My old 15th AAF A2, had it 30 years

[rocketeer]

Hi all, I have made a few postings, mostly answers so I thought I would show you this old jacket I have had for the last 29 years.
It's an Aero Leather size 42, the cuff knitts are original but the waist knit was replaced years before I bought the jacket.
This old war horse cost me a MASSIVE £185 in 1983 from Ken Calders old shop in Falcon Road Battersea. The left shoulder roundel is a 15th Airforce badge, the right has a Stars and Stripes flag which all the stars have worn off. The Chest patch tells almost who owned this jacket, but not quite.
Above two dice we see the wording Lucky Seven painted on an average sized leather disc. Looking carefully at the dice we see something not quite right, that is that the opposing faces of a dice(or die to be correct) add up to seven, here the adjacent faces add up to seven. If we look at the dice on the left we see 3 sides, 1 spot, 3 spots 4 spots, the right dice shows 2,5 and 6 spots.
From this I would deduct the jacket originally belonged to an enlisted man, probably a gunner. By the age of the patches they look to have been there many years, all the stitching is consistent except the 15th patch as this was re-sewn a few years back, rather amateurishly I am afraid to say.
Inside the collar is a now almost unreadable 'Aero Leather contract label' Under that in ball pen a name, that may or may not have been a crew member. Originally the jacket also had the standard name tag sewn, but this has been removed and the patch placed in the same position.

I have found a picture of a 15th Airforce B24 with a similar nose art to the patch (Bloxom Crew 461 BG H)which I thought was unusual as it is not a squadron patch.

Click this link
http://www.461st.org/Aircraft/Nose%20Art/LuckySeven.htm

Oh well, just a few notes on a jacket I still love to wear though is now a little small(it's not for sale by the way)
Some members, particularly those from England may recognise me from this jacket so any questions? Go ahead, I love showing old stuff as I dont get about to much these days unless it's by motorbike

Johnny T

 

[too much coffee]

Hello rocketeer;

Thanks for the pics and the provenance. I like seeing the old patched A-2s......utility and beauty from such a critical time in history.

Take care of yourself and best regards,
coffee

 

[aswatland]

It's great to see someone else posting pics of an original Aero A2 as so much of this forum is dominated by Aero repros! I like the vintage patina to the hh, which repro makers can't replicate. I suspect your A2 is from the 42-18775-P contract as the previous two usually had berry knits. Thanks for sharing your photos and I look forward to seeing more from your collection.

Postscript. Your detailed photos on p.2 of this thread however, reveal it is not an Aero, but by S.H Knopf of Boston.

 

[eClairvaux]

what a beauty!

 

[Otter]

Wow realy nice, the artwork has realy stood the test of time.

 

[Buco]

Fabulous jacket. Very interesting read too, thanks

 

[rocketeer]

Hello rocketeer;

Thanks for the pics and the provenance. I like seeing the old patched A-2s......utility and beauty from such a critical time in history.

Take care of yourself and best regards,
coffee

Hi all , I really like painted patches over woven to be honest, though if you sell one unattached most buyers are weary of them being recent repro's.
I have more photo's I have taken in better light . Should I post them here or in the WWII section?
J

 

[aswatland]

Please post them here as they would just add to this interesting thread.

 

[B-24J]

My 15th Air Force Aero A-2

This belonged to a pilot that was in the same BG and squadron at the same time as my Dad.

As I purchased it from eBay, Andrew has probably seen this one.

A better condition 98th Group patch retaining more of the blue field for comparison.

John

 

[rocketeer]

Neat Patches and gorgeous shoulder patch for the 15th.
I see the back of the jacket is slightly different to the arms, is this a trick of the light or a leather a typical Aero mismatch? In careful light the left and right chest pieces of mine are slightly mismatched.
No disrespect to the original flyers but it makes a change to see AAF squadron patches other than the 8th. I particularly love to see units and squadrons from the 13th 15th & 20th AAFs. My first original A2 was a goatskin jacket with a 23rd Bomb Sqaudron patch painted directly onto the leather.
I'll try to get the other pics of the 15th jacket on tonight.
J

 

[aswatland]

Your Aero is very impressive. I do recognise the jacket. The reason for the russet back is that these Aero jackets had a seal sprayed top coat which tends to wear off on those parts of the jacket most often in contact with surfaces, such as a pilot's seat. My size 44 from the last Aero contract displays the same patterns of wear.

