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Incendiary Blonde A-2 Jacket
- Thread starter Mr. Scratch
- Start date
- Messages
- 10,181
- Location
- Pasadena, CA
Yeah, the stuff used to be cheap, but now it's going way up for some items. We also get lots of repro stuff made in Russia. All terrific gear and reasonably priced. Sans the horrific shipping.
2jakes
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 9,680
- Location
- Alamo Heights ☀️ Texas
I posted a "want info" in the FL "Hat " section on this cap. I haven't checked on the VLF yet.
It kinda looks a little like a "Greek Fisherman's short bill cap"...but I may be wrong !
Good Luck to you !
Worf
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,207
- Location
- Troy, New York, USA
I posted a "want info" in the FL "Hat " section on this cap. I haven't checked on the VLF yet.
It kinda looks a little like a "Greek Fisherman's short bill cap"...but I may be wrong !
Good Luck to you !
Seen a ton of Greek Fisherman hats over the years but never one THAT nasty!
Worf
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I don't see that exact pattern on DD site..or that thread. Perhaps I am missing something...? I don't think DD was really making anything like that in 2009..?
HD
you are right its not on his site or the same cap in the thread,,,
Sure does look like him
He made me a cap different from the above mentioned
which I caught wind of on a very old thread on the VLJ forum...
I just reposted that in the cap faction
Sure does look like him
He made me a cap different from the above mentioned
which I caught wind of on a very old thread on the VLJ forum...
I just reposted that in the cap faction
- Messages
- 10,181
- Location
- Pasadena, CA
Well, if anyone could do it, DD could. He is to hats as JC is to jackets. Seems to be a good bit of interest - maybe someone should ask DD if he's interested in doing a run? Won't be cheap - but that's par for the best stuff!
Worf
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,207
- Location
- Troy, New York, USA
Thanks for the information gents... I've sourced something similar... I'll let you know how it works out!
Worf
Worf
Edward
Bartender
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- 25,081
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- London, UK
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ps-Concept-Motoring-Cap&p=1673591#post1673591
Found something on FB a couple of days ago which might be worth considering... link is to a specific thread I started in the Hats section.
Found something on FB a couple of days ago which might be worth considering... link is to a specific thread I started in the Hats section.
Worf
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,207
- Location
- Troy, New York, USA
Shhh wait till I get em "in hand", then I'll post pics... you're giving away details of the invasion!!!!
Worf
Edward
Bartender
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- 25,081
- Location
- London, UK
Edward
Bartender
- Messages
- 25,081
- Location
- London, UK
Yeah, I love a crusher too, but something more civilian looking is definitely more practical for regular wear.
Worf
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,207
- Location
- Troy, New York, USA
I think this cap "barely" qualifies as military... but opinions may vary. We'll see what it looks like when done.
Worf
Xenophon
One of the Regulars
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- New Delhi (India) / Ostend (Belgium)
For the OP's jacket and just a personal observation from my side, I think the 'incendiary blonde' theme looked a) better on the plane than the jacket and b) I -just my opinion- think it's a bit in bad taste to walk around in a jacket sporting a logo that glorifies fire bombing of cities. It's period correct, sure. But who would want to walk around in a jacket with a KKK logo or a swastika on it? Anyway, disregard the remark, couldn't resist venting a bit.
Mr. Scratch
New in Town
- Messages
- 38
- Location
- Eugene, Oregon
Sorry it has taken so long to respond folks; I think my spamfilter is catching FL messages, so I wasn't aware this thread had been revived. I didn't find out until my photo host noted that people had been looking at my jacket pics. So...answers where I can provide them.
The jacket looks great. I'd show pics, but there is really no discernible difference between the then and now pics, except that the graphics on the squadron patch have been worn a bit here and there. Leather is holding up wonderfully. It really is a very nice jacket, quality wise. So far as I know, FAI jackets were only made in cowhide.
If I had it to do again, the only difference I'd make is that I'd have the back graphics washed in brown to give them an antique appearance. They're a little bright for my tastes. I occasionally go over them with very dark brown shoe polish to tone the color down, but it eventually wears off. The graphics themselves have held up perfectly.
On the hat: The hat was an Ebay find years back, when I first started wearing caps. I am on a constant lookout for caps of this type, with a soft beret-like crown, and a short, sharply downward-pointing visor. So far as I can tell, there is no name for such a hat, and I just stumble upon them occasionally. Sometimes they are sold under "baker boy" names, though strictly speaking they are not the same thing as a Baker Boy. Sorry, not much help I know, but if it were easier I wouldn't have to spend so much time looking for them.
A somewhat similar hat can currently be found here.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281056824023
Here's what it looks like worn (by me, anyway).
