Fits of Aero A2 lineup

[LaymanX]

Believe it or not, I've read through a *lot* of Aero A2 threads on this forum, but I can never get a definitive list of what exactly is different between each contract in terms of fit. I'm aware that there are some differences with regards to features like collar stands, or types of knits but I'm mostly interested in how each jacket fits.

Can someone organize the list below in terms of slim ----> baggy? I've already attempted to sort the list but I have no idea how the new USAAF 42-15142-P cut fits in.



Aero 38-1711-P Type A-2
Bronco W535AC29191 Type A-2
"Unknown Maker" Contract No 1756 Type A-2
USAAF 42-15142-P Type A-2 (Updated cut)
Aero "Real Deal" 42-15142-P Type A-2 Unmatched Horsehide
USAAF Type A-2, 42-18775-P By Aero Leather Clothing
Aero 40-3785-P Type A-2


Thanks in advance!!!

 

[wdw]

Good question. I got so confused I just gave up and never bothered buying one. If the whole fit thing was clarified I'd be more inclined to buy.

 

[Edward]

Both Holly and Denny Caulder are on TFL; hopefully they'll chime in on this thread. Best thing to do for now is email Aero and ask about different fits. In my experience, the later, wartime contracts are looser than the earlier, prewar ones. It'll be interesting to hear Aero's breakdown across different, specific contracts. Especially as, I believe, Ken has reworked the Aero patterns since 2012.

 

[Barabus]

Interested in this too. Subscribed.

 

[Sloan1874]

38 contract and 1756 are the slimmest.

 

[Gromulus]

Good question. I got so confused I just gave up and never bothered buying one. If the whole fit thing was clarified I'd be more inclined to buy.

Same issue here.

Which styles/contracts are the most "V" shaped?

Too often "slim" means shallow in the chest, narrow in the shoulders, and skinny in the arms.

 

[yakima]

What shape are you looking for?

 

[Barabus]

When i get me 38 contract in this next month. I will post fit pictures and measurements.

 

[Rabbit]

Slim cuts:
"Unknown Maker" Contract No 1756 Type A-2
Aero 38-1711-P Type A-2
USAAF Type A-2, 42-18775-P By Aero Leather Clothing

Don't know, should be slim or in between:
Bronco W535AC29191 Type A-2
Aero 40-3785-P Type A-2

Much less tapered:
USAAF 42-15142-P Type A-2 (Updated cut)
The Real Deal surely is the same, being the same contract.

I own the new 42-18775-P and the updated 42-15142-P in size 36. The former has considerable drop from chest to waist (actual garment measurements are 40" chest and 30" at the unstretched waistband, upper edge), the latter has a straighter cut (actual garment measurements are 40" chest and 34" at the unstretched waistband, upper edge). The former has a little more taper to the sleeves than the latter, but it's not noticeable. The shoulder feels the same. Not sure about the armhole, maybe the 42-18775-P is a little higher; both have very high-cut armholes to begin with.
Because of the heavy taper of the 42-18775-P, the leather is more gathered at the waistband, much more so than on the 42-15142-P.

I would assume that on small sizes, the general differences in patterns would be more noticeable than on very large sizes. An increase in size is not quite proportional to the pattern of a small size.

I searched for more specific information like the rest of you did, and I must say I cannot understand why Aero don't specifiy the exact measurements of each pattern on their site, or at least add a description of the differences in cut. I know they are aiming at putting all seven Aero contracts into production, and after the revamping their patterns they may not have had the opportunity to add specs to their site yet. As of now, we have no way of knowing what the exact differences are, and it's a little counterproductive I think.
Incidentally, I'm very satisfied with both of my jackets.

All in all, the 42-15142-P appears to be the only pattern with only little drop from chest to waist. If your body has a high drop number, that doesn't necessarily mean that this contract looks baggy on you, though. In the proper short back length and once worn in, the excess material can drape nicely. However, with a slimmer pattern, the jacket will fit simply stunning on a thin frame with high drop. When worn unzipped, a slim contract opens up nicely towards the waistline when worn wth high-waisted trousers. Wearing contemporary trousers or jeans changes the whole thing, but that's your choice.

 

[Fanch]

Normally I wear a 44L sports coat and 42L in most Aero jackets but have a 44 Aero Bronco A-2 that is 23.5" P2P, 19" shoulder, and 27" sleeves and back that is snug on me to the extent that I could probably size up to a 46 for a looser fit. I am told the A-2 Bronco is a bit longer in the body than some of the other contracts.

 

[wdw]

Useful info, Rabbit and Fanch. Thanks.

 

[Gromulus]

Thank you Rabbit!

 

[Rabbit]

Some fit pics of the Aero 42-18775-P (tumbled CXFQHH, rust knits) and the Aero 42-15142-P, updated pattern (oil pull HH, seal knits)


For reference, I'm 37"/30", 5'8", 137lbs. The jackets have the actual measurements of 40"/30" (chest fully extended/ waistband unstretched) for the 42-18775-P , and 40"/34" for the 42-15142-P. I just checked those measurements again. The back length is 22" and 22 3/8", respectively, measured from the top of the collar and excluding the waistband, which is a slightly confusing measurement, but that's the way Aero measure it, so I'll leave it that way. Sleeve length is 24" on both.
Since I'm 37" with a twig-ish frame, the size 36 fits ideally for wear over a shirt and tie, just to replace a suit jacket. Most of my suit jackets have a 40" chest, too.