 

[rocketeer]

A bit about me:- I first wanted an A2 when I watched Frank Sinatra in Von Ryans Express. At the time I did not know what it was till one day around 1980, searching for a motorbike shop in Battersea I came across Ken Calders shop in Falcon Road, selling all kinds of old clothing but in particular row upon row of old WWII leather jackets.
I shall save a bit of this thread for another post but fast forward to 1983 and I purchased this jacket for £185, It was a bit big, I ummd and arrhhd at the time and the money was the equivelent of 1 1/2 weeks wages not exactly cheap even then but I bought it anyway as a young man with no ties should do.
I was well into the Hep cat scene and original American clothing was a big thing then, though leather jackets were considered a bit scruffy, so generally not worn. Except by me. I went everywhere in it, got drunk fell down and got soaked in the rain in it, when My cars gears jammed(An old MkII Zodiac) I had to get out and under the car to unjam the linkage. I would not do that now days mind, I have a repro for general wear.
So the jacket went everywhere, we even went to a fledgling war display where the silver painted Sally B (B17)was flying and eventually I took my son to Duxford in the early 1990s where original wartime jackets were still a rarity to be seen worn. Fact was to see anyone wearing even repro A2s was a novelty.
The collector base in the UK was a purely word of mouth thing. No internet databases or eBay, so if you saw someone wearing one we always had a chat. I made a young lads day, he could not keep his eyes of the jacket and was constantly asking questions about it like most 10 year olds interested in whatever they were interested in. When I chatted to his dad and let the boy wear my jacket for about half an hr he was speechless, something I hope he remembers. At that time they just weren't about, especially once the media got hold of them with the films Top Gun and all those Indiana Jones films came out. If I remember correctly a member of the Pretenders was a big collector and was on TV. The prices went through the roof and every rich Japanese teenager had to have an original A2. Well the Japanese went on to other things, the £2000 A2 came down in price a little and we all got a little older.
In the 1990s I still loved wearing the jacket, but now they were getting a pretty common sight, the 1950s Rockabilly thing had started to morph into the 40s during the mid 80s which popularised these old jackets, by the 1990s there were dances and even clubs featuring purely 1940s music. I went to a few but did not do the uniform thing , just being myself, colour coding my clothing so I looked, errr... OK but not wearing any uniform clothing or rank insignia or decoration.
My Wife is not that keen on the old jacket, as it is now a bit on the tight side I usually wear it only to specific places such as War and Peace show or maybe a 40s dance. It is funny though when people well into the scene think I am a bit of a numb nutz as one young man, well younger than me offered me a good price of £300 for it around 3 years ago,saying that was a good price. He quickly went away when I asked him what the price of Eastmans jackets were as I had not ordered from him for some years.
Anyway, enjoy the pictures. Good comments and bad I can take em all.

A few better pics and some close up details.

Not the differences in sizes of the epaulet box stitching.

The mini Coke bottle on the puller was from a Paris flea market, I just thought it looked neat. Note also the slightly different angle to the collar points., common on jackets were skill of machinists varied.
The piece of cotton stiched in prevents what is left of the label being totally worn away, Aero Leather, Beacon NY is barely discernible after the 30 years I have worn the jacket.

Most 15th AAF jackets I have seen have this flag detail.

Non replaced lining

The sleeve patina, no worn out war horse could ever be faked to look like this, Just a thousand bar tops in a thousand bars not 1000 miles from Southend on Sea.

The back, rarely seen on a hanger ANYWERE, bar my wardrobe of course

 

[aswatland]

Thanks for the extra pictures. Your jacket is not an Aero, but from the 42-18246-P no name contract, thought to be made by S.H Knopf of Boston. Details of this contract:
seal or dark russet horsehide
torso with large shoulders and a trim lower end
large collar profile, but a small collar hole
epaulets have both top and bottom pieces folded at ends
pocket flap has front and back pieces folded at top
Seam in center of wind flap back
top stitching very close to edge of folds
bare metal nickel snaps
collar snaps in body have textured brown paint covering
mustard colored lining
small AN stamp in lining
mid-brown knits
bell Talon or Conmar zippers

 

[B-24J]

Neat Patches and gorgeous shoulder patch for the 15th.
I see the back of the jacket is slightly different to the arms, is this a trick of the light or a leather a typical Aero mismatch? In careful light the left and right chest pieces of mine are slightly mismatched.
No disrespect to the original flyers but it makes a change to see AAF squadron patches other than the 8th. I particularly love to see units and squadrons from the 13th 15th & 20th AAFs. My first original A2 was a goatskin jacket with a 23rd Bomb Sqaudron patch painted directly onto the leather.
I'll try to get the other pics of the 15th jacket on tonight.
J

Yes, the back and to some extent the front left side is lighter.

