Jackets youre in NO rush to own..

[Stony]

hot-assed North Carolina

Not trying to highjack this thread, but I'll be in N.C. at the end of next week. I'm hoping it will be somewhat hot after a very rainy and cold Washington Fall, Winter and Spring.

 

[Tim P]

No reason why it should turn into a slanging match. you like what you like. we always agree about the virtues of the big 4, we agree that homophobic rednecks who make jackets out of boot leather could learn some humility, I thought it might be nice to debate why we are less enamoured with certain jackets than others.

 

[Atticus]

hot-assed North Carolina

Not trying to highjack this thread, but I'll be in N.C. at the end of next week. I'm hoping it will be somewhat hot after a very rainy and cold Washington Fall, Winter and Spring.

Coastal North Carolina is cold for mid-May right now. Temps into the low forties tonight with a brisk northeast wind. And wet, too. We got almost three inches of rain over the weekend. But it is supposed to clear up and warm up to the low eighties by Thursday.

AF

 

[Anonymous]

After reading some of you guys comments about the A-1 I am beginning to see it in a new light. Quirky and interesting. I like those qualities. I have yet to see one in the flesh but I can now see me owning one in the future. Anyone got a 38 for sale ? Another point. It says something about the camaraderie that now exists on this forum that this thread has not degenerated into a slanging match.......yet !

You know Peter have not ever got to like something you did not like ,well the A-1 is sort of like that .I tried one on made out of capeskin and boy it feels like a sweat shirt it moves with you and it feels almost like those paper painting suits with the zip (paper boiler suit).I wish I had one here to ship to you to try on and wear for a week I really think you would grow to love it ,next time your out where there are a lot of people look around for jackets with buttons and knit collars they wont be there .There is some thing unique about this jacket and if you look back into old Irish photos from the 1930s I am sure you will see someone wearing one .Its a classic that has not become a classic you know has not been reproduced to death .

All the best Jeff .

 

[Curahee]

I don't like the fur collars on those jackets.
(....)
B-10

But that one has a fur collar too, so how come you do dig that one?

Well maybe it's the combination of fabric with fur ? I don't know really. Also the fit/drape of those type of jackets is less appealing to
me. Like Deeb said there's no real logic to it

 

[deeb7]

Like Deeb said there's no real logic to it

Exactly ... we like what we like.

Jeroen doesn't like the D-1 because it's too simple. I like the D-1 because of its simplicity.

We are both correct.

 

[Tim P]

the D-1 is a very basic jacket. mine has pockets and I like it.

 

[BONNIEGIRL4]

I had no use for nylon until I had HPA send me a Buzz B-15 B MOD. for the hell of it, I would NEVER part with that jacket, one of my top theree fav's - TOM

 

[442RCT]

After reading some of you guys comments about the A-1 I am beginning to see it in a new light. Quirky and interesting. I like those qualities. I have yet to see one in the flesh but I can now see me owning one in the future. Anyone got a 38 for sale ? Another point. It says something about the camaraderie that now exists on this forum that this thread has not degenerated into a slanging match.......yet !

This one unfortunately...or fortunately (depending on your point of view in regards to RL products) is a L.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Leather-Jac ... 1|294%3A50

 

[Dr H]

Anything in Nylon...sorry polyamide fans but growing up in the 1960s/1970s and being forced into those awful blue nylon parkas for school (blue outer, dayglo orange liner, mock fur around hood and 'periscope' hood) forever damned the material in my eyes :evil: ...bit like South Park (....Mmm...mmm... somebody's killed Kenny... :lol: )

Was never particularly keen on A1s, but I've had an epiphany recently and have really come around to appreciating these...

 

[Peter Graham]

After reading some of you guys comments about the A-1 I am beginning to see it in a new light. Quirky and interesting. I like those qualities. I have yet to see one in the flesh but I can now see me owning one in the future. Anyone got a 38 for sale ? Another point. It says something about the camaraderie that now exists on this forum that this thread has not degenerated into a slanging match.......yet !

This one unfortunately...or fortunately (depending on your point of view in regards to RL products) is a L.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-Leather-Jac ... 1|294%3A50

Call it inverted snobbery but I wouldn't touch anything RL even if it was my size.

