A jackethead's progress: My Aero goat A-2

[Fletch]

Here's my latest flyer, an Aero Flight Mfg. Indian goat A-2 that cost me $250 lightly used.

This model, which Aero Leather hasn't offered for a couple of years now, carries the fictitious Army order number "42-11018-P" (I kinda like that as 11/18 is my birthday and P my initial). This particular example is size 44, which is just right over all but does have the oversize shoulders and extra long epaulets Aeros are known for. The epaulets arched up rather comically until I tacked them down with a couple dabs of contact cement along the rear edges.

The goat is lovely, high-quality stuff, soft yet durable feeling, the seal dye just beginning to show hints of russet undercolor along creases and edges. This one should be a real pleasure to wear come cooler weather.

 

[Feraud]

Nice jacket. I like the color contrast between the leather and knits.

 

[Fletch]

That's classic Aero - I've admired this scheme for quite some time and now I have it!

The rust knit is not quite as orangey as it appears on my monitor. The man who sold it to me described the color as "cinnamon", which pretty much nails it.

And no, I'm not looking down my nose at you all, nor does the coat fit quite so tightly around the labonz' as one might infer from the photo. All this is fisheye effect from the zoom lens. Honest.

 

[Estevan]

Nice...

It's a beautiful jacket Fletch. I also like the contrast between the dark seal colour goat and the knits. Wonderful.

 

[davyjones007]

very nice jacket. I have a goat A-2 from USA and love it. I really like the contrast too as mentioned above. And I totally buy the fish-eye lens story.lol

 

[Marv]

I have the same jacket 44" but with the berry knits, not bad for £100 in the Sale from Aero......unfortunately I don't wear it as much as I should as my main wearer is my ELC Star which I absolutely love but all in all the Aero is a great jacket.

 

[Edward]

Nice jacket. I'm obviously learning something from this palce as I looked at the photo before I'd really taken in the manufacturer's name in the text / thread titel and immediately thought Aero on the basis of those colour cuffs.... I'm still saving for a good A2, but I think when the money happens it's gonig to be an Aero - as much as anything because I love those cinammon knits!

 

[Doctor Strange]

It's a beaut, but I suppose I'm in the minority in that I have never much cared for the Aero seal-jacket-and-red-knits look. I know that there were actually issued WWII jackets like that, so it's an authentic look... but I personally find it a bit odd, and I prefer standard mid-brown cuffs with either seal or russet leather.

No accounting for taste, right?

 

[scotrace]

A grand jacket. Goat makes it very interesting and elevates it above the garden variety, I think.

 

[Edward]

It's a beaut, but I suppose I'm in the minority in that I have never much cared for the Aero seal-jacket-and-red-knits look. I know that there were actually issued WWII jackets like that, so it's an authentic look... but I personally find it a bit odd, and I prefer standard mid-brown cuffs with either seal or russet leather.

No accounting for taste, right?

Heh, absolutely. Actually, that's the great thing about repro A2s, IMO - there are so many quality repros of every variation of the originals, there's a design to suit all tastes. And hey.... there was a time when I really didn't like A2s at all... guess the look grew on me, ha.

 

[Fletch]

A grand jacket. Goat makes it very interesting and elevates it above the garden variety, I think.

The hand and grain of this stuff are almost too good. It feels it should have been made into some luxurious custom designed item that cost a grand or more.

The epaulet cement fix is not working, however. They peel up. Amanda at Aero suggests I have them sewn down along one of the existing stitch lines. Next time I see my shoe man I'll bring it along. If this stiffens the shoulders a little, why, that's good too.

 

[fishmeok]

Here's the same Indian made Aero in the Russet color- size 44 as well. The goat is very thick on these, and super soft. I'm a little undecided on the fit, I'm 6' and sometimes it rides hard on the front of my shoulders. Other than that I like the typical Aero high waist, and the construction is superb- you can see the "flying epaulets" common to Aero repros. Because of the weight of the leather and the overall design I don't consider this a very accurate WWII repro, but it's a great jacket nontheless and a hell of a deal for the price. I have a review of this jacket and a bunch of other posts about how I removed some unfortunate "art" from the back of the jacket on the VLJ list.
Cheers
Mark

 

[Smithy]

Nice jacket Mark, suits you sir!

 

[JWG]

Fishmeok---I think your jacket is steerhide and not goatskin. Aero ran specials on certain hides they got a while back. They used "Aero Flight" labels as opposed to the 15142 labels.

Personally I think it looks pretty good on you.

 

[Fletch]

Sure does. But not grainy enough to be goat. Fish did what looks like a great job redyeing the back panel after removing a cheesecake painting the VLJers nicknamed "grandma."

Does AERO FLIGHT MANF. on the label indicate a jacket made entirely in India? Or just sourcing the hide from there? Or neither?

 

[JWG]

"Aero Flight" labels are their basic "house" labels, they are for basic, generic A2s that don't replicate any particular contract.

Incidently, I checked with Mark Moye (Aeroleatherusa) about the russet A2 as I think it looks great and he advised me it was in fact steerhide. He said he looked at the photos and discovered he once owned it! Small world I guess, Ebay connects many!

 

[fishmeok]

Far out...
I had no idea it was cowhide- when was my jacket made then? That A-2 has been on a long sad journey, look what I had to fix:

From that to this:

I have a thread about this jacket on the VLJ I may have to post over here at some point.
Cheers
Mark
BTW it's a little off topic, but my wife (who I also met on the internet) is leaning over my shoulder as I write this. According to her, we're all a bunch of jacket dorks....

But Mom thinks I'm cool.

 

[Estevan]

Mark,

That was some seriously UGLY art. I saw it when it was for sale and I said Nooooooooo...... But it looks like you managed to pull it off. Great information on the removal I might add. Are you going to have anything painted in it's place or are you going to leave it plain?

 

[fishmeok]

Probably just leave it plain. I may re-patch the jacket to represent the 449th FS, my uncles' unit (he flew P-38's in the CBI), but that's about it. I'm also going to replace the knits, the waistband has no elasticity left.
Tempting though, a P-38 would look pretty good across the back...

Hey Fletch- how heavy is the goat on your seal 1401P Aero? I just turned one down recently (too many jacket projects) and I'm kicking myself for it...
Cheers
Mark

 

[Mr. 'H']

fftopic:

What's "on the VLJ"?