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My first Original (a notorious one at that)
- Thread starter Edward
- Start date
Edward
Well-Known Member
Spiewak sourced their goatskin leather from areas like India or somewhere like that if I recall correctly and the leather wasn't properly tanned. the PH is notorious for changing and causes dry rot. It wasn't an issue at the time but 75 years later many Spiewaks are dry rotting whereas other contracts are retaining their integrity
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Ed
Let me know how this works out for you. I’m in the market for one of these as well. Maybe a review might be in order
Edward
Well-Known Member
will do... I'm concerned about getting it on over the arms. although the hands look like they can be removed so that might help. but I don't like the look of the jacket arms just drooping and dangling so I like that it has arms. also I like the head. I can put my crusher cap on it!Ed
Let me know how this works out for you. I’m in the market for one of these as well. Maybe a review might be in order
update: ya, just looked... the arms and hands come apart so if need be I can put the jacket on and slide the arms in the sleeves, then attach them to the shoulder sockets.
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ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
I slide into my BR A-2 every night when back at home in Townsville. Usually I am wearing shorts. In cooler climates I rock the D-1 or one of the B-3s with shorts. I have, on occasion, pulled on my Aero 1936 boots as well. But NEVER a flight helmet...
Love the pic...
Love the pic...
Edward
Well-Known Member
LOL! now there's a sight! someone might put you in a straight jacket if you put on the flight helmet!
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
He was flying.....so that was alright.
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
Oddball was nuts...
Smithy
Well-Known Member
It's actually quite an intriguing idea if you think about it Edward. One of the things that everyone on VLJ talks about when any repro comes up is accuracy to originals, authenticity to the original jackets and how close a repro is to an original in all of the smallest of details. And if you really, really want a jacket that is as close to an original as possible, then you actually have to consider errors because these were commonplace with the originals.
The problem for the makers is that only those with a serious interest will "get" it but then again if it was an option for makers it's a fun idea. I have no idea from a production point of view what sort of problems this would raise if any. Misaligned pockets and snaps, wonky stitching, misshapen pocket flaps, etc would be easy to do I'd imagine. Maybe you could have a graded scale of errors option for the buyer from "a bit wonky" to "completely f#¤%ed up" - just kidding ;-)
Joking aside it is when you boil it down an interesting concept because if you really want your A-2 repro to be as close to the original as possible (and that is something you hear guys clamouring for all the time) then chances are it should probably have at least one or two little defects in how it was put together.
Edward
Well-Known Member
agreed. as long as a person knows what they are ordering and why it could be a cool "feature" jacket. certainly a niche market but I suppose if you custom order a jacket and ask to have slightly mismatched pocket flaps and slightly askew snaps with a few off road stitch paths then why not? I bet J Chapman would accommodate you on that kind of order... maybe you wouldn't even have to wait 2 years for it. LOL! He may even have a few starter panels ready for that sort of request! lol!
CBI
Well-Known Member
that's what John Chapman's "combat clone" jackets are, besides the wear he includes a few other details as would be found in rapid wartime production but in speaking with him about this very thing, few customers would actually want something like this. In addition, to make something less exact would actually take about the same amount of time so still top dollar would need to be charged for "imperfect" jackets.
Edward
Well-Known Member
I thought that was the case... I vaguely recall reading either here or at his website he offered such a thing but couldn't remember if I did or just thought I did. lol! yes I can see that a rapid wartime production style would actually be planned and designed opposed to the accidental knock outs made during the time so one would have to actually take the time to recreate an asymmetrical jacket. its an esoteric detail that only the wearer would notice or understand anyway. anyone on the street wouldn't see your imperfections or care. I have been asked if my ELC was a real one or not... now if I occasionally wear my Spiewak I can say YES! lol! so there are some general population out there that recognize an a-2 flight jacket and perhaps are aware of "real" and repro. either way I doubt they would then ask to see imperfections.
We are a weird lot ain't we? lol!
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
This is why I always like Aeros trainee jackets . Somebody mentioned them earlier. Those jackets are pretty typical of the jackets and the mistakes that were made during the war. Aero also used to promote their “Real Deal” line of A2’s but I still like the trainee jackets better. I think the honest mistakes made in their production really add to the character of the jacket. How about it Ken, any trainee jackets coming up for the big sale ??
ausreenactor
Well-Known Member
Do you have a link to these?
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