Current USAF Issue A-2s

[Republic_Flier]

This makes so much sense......
Here's a youtube video showing the jacket itself. The sound is pretty quiet so your gonna need to turn it up , BUT not at the beginning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6--K-Ay5A20

 

[kampkatz]

Thanks for the video, Republic_Flier.

 

[dunedinmitch]

This makes so much sense......
Here's a youtube video showing the jacket itself. The sound is pretty quiet so your gonna need to turn it up , BUT not at the beginning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6--K-Ay5A20

Oh yeah, that be the one, pretty sweet, looks feels, and smells even better live. These jackets seem to run at a normal fit (right at your actual size, for example your suite size), not a military fit. Military fit is usually more form fitting, for those still at their "playing" weight. I like extra room and bought one size up from my suit size and it fits perfectly (a little extra room to move).


Happy hunting.

 

[Republic_Flier]

dunedinmitch where did you purchase your jacket and what was the price?

 

[GoodTimesGone]

Observations from a former USAF supply sergeant

Hello everyone. First post here. I was assigned to a supply squadron in England during the late '80s when the first Cooper Saddlery a-2s arrived for issue. I was not a jacket collector then but have been now for nearly 10 years. Here's what I have observed about the reintroduced a-2:
-The Saddlery a-2s have larger collars, as do the issue orange label Coopers. The commercial orange label Coopers have smaller collars, and vary in dimensions.
-The Saddlery Cooper goatskin is superior to the issue orange label Coopers, but not to the commercial orange label Coopers. In fact the commercial orange label a-2s are better.
-The Saddlery Cooper a-2 knits have a purple hue.
-Issue orange label Coopers state "Defense Personnel Support Center" on the tag, while commercial orange label Coopers say "Defense Contract Division".
-Commercial black label Coopers are excellent quality goatskin. The one I own is very dark seal brown-similiar to a vintage L.L. Bean I have.
-Orchard a-2s from the early '90s contract are absolutely the best quality & fit since the a-2 was reintroduced to the USAF. The two I own are heavier goatskin than my Coopers and have really nice grain.:eusa_clap
I also own three Eastmans and one Aero, and they are top quality as has been stated many times on this forum. However IMHO Coopers have sometimes been given a bad rap undeservedly. I own a few that are comfortable as a daily wearer and look good too.

Thanks to everyone for their enlightening input on the Lounge. I have learned much from it.
-Tom

 

[Michael Carter]

Here is my orange label issue Cooper, 1989. It has the "Defense Personnel Support Center" on the tag as indicated above.

Sorry for the photo quality. The room was dark, and the flash washed out the photos so I had to compromise with a slow shutter speed. I also used a lower ISO to keep the grain down. The darker photo of my A2 is truer to the actual color than the other photos.

 

[Michael Carter]

I work in the Pentagon from time to time and I have only seen one older gentleman, who didnt look like he had flown for quite a while, wear an A2. I havent seen any pilot or senior officer wear an A2 or G1 other than that one person. They all wear green flight jackets, Im not much into flight jackets, so I dont know what they are called. In fact, the only people I see wearing the A2 jackets are the weapons contractors and sales people and they stick out like a sore thumb.

The green jackets that are currently issued are the CWU-45/P and -36/P. The former is quilt lined and is quite warm down to about 15°F or 20°F. The -36/P is the unlined version without the storm flap under the zipper. Both are made entirely of DuPont Nomex fire retardant material.

I wear the -45/P more often in the winter than just about anything else except for the N2-B parka when it really hits bottom. The summer weight -36/P is only OK with me. I prefer the A2. The area of the -36/P where the zipper is sewn tends to pucker after awhile and I don't like the way it lays when it's zipped half-way. The double stitched seams on the sleeves have a tendancy to unravel prematurely too. It also feels like you're wearing a plastic bag when it's humid outside in the spring.

 

[zwelgbast]

Cooper Saddlery A-2, size 44L:
I got one out of sheer curiosity from E-bay. It fits well by the way: more comfortable than my size 44 Aero A-2. The knitting is good and sturdy, the goatskin is a bit thin, though, but seems to be of good quality IMO (it doesn't wear off). The Velcro patches are sewn on (not glued): if this jacket is a keeper, I think I will remove them...

Some pics:



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Greetz,


Zwelgbast

 

[Michael Carter]

Looks great Zwelgbast! A lot like mine except for maybe the collar.

 

[dunedinmitch]

dunedinmitch where did you purchase your jacket and what was the price?

Hi, Well, I actually got one of those rare deals of well, not a lifetime, but pretty darn good. A gut on eBay had a business that was going out of business and he had a few left in stock, NWT. He had it starting at $90.00 so I asked if he would do a buy it now for Christmas, I was blown away when his BIN was $110.00!!! Got it and it was as advertised, NWT, and that new leather smell. Company was Blue Sky something.

 

[HackerF15E]

The Velcro patches are sewn on (not glued)

Just note that on some jackets the velcro was initially put into place with a coin-sized application of glue in the center of the patch, and then sewn into place around the edges. I've seen that both on Saddlery jackets and Avirex examples.

So be careful when you remove the patch and be prepared for there to possibly be glue in the center after removing the stitching. Fortunately, I made that mistake only once!

 

[zwelgbast]

Oops!

So glad that you mentioned that, HackerF15E! I'll take another careful look before removing the stiching...

 

[Republic_Flier]

Hi, Well, I actually got one of those rare deals of well, not a lifetime, but pretty darn good. A gut on eBay had a business that was going out of business and he had a few left in stock, NWT. He had it starting at $90.00 so I asked if he would do a buy it now for Christmas, I was blown away when his BIN was $110.00!!! Got it and it was as advertised, NWT, and that new leather smell. Company was Blue Sky something.

lucky that jackets like 300 bucks on bestglide.

 

[dunedinmitch]

Repubilc_Flier, I guess you are CAP? (I was 20+ years ago)
I just took some pics of my A-2 to show the quality of the surface etc and they turned out better than I expected. They turned out a bit "shiny" At least compaired to relality. I think my flash did it. I guess my point is.. the current issue-commercial version Cockpit Inc., is awesome. If you buy from them directly their customer serivice is great; but you can find deals at least $75+ cheaper off on eBay and elsewhere. I have no connecton to them, I stumbled across them trying to find a realistic A-2, and as I my previous story told I got lucky, but the jacket is still their product and is still quite exquisite. Good hunting.

 

[Michael Carter]

What's going on with that extra seam across the back of the sleeve?

 

[HackerF15E]

What's going on with that extra seam across the back of the sleeve?

That's part of the latest design revision of the A-2 (what I'm calling "Version 3" of the A-2).

Here's the sleeve of my USAF-issue '99 Avirex A-2.

 

[Michael Carter]

It looks like they're down to scraps for assembling an A2. Hard to believe they can't find skins large enough for half a sleeve.

 

[HackerF15E]

It looks like they're down to scraps for assembling an A2. Hard to believe they can't find skins large enough for half a sleeve.

It has more to do with the way the sleeve bows around (and bulges slightly at) the elbow in the current design (it's not a straight sleeve), and how that bowed sleeve fits together with the underarm gusset and the side panels.

There are still plenty of large skins to do single-piece backs, so it's not that they can't find sufficient quantities of large skins to do single-piece sleeves. This has been the design for at least 12 years, since Avirex took over the contract.

 

[ButteMT61]

I have a 1997 Avirex that is that way too. When you look at the shape of the sleeve, as was mentioned above, it makes more sense to have the extra piece.

 

[Republic_Flier]

dunedinmitch you are very observant or really creepy. Your jacket looks great, but is it really that black?