Aero A-1

[Alistar79]

This year at some point i will be visiting the aero factory north of the border.
I would find it impossible choosing a jacket without seeing, feeling and trying them all on.
Am going for either a stockman/cheyenne/mariner as am wanting something 3/4 length in black.
But then i came across this
http://www.original-flightjackets.c...Army-Air-Force/Type-A-1-Flight-Jacket::9.html
And now i know i'll be buying or ordering two jackets when am up there.
I see a lot of information and pictures on this site regarding the A-2 but the A-1 just doesn't seem as popular.
I absolutely love the look of this jacket. If anybody has any pictures or information they would wish to share then please go ahead.
(that goes for all the above coats mentioned to)


Thanks

 

[Jeff M]

I'll start out by saying that Aero makes fantastic jackets, and I am a big fan of the A1 design.
For me it works best with capeskin. A good A1 tends to fit/feel like a sweatshirt or jumper, soft feel, easy drape...relatively snug. Good capeskin has those qualities...and is still relatively tough for it's light weight.
Having said that, I think a good quality light weight HH or steer A1 would be interesting. I just wouldn't expect it to work the same.
As far as i know, Aero does not offer capeskin. Perhaps some of their other leathers would work with the design?

 

[ButteMT61]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...en-Era-flying-accessory!&highlight=a-1+jacket

Pages and pages of A-1 info...

 

[Jeff M]

And a recent thread comparing a Good Wear A1 and an ELC A1;

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ison-of-Type-A-1-jackets-(GW-and-ELC-.50-Cal)


Here are some photos of my Superior Flight Apparel A1, made from capeskin;

If looking for a high quality custom made leather A1, I'd recommend adding Mark Fisher's work (Superior Flight Apparel) to your consideration list.
Top quality workmanship, custom made, high grade leather (shares leather shipments with John Chapman of Good Wear). Excellently priced. A pleasure to do business with.
I own several GW', Aeros, ELC's leather jackets. My SFA A1 is one of my favorites.

http://superiorjackets.com/

 

[ButteMT61]

Lots of awesome A-1 jackets out there. Sadly (for me), the coolest one I've ever seen or held or owned is now Worf's. But it went to a good home. A Good Wear A-1 in cape. Circa 2008-9.

 

[Boyo]

Another one Worf??? Good thing the winters are long up there...BTW I haven't seen a picture of you in this A-1 yet.

 

[Grayland]

I'll start out by saying that Aero makes fantastic jackets, and I am a big fan of the A1 design.
For me it works best with capeskin. A good A1 tends to fit/feel like a sweatshirt or jumper, soft feel, easy drape...relatively snug. Good capeskin has those qualities...and is still relatively tough for it's light weight.
Having said that, I think a good quality light weight HH or steer A1 would be interesting. I just wouldn't expect it to work the same.
As far as i know, Aero does not offer capeskin. Perhaps some of their other leathers would work with the design?

I am a novice in regards to military jackets, but I agree with you. The A-1 almost seems like a leather windbreaker and the capeskin is perfect for that.

 

[Boyo]

Hey, does Capeskin have a reputation for being long/hard wearing? Or is it a little more fragile? The definition of capeskin I found says it used to be harvested from goats living near the Cape Of Good Hope, although now it is from "hairy sheep"?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/capeskin

I thought sheepskin was lower down on the scale of resiliency.

 

[Jeff M]

Hey, does Capeskin have a reputation for being long/hard wearing? Or is it a little more fragile? The definition of capeskin I found says it used to be harvested from goats living near the Cape Of Good Hope, although now it is from "hairy sheep"?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/capeskin

I thought sheepskin was lower down on the scale of resiliency.

My experience with capeskin is that it does not feel as tough as the goat used on G1's, horse or steer hide, but tougher than sheepskin.
I don't worry about feel like I'm going to tear a hole in my A1 if I catch it on the car door like I do with my sheep skin jackets.
Combines the best of both worlds....a bit of the durability of the tougher hides but with the drape of sheep skin.

 

[Worf]

Another one Worf??? Good thing the winters are long up there...BTW I haven't seen a picture of you in this A-1 yet.

Philistine... I got that jacket used... and it's very lightweight... 40's and 50's only. It'll be my spring and early fall attire. Can I help it if everybody that loses a ton of weight foists their left-overs on me. I try to resisst but as they say... ressistance is futile...

Worf

 

[jack miranda]

I have an Aero A-1 in cape skin, about six years old. It is one of my favorites, and has been written here already, it is as comfortable as an old sweatshirt. But, so clean and sharp looking even my wife likes it. Whoa!

 

[feltfan]

Philistine... I got that jacket used... and it's very lightweight... 40's and 50's only. It'll be my spring and early fall attire. Can I help it if everybody that loses a ton of weight foists their left-overs on me. I try to resisst but as they say... ressistance is futile...