The belt buckle: It's actually a WWII German buckle that was captured by the Soviets at some point, and converted for their use by grinding down the eagle/swastika, inverting it and putting a red star cocarde in the middle. In the militaria world these are known as "Partisan Buckles", though strictly speaking it was common practice among Soviet soldiers all over the eastern front due in part to a lack of equipment among Russian forces, not just partisans.
Is it bad taste to wear a coat that portrays the firebombing of cities?: Maybe/maybe not. If you'll look closely, you'll see this jacket portrays the bombing of a factory. See the smokestacks? Flying from N. Africa and Italy, my grandfather mostly bombed stuff like this; factories, depots, trainyards, ammo dumps, etc. which pretty much everyone would agree are legitimate military targets. If that isn't good enough for some people, oh well. Besides, this is kind of a historic exercise for me. This jacket is intended to reproduce a 1940s-era warrior's mentality of such things, and there is only so far I'll go to water it down.[huh] The Incendiary Blonde's crew's actual jackets portrayed bombs being dropped on burning buildings (the image from the plane nose art just has her pointing her finger at the bomb-bay doors, that being a more "direct" portrayal that was limited to the physical structure of the aircraft), so that's what I went with.
The jacket looks great. I'd show pics, but there is really no discernible difference between the then and now pics, except that the graphics on the squadron patch have been worn a bit here and there. Leather is holding up wonderfully. It really is a very nice jacket, quality wise. So far as I know, FAI jackets were only made in cowhide.
If I had it to do again, the only difference I'd make is that I'd have the back graphics washed in brown to give them an antique appearance. They're a little bright for my tastes. I occasionally go over them with very dark brown shoe polish to tone the color down, but it eventually wears off. The graphics themselves have held up perfectly.
On the hat: The hat was an Ebay find years back, when I first started wearing caps. I am on a constant lookout for caps of this type, with a soft beret-like crown, and a short, sharply downward-pointing visor. So far as I can tell, there is no name for such a hat, and I just stumble upon them occasionally. Sometimes they are sold under "baker boy" names, though strictly speaking they are not the same thing as a Baker Boy. Sorry, not much help I know, but if it were easier I wouldn't have to spend so much time looking for them.
A somewhat similar hat can currently be found here.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281056824023
Here's what it looks like worn (by me, anyway).
The belt buckle: It's actually a WWII German buckle that was captured by the Soviets at some point, and converted for their use by grinding down the eagle/swastika, inverting it and putting a red star cocarde in the middle. In the militaria world these are known as "Partisan Buckles", though strictly speaking it was common practice among Soviet soldiers all over the eastern front due in part to a lack of equipment among Russian forces, not just partisans.
Is it bad taste to wear a coat that portrays the firebombing of cities?: Maybe/maybe not. If you'll look closely, you'll see this jacket portrays the bombing of a factory. See the smokestacks? Flying from N. Africa and Italy, my grandfather mostly bombed stuff like this; factories, depots, trainyards, ammo dumps, etc. which pretty much everyone would agree are legitimate military targets. If that isn't good enough for some people, oh well. Besides, this is kind of a historic exercise for me. This jacket is intended to reproduce a 1940s-era warrior's mentality of such things, and there is only so far I'll go to water it down.[huh] The Incendiary Blonde's crew's actual jackets portrayed bombs being dropped on burning buildings (the image from the plane nose art just has her pointing her finger at the bomb-bay doors, that being a more "direct" portrayal that was limited to the physical structure of the aircraft), so that's what I went with.
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Reminds me of a true story where a B-17 crew had their plane and A-2 jackets painted with "Murder Incorporated". The plane was shot down, the crew captured, and the jacket art made for instant propaganda for the Germans. The USAAF high command went ballistic over the embarrassment and ordered all bomber crews to cease all artwork on their jackets and planes (an order which had limited effect on US flight crews).
Worf
I'll Lock Up
- Messages
- 5,207
- Location
- Troy, New York, USA
Dear Mr. Scratch! Thanks and welcome back. Nobody could figure out what exactly that cap was so I took your pic and had Mr. Simonds make me one. Look at this thread and tell me what you think...
Yours...
Worf
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?73553-Simonds-Bespoke-Caps-Concept-Motoring-Cap/page2
Yours...
Worf
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?73553-Simonds-Bespoke-Caps-Concept-Motoring-Cap/page2
Mr. Scratch
New in Town
- Messages
- 38
- Location
- Eugene, Oregon
I think your hat rather exceeds the original. Mine is nice, but these two hats of yours are superior. The leather visor you've got is something I've been looking for but been unable to find, though it might be a tad longer on yours. The downward angle is perfect. It is very hard to find a hat that has that angle of visor; I think it hasn't been in popular fashion since the early 20th Century when the various international militaries stopped using it for some reason, so hardly anyone makes them.
Well done.
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