Note that when the back length is not in accordance with your natural waist (the slimmest part of the torso, if the stomach is flat) - waist length would mean that the jacket sits high enough to leave the side pockets uncovered - then the fit is quite different because the A-2 was originally designed to fit at waist length. Worn with a longer back length to accomodate lower rise jeans, an A-2 has much less tolerance for a baggy jacket "waist" (which then becomes the hip), because the longer jacket length prevents it from riding up to the natural waistline. It's the trouser waist itself that safely locks in the jacket waist, as it were. The unzipped front will also look different when the jacket is longer, for the same reason. Worn short and with high-waisted trousers, an A-2 has more of the feel of a knitted waistcoat in terms of how it wraps the torso, although stiffer of course.
I'm not saying there's a right and a wrong way to wear an A-2, only that these things should be considered to get the fit you want with the trousers you like to wear.

I understand that the pre-2012 42-15142-P pattern was a little inaccurate, according to Aero's latest pattern check, and a more roomy cut, especially at the waist and sleeves. The updated version, although a more relaxed cut than the other available patterns, is still a very useful pattern even for slim frames. For such a built, I would recommend the 42-15142-P in a medium weight hide rather than the heavyweights. Of course the latter hides are period-inaccurate anyway, but the Aero FQHH is such a stunner.

In the photos, note the differences in how the unzipped front opens towards the waistline, and how the waistband locks itself into the upper section of the trousers, above the pockets. The thickness and stiffness of the FQHH versus the softness of the oil pull HH is another factor here. The waistband on the 42-18775-P has ridden up because of the constant bending down to operate the camera. It would normally sit a little lower, fully covering the waistline. The waistband on the 42-15142-P sits a little lower due to the wider jacket waist and an added 3/8" to the back length.

Incidentally, those are 1951 USAF blue wool trousers in the photos, which have practically the same cut as the wartime greens. Pretty typical 40s high-waisted trousers.


42-18775-P, unzipped:

Same, zipped:

42-15142-P, unzipped:

Same, zipped:

And lastly the 42-18775-P once more, with trousers seen in full length, jacket unzipped:

 

[wdw]

Thanks. Really useful and interesting.

 

[LaymanX]

Perfect, that's exactly the reply I was looking for! I'm curious as to why you would consider the Aero 42-18775-P a slim fit while the 42-15142-P a looser fit in your previous post when your fit photos show otherwise?

 

[Sloan1874]

Very handy, great looking jackets as well.

 

[Rabbit]

Glad you can make use of it, folks.

To illustrate my point about the fit being altered by the mere fact of wearing low-rise jeans instead of high-waisted trousers with the same jacket, here's the 42-15142-P worn with size 28 Albam slim leg jeans (bought in 2009). The size 28 jeans are a skinny fit on me. I should have used the 42-18775-P to make this point because the difference is much greater there. Anyway, you should be able to see that the jacket waist sits a little lower when worn with the jeans, which is most notable in the back view. There is no bunching up of the leather anymore, and the waistband is now fully extended instead of being bulged.
With the 42-18775-P, you would be able to see that the unzipped jacket doesn't open up towards the waistband as much as it does when worn with high-waisted trousers. You can see it on this jacket, too, but it's more felt (by the wearer) than seen.

Vintage high-waisted trousers and contemporary low-rise jeans next to each other, same jacket (42-18775-P). The direct comparison hopefully makes the effect of how the jacket sits at the waist more easily visible.
The overall effect is that when worn with low-rise jeans, the torso is visually elongated and the legs are visually shortened, compared to when wearing high-waisted trousers.

In passing I'll note that I haven't worn modern jeans in years.

Disgressing off-topic a little, photo lineups like these remind me of the pitfalls of using stills for evaluating fit. We are so used to seeing photos of models standing still that we have come to take stills as the most important measure for fit. Vintage cuts look quite different when the person is walking compared to when standing.

Perfect, that's exactly the reply I was looking for! I'm curious as to why you would consider the Aero 42-18775-P a slim fit while the 42-15142-P a looser fit in your previous post when your fit photos show otherwise?

Not sure I understand your question. Please read again, and look again. The 42-18775-P is slimmer in the waist by measurements and by sight. However, mine is made in CXFQHH (a heavyweight hide), which is stiffer and doesn't conform to the body as easily as the midweight oil pull does. The hide might fool you, especially if you haven't seen these hides in person.
Edit: Oh, and the way the 42-18775-P opens up towards the waist when unzipped is precisely because it is more tapered/ slimmer in the waist. Also, compare pics of the zipped jacket with zipped jacket, and unzipped with unzipped - don't mix it. It's easier if you download the images and use two windows to compare them.

 

[LaymanX]

Thank you very much Rabbit!

 

[Rabbit]

You're welcome. I just checked by making a collage to compare them directly, and you're absolutely right. In the photos, the heavy FQHH on the slimmer contract looks either the same as or even a little more voluminous than the much thinner oil pull on the roomier contract. It's clearly the hide that makes it appear that way. You can still spot the slimmer contract by the look of the zipped (and unzipped) front, which is flatter when zipped (and more opened up when unzipped) on the slim one.

Click to enlarge.


42-18775-P vs. 42-15142-P, zipped:




42-18775-P vs. 42-15142-P, unzipped:




For me as the wearer, there is a noticeable difference between the two contracts. The 42-18775-P has so much taper that it locks in the jacket waistband at the trouser waist, whether the jacket is zipped or not.
The 42-15142-P contract has the waistband really locked in only when the jacket is closed.

 

[ButteMT61]

I'm posting this as it's sorta what I consider the standard on how a site should be setup to offer info/pics.
Look at the jackets and the descriptions - you'll see commentary on the way this contract fits, etc.
You'll also find lots of pics.

However, since this is Good Wear, note that JC makes his jackets as the contracts called for. I don't know if Aero is as prone to the historic details, but it should give you an idea of what to look for.

http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/index.html

And this page has probably 1000's of pics - some of customers.

http://www.goodwearleather.com/photos/?C=M;O=D