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New A-2 Contracts Coming to Headwind Mfg Co

stanier

Well-Known Member
Just to be the awkward one, but just my personal opinion I can’t fathom the fascination with house jackets. Reminds me of that kids game, where you end up with the head of a cowboy, body of a clown and feet of a fireman etc. And why should a house jacket be any cheaper than a bone fide contract? Unless house is a euphemism for “can’t be bothered”.... somewhere between a mall jacket and a decent attempt at a repro...
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
Just to be the awkward one, but just my personal opinion I can’t fathom the fascination with house jackets. Reminds me of that kids game, where you end up with the head of a cowboy, body of a clown and feet of a fireman etc. And why should a house jacket be any cheaper than a bone fide contract? Unless house is a euphemism for “can’t be bothered”.... somewhere between a mall jacket and a decent attempt at a repro...
Interesting point. I assure you our house jacket will be 1940's fit and features, not a mall jacket. The difference is the small minute details will not necessarily match any one contract. Still period correct, but not contract specific.

Our reason for producing a house jacket is to provide a quality vintage style A-2 at a cheaper price point than our contract jackets, that will follow every detail of the specific contracts.

Regards,
Jay
 

Smithy

Well-Known Member
Just to be the awkward one, but just my personal opinion I can’t fathom the fascination with house jackets. Reminds me of that kids game, where you end up with the head of a cowboy, body of a clown and feet of a fireman etc. And why should a house jacket be any cheaper than a bone fide contract? Unless house is a euphemism for “can’t be bothered”.... somewhere between a mall jacket and a decent attempt at a repro...

House jackets don't bother me.

Fact of the matter is that all repros are in a way "House" jackets. No repro is a facsimile of the wartime jacket it claims to be a copy of. Some might like to think that their ELC or GW or whatever is an exact replica of a certain contract but it's not. Even the very best copies of original contracts are at best, nice homages to the original. If you really want absolute accuracy buy an original. And it's for those reasons that I don't have a problem with them and I don't buy into the kind of snobbery that exists about looking down on them.

My old boss had an ELC Pearl Harbor which I suppose the purists can get in a lather about and say it's not a real contract but for his body shape it fit him the best out of all the contracts he tried on at the ELC tent at Duxford a number of years back and at the end of the day that's what matters most.

All repros are interpretations of the originals, some closer in the finer details but still all copies. It always seems to be a bit like the old my Faberge knock-off is better than your Faberge knock-off - when at the end of the day they're both knock-offs.
 

Pilot

Well-Known Member
Just to be the awkward one, but just my personal opinion I can’t fathom the fascination with house jackets. Reminds me of that kids game, where you end up with the head of a cowboy, body of a clown and feet of a fireman etc. And why should a house jacket be any cheaper than a bone fide contract? Unless house is a euphemism for “can’t be bothered”.... somewhere between a mall jacket and a decent attempt at a repro...
Well said.
In order to save costs and budgets, movie makers could also use mall jackets...and gear...lets wait and see what the critics of those happy with 2nd or 3rd ligue jackets will be.;)
 

Saint-ex

Well-Known Member
I share @stanier 's questions about the cost of home jackets.

I mean, I understand why produce House jacket, because I'm at the top of a 48 and I'm glad that there are different pattern.
We agree that we have not all the same body and I prefer a home jacket that suits us perfectly than a repro 100% exact that does not fit us very well.

But I'm wondering about the cost of production. Because in the end, I do not really see how it's cheaper to produce?
 

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
'House' jacket could be an original contract pattern, but with less expensive components or hardware. Different, less expensive leather perhaps.
I guess the question then is, if you offer a number original contract A-2 repros, and one 'budget' version, why not simply offer one or two different jackets, but in a top tier version (more expensive) and a more economical budget version? i.e. One with all the best bits no expenses spared, and one version with less expensive bits etc...
 

Skyhawk

Well-Known Member
That will be down the road a bit. We have been busy finishing customer's jackets and trying to get the Goldsmith 100% correct. That has been a challenge. Maybe I am too much of a perfectionist.....but I can't help it. It's my nature.

I'm sure my team thinks I'm nuts sometimes...Lol.

So the plan is, Goldsmith final version complete sometime within 2 weeks. Next up will be the SAT, but that will need the spec label which will take about a month to get in hand. Also I need to wait for the United Carr snaps to come in. Once I have the snaps, I can make the other contracts as well. Except for the Knopf which has wide ring snaps, but I already have those.

-Jay
 

Saint-ex

Well-Known Member
So the plan is, Goldsmith final version complete sometime within 2 weeks. Next up will be the SAT, but that will need the spec label which will take about a month to get in hand. Also I need to wait for the United Carr snaps to come in. Once I have the snaps, I can make the other contracts as well. Except for the Knopf which has wide ring snaps, but I already have those.
So no need to hope for something before 3 months ? :D
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
Announcing new A-2 jackets From Headwind!

Coming in the near future we will be releasing 3 new A-2 jackets.

#1 Already announced previously is our version of the Security Aviation Togs 32-485 contract. We have made up some nice labels that are also used on the Aviatrix jacket.

View attachment 25009

#2 A House A-2 version planned to be an economy option. Details are being worked out.

#3 The Knopf 42-18246P (No Name) A rare and unique contract. Our version is being patterned off this size 44 Original- Luckily it is all original, even the knits:
View attachment 25010
View attachment 25012View attachment 25013View attachment 25014View attachment 25011

Timeframe is unknown besides "Sometime in the winter." This will be dependent on our customer queue and other factors like labels and material supplies.

All the best,
Jay

Brilliant work!
 
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