket was nothing more than a piece of survival gear, much like their parachutes , overalls and boots. The fact that it became a prized piece of kit to them and that they had them painted and wore them everywhere they went, simply reflects their attachment to their jackets . If you want a true wartime fit jacket do the following ;
Put on a pair of long underwear.
Over that put on a wool shirt and tie.
Over that put on a wool mechanics sweater.
Over that put on your A2 jacket and pick a size that fits comfortably over that gear.
Now once you’ve done that ... take all that gear off and put on a t-shirt and then put your A2 back on and let us know how the fit looks, and how it drapes. Oh and by the way, I sincerely doubt that any of them ever considered how their jackets drape, and probably only ever used the word to discuss living room window treatments. Just my humble opinion guys.

Burt i think you nailed it!

I cannot believe the guys back then cared that much about the fit but rather about the functionality of their gear.

And i also cannot believe the quartermasters took exakt measurements of the recruits before diggin in their pile of A2s and randomly pull one out.

Even in the German Bundeswher postwar when i was serving we started interchanging clothes with our comrades after issuing to get that Piece with the best fit.

I was born 1963 been serving in more than 30 years ago.

 

[Skanstull]

That's the best I could manage quickly.....t-shirt and wool pullover underneath plus a high waist BR aviatorntrousers...

Looking very good!!

 

[Griffon_301]

Looking very good!!

Thank you very much...I like it a lot