A2 - flightjacket.com or Eastman - Urgent for Halloween :D

[Peacoat]

Sorry for the rudeness. I have searched but I feel I need to create this thread in parallel due to the urgency of my need. I'm dressing up as a 101st Airborne officer for Halloween and wanted an A2 to complete the look as well as for a daily wear for cool weather afterwards.

That will be a good trick as A-2s were issued to Army Air Corp flight crew. An officer in the 101st Airborne would never have been an air crew member. He would have been interested in being transported by the aircraft, or in jumping out of it, and would have had no ability or interest in flying it.

The 101st did their fighting on the ground. They wore field jackets (or something similar back then). The Army pilots and flight crew wore the A-2s. Your juxtaposition of the two will be an interesting and ghoulish combination.

 

[Edward]

Was there perchance a famous Airborne who had managed to acquire an A2 for unofficial wear? (I'm thinking of Patton and his B3 here, something like that...). I can't claim to know very much at all about the Airborne, but the first thing that springs to mind for me in association with that name are the M43 jump jackets...

 

[Justhandguns]

Sorry for the rudeness. I have searched but I feel I need to create this thread in parallel due to the urgency of my need. I'm dressing up as a 101st Airborne officer for Halloween and wanted an A2 to complete the look as well as for a daily wear for cool weather afterwards.

That will be a good trick as A-2s were issued to Army Air Corp flight crew. An officer in the 101st Airborne would never have been an air crew member. He would have been interested in being transported by the aircraft, or in jumping out of it, and would have had no ability or interest in flying it.

The 101st did their fighting on the ground. They wore field jackets (or something similar back then). The Army pilots and flight crew wore the A-2s. Your juxtaposition of the two will be an interesting and ghoulish combination.

I wouldn't be so sure.

This is the legenday Major Dick Winters (Lt. at the time of the photo)

I think there were quite a bit of A-2 jackets that somehow worked their way into the ground forces at that period.

Dick Winters still in an A-2, present days

 

[Peacoat]

Many military men have a fondness for clothing that is neither issued nor authorized. Dick Winter was no exception. The rest of the story is that shortly after that publicity shot was taken, the Colonel walked by, saw Lt. Winter clothed in the A-2, braced him, and made him get back into uniform. The other picture proves the point that old soldiers can wear whatever they want. I certainly do.

Here is a photo of Dick Winter properly outfitted in his authorized field jacket, except he is uncovered--a real no-no in the military:

 

[too much coffee]

Man, can you imagine what Dick Winters' A-2 is worth? Or his P-38 pistol given to him by the surrendering German Colonel, "it's never been fired and it never will be."
You're right Edward, the Airborne in WWII were famous for acquiring(for logistical, tactical, and personal reasons), many articles of service uniforms not directly issued to them or necessarily authorized for wear. Oh, and it's the M1942 Jump Jacket(Suit). The M1943 was the Jacket, Field.
When I was in the Army, one thing I heard a couple of times was...."a General is never out of uniform."

 

[HeyMoe]

A-2s were common in the 101st. Pratt Museum had a number of them displayed when I was stationed there in the early 90s.

From Mark Bando's Trigger Time website

Lt Albert Hassenzahl was with Company 'C' 506th from beginning to end, first as a platoon leader, then as company commander. In this 1988 photo, Al is wearing his A-2 flight jacket with 101st Airborne SSI, 506th 'Para Dice' pocket patch, and a leather name tape with his name stenciled on, in black paint. Hassenzahl was highly decorated, the recipient of four Purple Hearts and a Silver Star Medal.

In this 1944 photo, Captain George Buker, Regimental S-2 officer of the 502 PIR, posed for Mike Musura on a bridge in England before D-day. He wears a choice example of an A-2 flight jacket, bearing a leather disc with a decal (simulating paint), of the unauthorized bat wings and skull design of the 502 PIR. photo c/o Nadine W.

A-2s were common through out the Army in general

'The Chief...'

Lieutenant Halsey S HAYS stands between two WLAs, somewhere in Europe in 1944.

Both bikes have white markings on the front fender and one bike has had its windshield apron painted white and marked 'POLICE' and 'CHIEF', referring perhaps to this Officer.
A 6-Volt 'Victory' siren has been mounted on top of the headlight and horn bracket of the bike. These sirens were generally mounted on armored vehicles.

Lt HAYS wears a leather Air Force Type A-2 Flying Jacket in combination with tan (pink) trousers and Parachute Jump Boots

More 101st

Nice looking pair of A-2's worn by members of the 504th PIR.

From one of Mark Bando's books
http://books.google.com/books?id=Md...nepage&q=101st airborne flight jacket&f=false

 

[too much coffee]

Hey HeyMoe;
Thanks for sharing the photos, great stuff!
Welcome to the Lounge.
Regards, coffee

 

[Peacoat]

Yes, Moe, welcome to the Lounge. If I remember correctly, it's still mild enough up there for A-2s. Another month or so and the season will be gone. Time then for something to keep you warm.

 

[HeyMoe]

Thanks guys.

I wear my A-2 all winter long I'm too darn stupid to not wear it.

 

[member 16283]

Major Winters was definitely my inspiration, but not the real one. First it was Band of Brothers, then when I was Googling, I also came upon the image of the real Major Winters in his A2.

 

[Justhandguns]

Major Winters was definitely my inspiration, but not the real one. First it was Band of Brothers, then when I was Googling, I also came upon the image of the real Major Winters in his A2.

 

[member 16283]

Dead on! I used Sobel in Ep1 too. But mostly it was Ep 10.

 

[3onaMatch]

Does anyone know who made the jackets for B.o.B.?

 

[nicholasb]

I'm sure someone could confirm this but I think it was Real Mcoy.

See this thread
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?37633-Band-of-Brothers-A2-s

 

[3onaMatch]

Ah, thanks Nicholas, for the link. Is it just me, or is David Schwimmer's A-2 too big for him in the first episode?

I'm sure someone could confirm this but I think it was Real Mcoy.

See this thread
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?37633-Band-of-Brothers-A2-s