 

[Hawkeye]

I would 99% agree with you Peter, but they do ( or did) have an ANJ-4 that looked pretty damn good. John Lever sold one 6 months back, it looked pretty fine.

 

[zoomer]

This one unfortunately...or fortunately (depending on your point of view in regards to RL products) is a L.

...Call it inverted snobbery but I wouldn't touch anything RL even if it was my size.

Inverted snobbery is OK, as long as you don't start taking it as seriously as real snobs take their snobbery.

The RL shown looks to me like cow, is probably fairly heavy, and has pockets big enough for a litter of kittens to ride around in (even with your hands in the sides). But it would be a convincing enough 20s era private pilot's jacket.

 

[T Bone]

Hi folks (first post here).

For me it'd be nylon CWU series jackets (though I've got a blue one from Breitling that's pretty nice). But since the originals/issued versions were AFAIK all Nomex, no need for most nylon versions for me. I do have a couple Nomex CWU/45's and one CWU/36.

Also the sub standard A2 copies. I'm talking about those so far off as to be ridiculous. My first A2 was not great, goat skin but with 3 piece back, and sleeve knitting that quickly wore out.

My current A2 is much better, though still not correct. Got it from Sporty's about 2002, and it's served me well. They incorrectly call it the current issue goatskin jacket. But it's actually the current issue pattern, larger body, underarm gussets, inside breast pockets and pen pocket. Very nice, but the lining is the wrong color and material.

Always been a fan of the MA-1. I have three now (sage green, tan and black), none are issue, but all are embroidered with a map of the middle east and some form of verbage referring to Operation Iraqi Freedom. These are all special to me as I picked them up at the PX in Baghdad (civilian, was there working on the new U.S. Embassy a couple of years ago).

On my list to purchase? A new correct current issue A2 from The Cockpit (just waiting to see if I drop a few lbs. I'm working on), and in the not too distant future a WWII repro of some type (currently leaning towards a Real Deal from Aero in seal, with an AAF decal and a name strip, but that could all change).

Nice site you've got here, a wealth of information for flight jacket hounds! Glad I dropped in .

 

[Roughwear]

Welcome to the forum T.Bone. Many members here sing the praises of Goodwear or Eastman A2s for their accuracy. There are plenty of reviews of these high end A2s on the forum and the repro section is worth checking out.

 

[T Bone]

Thanks for the welcome. I've lurked through those sections of the Forum a bit, but I need to read more. I'm familiar with Eastman and found GW just before finding this Forum. I see they're probably as good as it gets. Just looking to keep the investment a bit smaller to get into a Seal horsehide. Then again, I'll probably want one in Russet too, so i'll probably go higher end for that (again it could change!).

But that takes us off topic (sorry!). Then again, maybe not. In a way...

 

[Clyde from Carolina]

Great thread, interesting viewpoints. Like Atticus, I live in NC- a bit up the road to the west- but still "hot assed NC" so big, heavy sheepskin is pretty much out for me. Too bad as I really like the looks of them and would love a nice Irvin if I had a halfway decent excuse to buy one.

I wouldn't mind trying an A1, as I am also interested in the Depression era history and find the jacket's design quirky enough to be more interesting than weird. I have a nice old Stetson - not an Open Road, but a Stratoliner. Only problem is, I'm 37 years old and at least in my neck of the woods people tend to look at guys my age wearing fedoras- except maybe at an outdoor sporting type event- like they have three eyes.

If you wore one with a leather jacket of any kind I suspect Indiana Jones comments would be forthcoming swifltly. Too bad as its a nice hat and I like the look. It stays in the closet mostly.

The nylon jackets have never really been my thing, but I should really at least give them a try as they are more comfortable and affordable than A2s.

Never tried the navy jackets but I should. I grew up on a Marine Corps base town near where Atticus lives in New Bern. The G1 jackets were so common that although I thought they looked cool, I think subliminally I found them just too common to be really attractive. Dunno, but I need to try one as the prices are usually right and I love the quality of the older contracts and the style, too.