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My latest buy: Aero M422A Jacket

repo

Familiar Face
Messages
59
Location
Uk
repo - I ordered my Aero M422a in March and it took 10 weeks to delivery.

Thanks Flyguy - not too bad, I guess. I suppose now is the time order with the hope that it's going be too warm to wear anyway.
 

Fanch

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,490
Location
Texas
I doubt that Texas Flyguy will be wearing a jacket anytime soon, at least around where we live. :flame:
 

thor

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,008
Location
NYC, NY
Good thing you're all the way on the other side of the World Big J.... That's one jacket I DON'T have but could be talked into.... if I were nearer... Sigh.... And you... THOR! Stop showin' off!!!!! Stop temptin' poor, broke retiree's with all them vintage jackets!!!! To the O.P. Nice job. Thanks for sharing.

Worf
Hey Worf, ol' buddy, I'm afraid the pics I posted were not of my collection (sadly), just an assortment of photos I found on-line of vintage G-1 style jackets to demonstrate the variety of faded mouton fur found on 40+ year old original jackets.
Currently I have two M-422a repro's but a third is at the top of my wish list.:D
 
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Big J

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,961
Location
Japan
Thanks for all your kind comments guys! It's a great jacket, and I'm always happy to put it on, but Ken deserves all the respect for it.

In that last photo (where I'm trying to embarrass my kids in Ikea by doing a Zoidberg impersonation) you can see that even though it's a very trim fit, the design still allows full arm movement, and the waist hasn't ridden up at all. I could easily swim in that jacket. I don't want to, but I could.
 

thor

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,008
Location
NYC, NY
Great fitting jacket Big J! And interesting that you mention being able to swim in your M-422a....the original design for the Navy M-422 flight jacket specified a bi-swing back and underarm gussets to allow downed Naval aviators enough freedom of movement to swim if they ditched in the sea. In WWII many would put that design feature to the ultimate test! I've read accounts of flight crews aboard sinking carriers that had to abandon ship in their leather jackets and swim for their life through burning oil and scattered flotsam and jetsam. Now THAT is breaking in a leather jacket the hard way!
Wear it in good health.
 
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Deacon211

One Too Many
Messages
1,012
Location
Kentucky
Nice jackets guys! I love the reddish mouton myself over the blonde.

The Aero is a nice jacket. I still think the collar tends toward the large side, but looking at period pics, some collars were indeed larger than others.

My GW is coming up for production in the next few months. This thread whets my appetite!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

RMF308

One of the Regulars
Messages
104
Location
Seattle
P
Nice jackets guys! I love the reddish mouton myself over the blonde.

The Aero is a nice jacket. I still think the collar tends toward the large side, but looking at period pics, some collars were indeed larger than others.

My GW is coming up for production in the next few months. This thread whets my appetite!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

JC's Navy jackets are the best out there... I have one of his GW Star G1's. BTW- because of the complexity of the design, John spends about 3x the time to put together a Navy jacket compared to the time spent on an A2. Go with a Goodwear Navy...they are really amazing jackets.
 
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the loco

One of the Regulars
Messages
142
Location
Montreal
Just received my Aero M422a, its very fitted but I can zip it up without problem. Would say it was conceived to be fitted, since its good in shoulders and sleeves.

The leather and lining are really nice and its quite warm.

The waistband looks different, probably for authenticity, but not sure if will last long.

The Talon zipper seems better then the Talon of my AL Roadster, though.
 
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Big J

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,961
Location
Japan
Just received my Aero M422a, its very fitted but I can zip it up without problem. Would say it was conceived to be fitted, since its good in shoulders and sleeves.

The leather and lining are really nice and its quite warm.

The waistband looks different, probably for authenticity, but not sure if will last long.

The Talon zipper seems better then the Talon of my AL Roadster, though.

