Oh dear me-an AN-J-3.

[MikeyB-17]

I’ve been eyeing up a new Navy jacket for a while-I was close to getting an AVI G-1, but today I wandered onto Aero’s Sale page, and found this:-

Leather clothing UK - Aero Leathers, Scotland, UK

Home of Aero Leathers, manufactures of the finest vintage leather clothing, including leather flight jackets, ww2 flight jackets, leather trousers, classic jeans and shirts - Aero Leathers, Scotland, UK.

www.aeroleatherclothing.com

I’ve liked the idea of an AN-J-3 for quite a while, and this happened to be the style I prefer, with the epaulettes, and thankfully a not too 70’s style collar. They had two in my size, the other was horse, with what looks like a double ply waistband and (spit!) antique brass hardware, so that one was a non-starter for me. Much as I like G-1’s, I can take or leave the mouton collar, and my ELC being russet, I’ve felt the lack of a seal A-2 in my life, so this should kill two birds with one stone. Naturally you boys (and girls ) will be the first to hear my impressions when it gets here.

 

[ausreenactor]

Well done!

Fit pics will be better.. looking forward to seeing them.

 

[mulceber]

Congrats on the purchase - looking forward to fit pics and impressions.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Be very interested to see this Miley ....

 

[B-Man2]

Congrats Mikey, looking forward to photos as well .
I’ve found that the size 48 Aero I have fits me rather long and trimly through the torso. I don’t know if that was a trait of that contract or just that particular jacket . The goat skin is very nice and it should give you years of wear .

 

[Smithy]

Well done Mikey!

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Looking forward to some fitpics

 

[MikeyB-17]

Right, I’m packing it in and taking up stamp collecting or something. Arrived today (should have been yesterday, waited in all day, then DHL turn up in the 45 minutes I have to go out, no attempt to leave it with neighbours). Too bloody small again. Beautiful jacket, but although it did up, still way too tight. Yet I have size 42’s that I’ve had for years which fit fine. I know I’ve put on a bit, working on that (just got a new mountain bike), but I was sure a 44 would be OK-in fact I was worried it might be too big! I did notice, in the brief time I had it on, that it was a lot shorter than I had expected. If it fitted, I would certainly have kept it, the leather and construction were stunning. Now wondering what my next move should be. Perhaps I’ll hang fire and see if I can get some weight off, then try again. (Insert Muttley impression here).

 

[B-Man2]

Right, I’m packing it in and taking up stamp collecting or something. Arrived today (should have been yesterday, waited in all day, then DHL turn up in the 45 minutes I have to go out, no attempt to leave it with neighbours). Too bloody small again. Beautiful jacket, but although it did up, still way too tight. Yet I have size 42’s that I’ve had for years which fit fine. I know I’ve put on a bit, working on that (just got a new mountain bike), but I was sure a 44 would be OK-in fact I was worried it might be too big! I did notice, in the brief time I had it on, that it was a lot shorter than I had expected. If it fitted, I would certainly have kept it, the leather and construction were stunning. Now wondering what my next move should be. Perhaps I’ll hang fire and see if I can get some weight off, then try again. (Insert Muttley impression here).

Mikey
As I mentioned in my earlier post , these jackets fit trimly . The one I posted above has been for sale here . It’s like new . I’ll post the measurements for you to see if it might fit you . It’s cheaper than the one you ordered .

https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/for-sale-aero-an-j-3-goatskin-size-48-new.25195/

 

[MikeyB-17]

That’s a lovely idea Burt, but I just got the tape measure out, and that’s going to be too big. Shame, I’d have gone for that. I reckon I need a 46. Thanks anyway.

 

[B-Man2]

That’s a lovely idea Burt, but I just got the tape measure out, and that’s going to be too big. Shame, I’d have gone for that. I reckon I need a 46. Thanks anyway.

Ok , I just thought it might work for you. Thanks for checking it out

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Gents is it possible the zipper-setup on the AERO is not accurate?

On my research on the WWW i just saw ANJ3 with the stormflap (or however the piece of leather is called) covering the zip like on A2 ...

Pic outta our forum

you know this gentlemen

So the AERO version is basically a G1 without mouton???

Can someone shed some light on this???

 

[MikeyB-17]

There were two versions, the A-2 windflap style, and the M-422a without mouton style. Aero do the M-422a version as standard, I would imagine they’d do an A-2 style if asked. Don’t really know why they use a cotton liner, as all the ones I’ve seen had rayon, but as it was a sale jacket, I took what was going. If I was buying from scratch, I’d prefer the A-2 style with a rayon lining.

 

[B-Man2]

Hi Thomas
I hope you’re doing well .
Here’s the Aero Version .

 

[MikeyB-17]

Burt, I notice yours has a pen pocket stitch line and an inside pocket. The one I ordered hasn’t-I’m starting to think it was some sort of bastard version, no doubt why it was on sale, perhaps it’s not such a bad thing it didn’t fit.

 

[B-Man2]

Hi Mikey
Correct here a couple of close ups . Did yours have underarm gussets ? This one does and I was never sure if all AN-J3s had those as well.

 

[MikeyB-17]

Yes, Burt, it’s got the gussets. As you can see, Grant has ‘em on his A-2 style version as well.

 

[mulceber]

Gents is it possible the zipper-setup on the AERO is not accurate?

On my research on the WWW i just saw ANJ3 with the stormflap (or however the piece of leather is called) covering the zip like on A2 ...

Pic outta our forum

you know this gentlemen

So the AERO version is basically a G1 without mouton???

Can someone shed some light on this???

That's the style I've got as well. As others have mentioned above, there were supposedly two styles - one closer to the A-2 and one closer to the Navy jackets, but without the Mouton collar. I'd be interested in seeing pics of originals in the Navy style because, tbh, every time I see an original AN-J-3, it's in the A-2 style. Not that I'm complaining, mind you - I like that version better anyway. The collar's an acquired taste, but it's grown on me.

 

[mulceber]

Also, apparently Aero does make the AAF model: https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=5109

Definitely a different collar than the originals posted in this thread. Not sure if that's because they're copying a jacket from a maker other than W&G, or because they don't think the authentic AN-J-3 collar would sell.

 

[AlexLutov]

The version of this jacket is probably even more interesting to me than the G-1 By the way, Bert, I thought you sold your aero..