Thank you Andrew for the explanation why.

If "Luck Seven" is the ship's name, and it seems likely, I'm guessing that is rather rare. I wonder how it found it's way to that shop in England?

Interesting that you liked the A-2 from 'von Ryan's Express" as the author of the book was a 15th AF B-24 Navigator.

John

 

[rocketeer]

Yes, the back and to some extent the front left side is lighter.

Thank you Andrew for the explanation why.

If "Luck Seven" is the ship's name, and it seems likely, I'm guessing that is rather rare. I wonder how it found it's way to that shop in England?

Interesting that you liked the A-2 from 'von Ryan's Express" as the author of the book was a 15th AF B-24 Navigator.

John

At the time in the early 1980s collectors would have to scour the military fairs or auctions etc, and of course word of mouth. With the Rockabilly/Hep Cat movement growing in the UK shops such as FLIP and American Classics sprang up in the London area these shops sold a variety of old American clothing ranging from the 1940s to 1960s. Kens old shop in Battersea was one of these shops that had a good collector base, they sold lots of G1s, Irvins, B3s etc as well as American police leathers, Hawaiian shirts and various British items as well.
I would imagine his shop was a bit of a Mecca if you were into these jackets, he regularly had about 5-10 A2, mainly decorated, hanging in the shop and a good turnover, they were mainly imported but you would have to ask Ken where from, though of course people traded them. Mine was never mint though was a good wearer. I still have a copy of Kens old list of 'new' stock from 1983, if I find it I will post it here and you can all wonder at the prices.

I never knew that about Von Ryan author David Westheimer, the final battle scene is interesting, as the Italian Railway get credit in the film for something filmed in Spain.
John

 

[Peacoat]

No disrespect to the original flyers but it makes a change to see AAF squadron patches other than the 8th. I particularly love to see units and squadrons from the 13th 15th & 20th AAFs. My first original A2 was a goatskin jacket with a 23rd Bomb Sqaudron patch painted directly onto the leather.
I'll try to get the other pics of the 15th jacket on tonight.
J

Yes, but the 8th is such a storied unit. Sorta makes the others pale in comparison. Not to take away from what the others did, but the 8th was just so much more. But I agree that it is nice to see other unit patches on the jackets.

And please don't wear that jacket while you are out and about on your motorbike; bad things happen to leather jackets when the bike goes down!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The piece of cotton stiched in prevents what is left of the label being totally worn away, Aero Leather, Beacon NY is barely discernible after the 30 years I have worn the jacket

Thanks for the extra pictures. Your jacket is not an Aero, but from the 42-18246-P no name contract, thought to be made by S.H Knopf of Boston.

Well, either it has barely *but still* discernible Aero Beacon NY markings … or it doesn't.

 

[rocketeer]

Yes, but the 8th is such a storied unit. Sorta makes the others pale in comparison. Not to take away from what the others did, but the 8th was just so much more. But I agree that it is nice to see other unit patches on the jackets.
And please don't wear that jacket while you are out and about on your motorbike; bad things happen to leather jackets when the bike goes down!

Yes I agree there is so much history with the 8th AAF, We have the airfield remains, some of which have mini museums attached and some great A2 displays. We just dont hear much about the Pacific air war or the Mediterranean campaign, they are sort of forgoton, and that can involve our own forces exploits in the far east. Some of the most fabulously decorated jackets I have seen come from the Pacific theatre. I had a 23rd BS jacket I will post a pic of soon.

Have you ever fallen off a bike without wearing any kind of leather? To semi quote yourself, bad things can happen to skin if we chew the tarmac. I'll admit I have worn it on a bike, but no, not now. I have an oversized Eastman I can get an armoured bike vest underneath. This jacket spends more time in my wardrobe now but I'll be out and about in it soon.
Anyway, Cheers, John.

 

[aswatland]

Perhaps I'll see you at on of the Duxford air shows this season wearing this great A2.

 

[GoodTimesGone]

The leather on your A-2 still looks very nice considering all the wearing it's had. No dryness or rot. The patina like you said could not be faked. Funny you should mention Von Ryan's Express. I just watched it and some Hogan's Heroes episodes this past week. According to Bob Crane's son the A-2 is the same one in both shows. Years back I thought it looked cool. Now it reminds me of my cheaper, thinner Avirex in cowhide. (I'm not knocking all Avirex jackets. I have a couple in horsehide with real patina that look authentic.) It looks too new to have been through what they portray in the movie. Thanks for sharing your story and pics. I have a question though- what is a War and Peace show?
_________________________________________
Tom