Hi!
Yes, it is really fitted cut isn't it. I like it- makes for a nice change from looser A-2s. I'm a bigger guy, but it's a flattering style. The waistband seems flimsy in the upper half of the weave, but I wore mine a lot last winter, it was fine.
 

the loco

One of the Regulars
Messages
142
Location
Montreal
There it goes . . .
IMG2.jpg
IMG1.jpg
Sorry for such terrible photos :D
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,081
Location
London, UK
Crackin' jackets, guys. Definitely a slim style: my first Aero was an AN6552. Beautiful, but I've had to accept that I need to go up a couple of sizes. Fits me sort of like a Perfecto, in which I need a 46. For reference, I wear 42 in a std HWM and postwar patterns like the Bootlegger, and a 44 in the prewar halfbelt styles. These USN jackets seem to be cut about 2" in the chest over the given size, and I tend to need 4 to 6 inches to move in, even in a jacket that looks snug on me. Fwiw, while wartime photos show huge variation in A2 fits, the USNs uniformly seem to have been worn a little bigger. Both BigJ's jackets are within the ballpark, but the second one does look sharper.

*sigh* this was almost the first Aero I bought. Still sits on the list... For those who own one, in terms of warmth, where does this sit?

My experience is that it feels warmer than an A2. Combination of closer fit in my case, plus non-breathable lining and mouton collar. This is comparing like for like: an Aero A2 against an Aero AN6552. Both in the "old" goathide. A2 has a red silk lining, USN jacket the red rayon. Very little in it, mind, but there are definitely days when the A2 is bearable but the USN would roast ya, while on other, cooler days the mouton collar and rayon make just enough difference.

Ymmv, naturally - I see already there are various experiences/opinions on this regard.
 

rknight

New in Town
Messages
28
Location
Portland, OR
The M422a is a closer fitting jacket but I've found that it's not a problem. The cut of the jacket gives more room in the shoulders and chest compared to most A-2 designs so I have more freedom of movement even with the closer fit.

I think the M422a is the warmer jacket. With a thin sweater underneath it's all that I need through most of the winter. But, more important here in Portland, the goatskin doesn't soak in every drop of water like horsehide so I can wear it around and stay dry even in a fair amount of rain.
 

Big J

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,961
Location
Japan
So...
I'm always saying that M442a/G-1's have a closer fit than A-2s. My Aero M442a has a really trim fit, and I think it looks great, but check out these photos of the AVG;

This guys jacket looks way too long;
Picture 9.jpg

And these guys have jackets that look a couple of sizes too big (check the shoulder drooping, and the baggy waists);
Picture 11.jpg Picture 10.jpg Picture 12.jpg

Only this one guy has a jacket that fits the way mine does (I like his style!);
Picture 8.jpg

I guess if I want an AVG repro, I'm going to have to ask Ken to make me a size 54 or something, for that authentic AVG 'fit'!
 
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nick123

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,371
Location
California
Great observation about the AVG jackets. They really are pretty roomy. I've noticed the same roomy fits also very common in war films. All of these guys look the part, despite having their jackets a little large.
 

AdeeC

Practically Family
Messages
646
Location
Australia
So...
I'm always saying that M442a/G-1's have a closer fit than A-2s. My Aero M442a has a really trim fit, and I think it looks great, but check out these photos of the AVG;

This guys jacket looks way too long;
View attachment 32548

And these guys have jackets that look a couple of sizes too big (check the shoulder drooping, and the baggy waists);
View attachment 32549 View attachment 32550 View attachment 32551

Only this one guy has a jacket that fits the way mine does (I like his style!);
View attachment 32552

I guess if I want an AVG repro, I'm going to have to ask Ken to make me a size 54 or something, for that authentic AVG 'fit'!

My original Gordon & Ferguson M422A size 40(my normal size) fits me almost exactly like your first photo. A slightly longer and looser look. The fit around chest and shoulders is spot on with no shoulder droop but they do have extra length built in IMO. One would have to well over 6 ft to get the shorter look.
 
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