Worf

I should be out in NYC this Spring. If the weather isn't too rainy, I might bring my GW A-1, from the same vintage and the same capeskin I'd guess.
And probably about the same size, too. We could be a gang...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?1493-A-1-A1-Flying-Jackets-The-ultimate-Golden-Era-flying-accessory!&p=709397&viewfull=1#post709397

 

[Dr H]

I've owned 4 A-1s from ELC and 5 from Good Wear (and seen or handled offerings from most of the other manufacturers). The .50 cal that I posted previously and is linked above is simply the most convincing repro Type A-1 that I have ever seen. The time worn treatment of this cape is superb.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Butte, can't believe you sold that beautiful cape! That was the inspiration for my own order from Goodwear (year's waiting list) but I worry the current cape doesn't look as good.

SJ

 

[Aerojoe]

Butte, can't believe you sold that beautiful cape!

It was the jacket that best suited him :eusa_doh:

 

[majormajor]

And a recent thread comparing a Good Wear A1 and an ELC A1;

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ison-of-Type-A-1-jackets-(GW-and-ELC-.50-Cal)


Here are some photos of my Superior Flight Apparel A1, made from capeskin;

If looking for a high quality custom made leather A1, I'd recommend adding Mark Fisher's work (Superior Flight Apparel) to your consideration list.
Top quality workmanship, custom made, high grade leather (shares leather shipments with John Chapman of Good Wear). Excellently priced. A pleasure to do business with.
I own several GW', Aeros, ELC's leather jackets. My SFA A1 is one of my favorites.

http://superiorjackets.com/

That's a lovely jacket.

The one shown on his web site is very different, with unusually high pocket placing.

I guess he will do either?

He's also a little coy about pricing.

Can you tell us how much he charges?

 

[Grayland]

A Superior Flight Apparel A-1 is $700 plus shipping.

 

[Worf]

I should be out in NYC this Spring. If the weather isn't too rainy, I might bring my GW A-1, from the same vintage and the same capeskin I'd guess.
And probably about the same size, too. We could be a gang...

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?1493-A-1-A1-Flying-Jackets-The-ultimate-Golden-Era-flying-accessory!&p=709397&viewfull=1#post709397

I'm down with that... long as we don't have to sing and dance... I'm too big to be an extra in "West Side Story"!!!! I'd rather pretend we're a lost squadron on leave.

Worf

 

[Edward]

I'll start out by saying that Aero makes fantastic jackets, and I am a big fan of the A1 design.
For me it works best with capeskin. A good A1 tends to fit/feel like a sweatshirt or jumper, soft feel, easy drape...relatively snug. Good capeskin has those qualities...and is still relatively tough for it's light weight.
Having said that, I think a good quality light weight HH or steer A1 would be interesting. I just wouldn't expect it to work the same.
As far as i know, Aero does not offer capeskin. Perhaps some of their other leathers would work with the design?

I've never knowingly handled capeskin.... though from the descriptions above, it sounds like it wouldn't be far off the goat Wested used in my Indy jacket. It has the same drape as the lamb, but doesn't feel just so fragile. Aero's goat would look great in an A1 design. Likely a bit of a different drape til you broke it in, but a nice, relatively light hide nonetheless. I love my goat A2 in that.

And a recent thread comparing a Good Wear A1 and an ELC A1;

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ison-of-Type-A-1-jackets-(GW-and-ELC-.50-Cal)


Here are some photos of my Superior Flight Apparel A1, made from capeskin;

If looking for a high quality custom made leather A1, I'd recommend adding Mark Fisher's work (Superior Flight Apparel) to your consideration list.
Top quality workmanship, custom made, high grade leather (shares leather shipments with John Chapman of Good Wear). Excellently priced. A pleasure to do business with.
I own several GW', Aeros, ELC's leather jackets. My SFA A1 is one of my favorites.

http://superiorjackets.com/

Mark does really nice work. I have one of his very early jackets (a civilian model, like an A1, but with a zip instead of button fastening).

 

[ButteMT61]

It was the jacket that best suited him :eusa_doh:

Guys. Knock it off! The torso was too large for me after I lost 35 pounds. There's no way in hell I'd sell it otherwise. I lusted after that jacket after another VLJ member started posting pics of it eons ago. When he offered it to me, I almost died. But the sad reality is I either had to put up with an ill-fitting jacket, or gain weight. I'm not one for power-lifting and bulking up, so I sold to Worf. I think it looks great on him. I asked JC about altering it, and he just didn't think it was doable with the amount of work involved - better to make a new jacket. So...after much pondering and a test run of the Ventura, that's the next piece. A-1's are awesome. In some ways I like them better than A-2's now. Ian (Dr H) has a nice collection of A-1's. He probably has more info than anyone here on them...