Veteran Stories of their A2?

[rrackleyadams]

Many of us love the A2, and enjoy learning about the history of the distribution, performance, personalization and wearing of the great master jacket. However, I've never heard a veteran's testimony as to their opinion of the jacket...the pride of finally earning one, the honor of wearing it, the anticipation of getting it during flight school, the day they had it painted, the hoping that you get a good one from the quartermaster, etc. Are there any testimonials/stories/interviews out there that you know of that share these first hand accounts about the great A2?

 

[jollygreenslugg]

I do recall someone (here?) saying that one of their relatives was a wartime aviator, and he found the A-2 to be "cold and stiff"; preferring the cloth jackets. Mind you, I'm sure there are plenty of other opinions among those who served.

My words aren't intended to impugn the A-2, but to point out how varied opinions can be.

Cheers,
Matt

 

[a2jacketpatches]

I've been buying stuff straight from the vets for over a decade. I actively seek out AAF guys regularly and try to find out if they have any of their issued items around. I can't say that any have ever been as passionate as a collector. Most might say something like this "Oh yeah, I had one of those" A lot will not part with their items so I believe it does mean something to them, but not what you might think.

 

[Andrew]

I do recall someone (here?) saying that one of their relatives was a wartime aviator, and he found the A-2 to be "cold and stiff"; preferring the cloth jackets. Mind you, I'm sure there are plenty of other opinions among those who served.

My words aren't intended to impugn the A-2, but to point out how varied opinions can be.

Cheers,
Matt

That might have been me Matt. I spoke with Chuck Y at Avalon a few years ago and when he was signing the lining of my jacket I suggested that he'd recognize an A-2 when he saw it. He said something like "yeah but they were too darn cold" and so he swapped it for a cloth jacket...paraphrased. If that were so he must've got a replacement!

 

[Phantomfixer]

I think this goes back to utility of the jacket. It was a piece of gear intended to be abused and worn for a short time period (during the war). I recon prewar jackets were meant to be worn, and maybe turned in for the next guy to use...
Anyway I think a vet values the jacket or any service related gear as memories of their youth, more than the dollar amount of the item..
I think it is good the Viet Nam vets are starting to open up a bit about their experiances...time I guess.......

 

[Stony]

That might have been me Matt. I spoke with Chuck Y at Avalon a few years ago and when he was signing the lining of my jacket I suggested that he'd recognize an A-2 when he saw it. He said something like "yeah but they were too darn cold" and so he swapped it for a cloth jacket...paraphrased. If that were so he must've got a replacement!

Yeager's A-2 is in the Smithsonian on display next to the X-1.

Did his wife charge you $50 to have him sign the jacket? If not, it must have been before she got the rights to his signature. :roll:

 

[Andrew]

That might have been me Matt. I spoke with Chuck Y at Avalon a few years ago and when he was signing the lining of my jacket I suggested that he'd recognize an A-2 when he saw it. He said something like "yeah but they were too darn cold" and so he swapped it for a cloth jacket...paraphrased. If that were so he must've got a replacement!

Yeager's A-2 is in the Smithsonian on display next to the X-1.

Did his wife charge you $50 to have him sign the jacket? If not, it must have been before she got the rights to his signature. :roll:

Oh yeah Stony, I had to get past Jackie first!

 

[Stony]

Oh yeah Stony, I had to get past Jackie first!

Her name is Victoria, but no matter as she is a b**** from hell :twisted: . I'm sure she'd grimace if she knew I got Chuck's signature twice at no cost , but that was before she came into the picture. :lol:

 

[Treetopflyer]

Oh yeah Stony, I had to get past Jackie first!

Her name is Victoria, but no matter as she is a b**** from hell :twisted: . I'm sure she'd grimace if she knew I got Chuck's signature twice at no cost , but that was before she came into the picture. :lol:

I have heard about her. I talked to some guys from the AF Test pilot school and they said that she charged them to take a picture with him when he came to the school as a guest speaker.

 

[Phantomfixer]

Cost me return postage for an autographed pic back in the 90s....met him in the 80s at Ramstein AB he was flying through and toured the 512th and 526th Fighter Squadrons...was very cool.....

 

[Stony]

I have heard about her. I talked to some guys from the AF Test pilot school and they said that she charged them to take a picture with him when he came to the school as a guest speaker.

It's a lot worse than that. I had a lot of personal dealings with her when I worked at the museum and none of them were good. C.Y.'s accomplishments aside, he's not the nicest person either.

 

[Andrew]

Oh yeah Stony, I had to get past Jackie first!

Her name is Victoria, but no matter as she is a b**** from hell :twisted: . I'm sure she'd grimace if she knew I got Chuck's signature twice at no cost , but that was before she came into the picture. :lol:

Vickie=Jackie, knew it was something like that . She swept through before like a locust plague and cleaned us all out. I don't think it was quite $50 though.

 

[TOMG1401]

Met him twice, let's say they were made for each other

 

[herk115]

Met him twice, let's say they were made for each other

Don't get me started on Yeager! :evil:

 

[rich]

In the foreword of 'Gear Up!', Joe Maguire (author's father) writes that "On warmer days I would fly in my A-2 jacket. When it was really cold I wore my B-9 parka. The jacket I probably wore the most and liked the best was my B-10. It was more comfortable and warmer than the A-2."

 

[TankBuster]

In the foreword of 'Gear Up!', Joe Maguire (author's father) writes that "On warmer days I would fly in my A-2 jacket. When it was really cold I wore my B-9 parka. The jacket I probably wore the most and liked the best was my B-10. It was more comfortable and warmer than the A-2."

Kind of typical of what I've heard as well. The B-10 was the jacket of choice for most guys. Mid to late war fighter pilots loved them.

 

[Peter Graham]

The B-10 was the jacket of choice for most guys. Mid to late war fighter pilots loved them.

I'm not surprised. The best and most beautiful flight jacket ever, in my opinion.

 

[herk115]

The B-10 was the jacket of choice for most guys. Mid to late war fighter pilots loved them.

I'm not surprised. The best and most beautiful flight jacket ever, in my opinion.

Okay, I give. Who makes a good B-10 repro?

 

[TankBuster]

The B-10 was the jacket of choice for most guys. Mid to late war fighter pilots loved them.

I'm not surprised. The best and most beautiful flight jacket ever, in my opinion.

Okay, I give. Who makes a good B-10 repro?

Eastman. Best out there. They aren't cheap though.

 

[Dr H]

[Okay, I give. Who makes a good B-10 repro?

Eastman. Best out there. They aren't cheap though.

+1
Depending on your size they come up from time to time on EBay or the Eastman Guest book (on the website).
In my view you'll need to size up though as they run fairly trim.