A-1 Jacket / A1 Flying Jacket - The ultimate Golden Era flying accessory!

[PADDY]

Eastman A-1

If you go back a few pages you'll see Steve modelling the latest Eastman A-1, of which I understand he is very pleased with

 

[number6]

A1

If you go back a few pages you'll see Steve modelling the latest Eastman A-1, of which I understand he is very pleased with

Oops sorry , I had failed to see how many pages were already written .:eusa_doh:

 

[Fletch]

A-1 in flight!

Adm. David Sellers, Commander-in-Chief, US Fleet, with Cmdr. Alger Dresel, captain of dirigible USS Macon, in her control car over San Francisco in 1934. (Photo: Naval Historical Society)

Note Dresel's uniform of Aviation Working Greens and the Navy spec chest-height pockets on the A-1. It seems to be a lightweight leather rather than the cotton cord jackets (37J1, NA-1) that the Navy was adopting at the time. No way to tell if it was green to match the AWGs, as some Navy A-1s reportedly were.

Note also that CINCUS is wearing a Herbert Hoover choker collar!

 

[Alan Eardley]

Cape is aka hairsheep leather. Outside of gloves and organ bellows it seems to be widely unavailable.

I would think lambskin would be OK for an A-1 if it weren't too thin or delicate. There's not much knowledge ot there on the difference between lamb and cape.

You're right. Pittards, a tannery in Taunton, Somerset, UK, specialises in supplying the glove industry in the area. They do capeskin, vegetable tanned.

Alan

 

[Doug C]

Alan wrote:

They do capeskin, vegetable tanned.

Really ? I'd love to be able to source some, especially vegetable tanned... I didn't see anything about it on they're site.. how'd you know this? Anymore info? Thanks.

Doug C

 

[SamMarlowPI]

I am so getting an A-1...oh Magnoooooliiiiiiiii lol

 

[BellyTank]

Alan wrote:

Really ? I'd love to be able to source some, especially vegetable tanned... I didn't see anything about it on they're site.. how'd you know this? Anymore info? Thanks.

Doug C

Here:

http://www.pittards.com/pages/world...oveleatherdivision.cfm?CFID=1817812&CFTOKEN=9

B
T

 

[fedoralover]

Goodwear A-1

Check out this link to see pics of Johns A-1 in capeskin, it's amazing. It's 1930's in a box.

http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/gwa1_images1.html

fedoralover

 

[fedoralover]

A-1 offerings, Pick your favorite

I like to look at different offerings lined up so you can do an easy comparison. Here's some pics of the one's I found from the different vendors.

fedoralover

 

[HoosierDaddy]

I'll take No. 5..please.
If not No. 3...I'd reckon....

HD

 

[Estevan]

I have the ELC #2, wish I had John's #5 though. Although my ELC is starting to look like #5....Oh well, did I answer your question? :eusa_doh:

 

[John Lever]

The Goodwear is my choice.

 

[WhiskeyTangoFox]

I like the fit of Eastman's (#2) but since they don't do customization, I'd have to go with Good Wear's (#5) and substitute buttons for the bottom snaps. That would be my ideal A-1.

Noel

 

[BellyTank]

It's gotta be John's Goodwear-

The cut and construction are truly fashioned after originals- add to this, the hide choice AND the ability for customisation- this allows a truly custom, unique and fantastic jacket, which outshines the pretenders and is definitely more than just reminiscent of the '20s/'30s...

I will be having one... one day.

Happy New Year to all
and congrats to Mr. Chapman on being the purveyor of the very, very best.
You WIN!

B
T

 

[Estevan]

John's is actually more correct than any shown. His 3 piece sleeve construction is spot on. ELCs is incorrect as they have a 2 piece. As for the buttons vice snaps, snaps are correct.

 

[Damon Falzone]

Who is the manufacturer of #3, please?

 

[fedoralover]

#1. Lost Worlds

#2. Eastman

#3. Aero

#4. US Authentic

#5. Goodwear


To be honest I was never a fan of the A-1, then bseal posted his pics of the first Goodwear A-1 and I thought, "WOW" that really looks great. So it got me to go back and look at the other ones that different vendors offered and I thought it would be nice to have them all in a row to compare.

I have to say, I still look at the Goodwear and say "WOW!!". It just has a look that the others lack and I can't quite put my finger on it to explain it, but I know it when I see it.

fedoralover

 

[scotrace]

It's four bottles of flat coke vs. a case of good scotch.




1925 in a box.

 

[greyhound68]

I agree was never a A-1 fan until I saw the Goodwear and had the same reaction as everyone else. Got one on order.

 

[Fletch]

Best looking: tie between ELC and GW. ELC's is (supposedly) the more faithful copy of one surviving original. I understand John's going for more of a blend of the features of various originals. Each has the classic A-1 look, almost like a trim cardigan rendered in leather.

LW's version cuts a great profile with the broad shoulders and heavy, drapey horsehide. It's more a Hollywood idealization tho - you can imagine Robert Taylor wearing it but not a real, rumpled flier of biplane days. After looking at the GW, the buttons seem way too big.

Aero's isn't bad at all but they need to reposition those pockets lower down. It's as if they wanted to split the difference between the early type chest pockets and the belly pockets used later.

The US-A version interests me least. The baseball type collar was an early Navy spec but it just isn't as practical or dashing as the button-up type. The cut also seems too generous, but that could just be the manikin it's on.

One that's missing: Willis & Geiger. It's actually a better replica than any of their A-2s. Real capeskin and cotton liner. Needs another collar fastener tho, and the contrast between leather color and cuffing is a little too much, giving a baseball jacket effect.