My New AERO 1930s Halfbelt (goat)..now w/ PICTURES!

[Gancho]

Very nice jacket!!! I´ve seen Jan´s jacket in real, so I know how it feels when you touch it.
The goat skin is so amazing that I too ordered a jacket made of these.

Wear it in good health

Olli

 

[holdencain]

I can't believe I am doing this, but I think am going to place this wonderful jacket in the Classified section. It is truly fabulous (thanks, Jan!), but I find my climate precludes enough opportunity to wear it. Perhaps someone else can utilize it?
Thanks
Holden

Dear Friends,

My first AERO (1930s Halfbelt) arrived just after Christmas:

Order placed Oct 18th 2010
Shipped Dec 22nd 2010

This jacket is a "JanSolo redux". I chose to go with most of his specifications from his recent jacket.

- Size 42 1930s Halfbelt in seal goatskin.
- 26 inch sleeves
- 27 inch body length. front and back the same length.
- Double leather (leather lined) button cuffs
- All pockets lined with heavy brown corduroy
- Left breast pocket with nickel ball and chain zip
-G1/ M422a style inside pockets in the facing with stud closures.
-Jacket lined with olive Gabardine (B10 cloth).
-“Hangar and two Airmen” label
- 2 inch leather facing on the inside bottom hem.
-Nickel AERO zip and nickel side buckles.
- jacket top stitched with olive drab thread for all seams
-Jacket made by Vicki

The final cost was 580 GBP (550 plus 30 shipping). Plus I was hit w/ another $30 US at my doorstep by the UPS guy!

I have been wearing the jacket almost daily over the last few weeks. It is quite warm. The temps here have gone down into the 20's F and I have been comfortable w/ a light sweater.
Initially the Goat leather was quite stiff, but after only 2 wks you can see that it is conforming nicely to arms. I added 1inch to arms and 2inch to body as JanSolo advised. I think this was a great idea.

The size is a 42. I am 6'1 and 190#. I wear a 43 suit jacket and was a little worried this would be too *slim fit* for me. Thus, I asked Amanda/Vickie to "take tighter turns" in the body to perhaps make it more like a 43. I do not know how much difference this had made, but the jacket certainly is not too tight. I wonder if a 42 would have been? Another forum member had a 42 and was a little lighter than me but said it was a "tight fit", so that is why I made the request.

The only thing I *might* have done differently would be to line the interior pockets w/ a lighter cloth than the corduroy. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the corduroy in the handwarmer pockets! But having internal G1/gun pockets on both sides *plus* handwarmer pockets all lined in corduroy, I can feel a good bit of bulk between the leather and the liner in the front chest/midsection. That said, I think it actually adds INSULATION in that area, and maybe that is why it seems nicely warm??

Here are some pictures:

Thanks for looking,
HC

 

[JanSolo]

Oh dear! But I'm sure it'll find a new home quickly

 

[Rudie]

I'd rather move to an area with a cooler climate than part with a jacket like that!

 

[Edward]

Jinkies, aye..... if only I had the cash, I'd be a buyer!

 

[Metatron]

Is it really too warm for it? I spend part of my time in Cyprus and I still wear my leather pretty often between autumn and spring!

Lovely jacket.

 

[holdencain]

I know, I know!! And I feel like I am letting Jan down by considering parting with it!!
But I just feel like the jacket is so incredibly awesome that it kills me to have it sit in the closet and not be worn......

 

[Cole]

Argh..damn it, one size to small. :eusa_doh:

A shame you decide to let go of this beauty.

 

[The Good]

That's a really cool jacket! I like the different shades of brown it assumes under different lighting; either tan, or maroon, like your pictures. Which color is the closest to the real thing in the outdoors, for example?

It's too bad that it isn't the right fit, oh well. Hopefully, the next owner will appreciate it.

 

[JanSolo]

Here's my 30s goat HB jacket from the Aero page. The picture was taken without flash and the colour is very close.

Worn:

Close up. As pointed out before the finish is quite mottled showing various shades of brown: