A2 For Around $200?

[Kaleponi Craig]

I was wondering if there is a good A2 available out there for around $200. I saw this one:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...et&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jhtml

but I'm sure there are others.

Thanks, Kaleponi Craig

 

[scotrace]

Vilanto

Good luck finding one, but for my every day kick around I have a leather jacket that is, except for the cheesy satin lining and brown-without-a-hint-of-red color, a decent A-2 TYPE jacket. It's a Vilanto, and I got it from the leather store on the sale rack, of all places, for $50.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Flightsuits is known to have A-2's on sale for $199 from time to time. Check in once a week until one pops up in your size:


http://www.flightsuits.com/clear_jkt_leather.html

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Cooper...Mine is a few years old, but I payed $199.

 

[fedoralover]

This is probably the best place for that amount of money. http://uswings.com/military.asp

You DON'T want the Cabela's. A friend of mine bought one and sent it back and it was the 400 dollar one. He got a one from uswings for 229 and was really happy with it. You can get them with, or without the side handwarmer pockets.

fedoralover

 

[BellyTank]

KEEP your eyes on eBay-
there's about a gazillion repro A-2s ranging from Excellent,
thru OK to downright tragic-
Coopers go pretty cheap on eBay.
If you invest a little time, you should get a good used one for less than your budget- just know what you want as far as authenticity and fit- know your measurements and check with the vendor's jacket.
You should get one with a one-pieces back panel and without side 'hand-warmer pockets' to be at least in the ballpark of authenticity- but part of the authenticity thing is the fit- a big, baggy jacket will look crappy, you want a sharp fit, it makes all the difference.
Cooper is probably better than a lot of the Avirex brand 'A-2s' and they can be got pretty cheap. The good repros- Aero, Eastman, Real McCoys are much closer to the new price when used and in good condition- $450/$600.
There are repros on eBay form $10 to $1000-

B
T

 

[fedoralover]

Good advice BT, the important measurements are, across the back shoulder seam to shoulder seam and also from the shoulder seam to the end of the sleeve. Don't go by your sport jacket size, if you wear a size 42 jacket and buy a size 42 A-2, it's unlikely you'll be able to get into it.
I got a Cooper at Goodwill for $20.00 and its a great jacket. I also was fortunate to get an older Averix horsehide A-2 off ebay for $112.00. The horsehide is awesome leather, it has a look and feel that is hard to beat. While these jackets aren't in the same ball park as the higher end ones they are still great jackets with the one piece back and two piece sleeves and no hand warmer pockets. They also just have the plain brown liners.

You have to be patient on ebay though as jacket collectors are just as fanatical as fedora collectors, probably even more so.

fedoralover

 

[ITG]

fedoralover, beware of US Wings. Several members on Indygear have had problems with the leather not matching up (lambskins) and not so great customer service. Just wanna give a head's up.

 

[BellyTank]

Measurements/Sizing

The 'shoulder' measurement (seam to seam)can be a big red herring.
It's not a 'seam' measurement- it goes across your shoulders and around the back of your neck bu it's actually interupted by the collar opening- use it only as a rough guide- I've had jackets with an inch (a mile in sartorial terms)less than I thought I needed in the shoulder fit me fine.
The matter of the jacket fitting across the shoulders is intertwined with the chest measurement and the way/and where exactly, the sleeves are set into the body and the size and position of the neck opening and collar.
An A-2 jacket is actually cut like a shirt, rather than a jacket and is meant to be a closer fitting 'jacket', not a big loose one with a lot of layering room.
Because of the cut, it CAN fit closer but many of the cheaper repros are way too baggy per given size. I say if you take a s42 suit jacket, you should be able to take a s42 A-2, but who really knows unless you try?

As a guide, have a look at some pictures of some A-2s being worn, relate the shoulder fitting/shoulder seam position to your own shoulders and measure, or get someone to approximate the position and measure you. Maybe you have a similar styled jacket that you coulkd use the measurements from.
Anyway, the point is, an A-2 'should' be a smaller/closer fitting garment, otherwise it stops looking like an A-2. Maybe you don't like the snugger fit style...
Just make some good measurements from something that DOES fit you appropriately and keep them ready for when you ask all those eBay vendors their jackets' measurements-

B
T

 

[fedoralover]

Hmm, I guess my experience has been a bit different. I have seen numerous A-2s in vintage shops and when I run across a size 42, which is what I wear in a sport jacket, I literally can't get it on. My other ones fit very snug just like you described, when I zip them up they fit like a wet suit, and they are a larger size. Because every one I tried on was like that, I have come to assume that was just they way they were sized. But I make no claim to be a jacket expert. I guess the lesson in all of this is to make some standard you know fits you individually and make sure you get measurements from the seller.

Thanks for the heads up on uswings, ITG. My friend got the goat and it was matched okay.

regards fedoralover

 

[BellyTank]

Yep- size ranges a lot through the different manufacturers of course- but my experience is that the cheaper ones are looser fitting- especially in the shoulders and chest, which means they can fit more people. Much more of a 'Mall' fit than an 'authentic' fit. I guess my experience would generally be the opposite of yours then. But then it really depends which brands we're talking about.

B
T

 

[Doctor Strange]

Apart from the endlessly frustrating sizing issues, the real question is what you define as a "good" A-2.

If you want something along the lines of the current-spec USAF version, a $199 Cooper (or the slightly more expensive Flight Suits USAF model, or any of a number of USAF-style Avirexes, or the US Wings) will probably do. But that's current-spec - be prepared for synthetic lining and knits, baggy sizing, YKK zippers, etc. (And the latest spec even allows for handwarmer pockets, internal pockets, mulitple-piece backs, and even looser sizing - so the newer "21st Century" versions are still further from the originals.)

If you want something that's a replica or repro of the 30s/40s A-2s (i.e., with more correct materials and fit), the best you're going to do is probably the $270 goatskin model from US Authentic, or maybe an Aero Indian goat or (nonstandard) steerhide. Or, as already mentioned, if something in your size turns up on the bargain/clearance pages that Flight Suits, Aero, US Authentic, etc., have on their sites.

So you *can* get a $200 A-2 - but not one that's a decent replica of a 30s/40s version. It all comes down to what you really feel you need...

 

[bfrench]

Measurements/Sizing

Hi, Folks,

Just joined tonight and would like to relate my escapades to buyin a repro.

First one I ordered was the US Authentic G-1 - emailed my measurements and received the jacket in a very short time - less than a week.

Only one problem - it didn't fit. They use exact measurements and allow for a tight fit. I asked for a size 48 which fit like a size 44 - sent it back and wasn't happy about the way he was going to try and make the measurements fit over the phone.

They make an excellent jacket for the price - in fact for a close repro you can't beat their price.

So I next moved to Flight Suits / Gibson and Barnes who seemed to be more helpful at least in my mind.

About 50% more than USA but more authentic. It took a couple of tries but I eventually got the correct size.

Now the trick to this is to know how to take your measurements and what you want - a tight fit or a loose one.

One main measurement is the armpit to armpit measurement with the jacket closed and laid flat. Then measure armpit to armpit.

This measure is your chest measurement divided by two the an allowance for fit added.

So with a 44" chest your jacket front would be 22" plus allowance.

For a snug fit add 2" to this measurement - for a loose fit add 4".

Thus snug armpit to armpit would be 24" - loose would be 26".

Now all you need to do is ask the jacket maker for that measurement or give him your measurement and let them fit it to you.

Bill French

 

[BellyTank]

Hi 'French- nice to see you here as well-
Poop!
No names here-
Just
B
T