New Aero A-2 42-18775-P

[BobJ]

Very nice jacket, Cocker - easily the kind of possession you will treasure, even more, thirty years from now.

I have a jacket in the seal jerky hh that is soft as butter and heavily grained. But I've had it for several years now and I don't remember if it was stiff at first, or if it started out this soft and comfortable. Is yours soft and flexible, or is it a bit stiff?

The leather ages beautifully. It shows wear, patina, and character at just the right pace - not too quick and not too slow. You have to earn it by wearing it. It's an overlooked and underappreciated leather around here. What I like most about it is how it feels to your hand. Oh, and the amazing grain.

I concur about the cool barber shop!

 

[Stand By]

Very nice indeed, Crocker. As everyone is saying, it's a perfect fit and it looks great on you - and the choice of location for the photos is superb too, especially for TFL!
Wear it in good health - and wear it often. It'll only look better and better as time goes by and it's off to a cracking start on you.

 

[nick123]

Congrats! Just don't wear it on the chair; off with the sheet and you'll think you'd have ordered a Grizzly!

 

[bn1966]

You still have the second option: grow a beard! :-D

@Lord Flashheart , my chest measurements are 41.5' for relaxed chest, 43.5 for expanded chest. My first idea was to go for a 44 jacket, but Holly told me that for a 42-18775, a 42 would fit snugly without being too tight, and she was right! I didn't notice any bagginess due to the knits. Sure, when bending over and getting straight up, the jacket might rise a little, but that's it, nothing I hadn't experienced with my Alpha L2.

On beards Dude!! I don't want to look like I've got my head on upside down

 

[Smithy]

Works for me!!!

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With that look Scott, you'd fit right in over here

Very nice jacket, Cocker - easily the kind of possession you will treasure, even more, thirty years from now.

I have a jacket in the seal jerky hh that is soft as butter and heavily grained. But I've had it for several years now and I don't remember if it was stiff at first, or if it started out this soft and comfortable. Is yours soft and flexible, or is it a bit stiff?

The leather ages beautifully. It shows wear, patina, and character at just the right pace - not too quick and not too slow. You have to earn it by wearing it. It's an overlooked and underappreciated leather around here. What I like most about it is how it feels to your hand. Oh, and the amazing grain.

I concur about the cool barber shop!

I have to agree here Bob, the jerky hides were all the rage a few years back but have probably been a bit forgotten and overlooked after the whole Shinki/Vincenza/Italian/etc hide buzz of the last couple of years. That seal jerky really looks great Cocker, I'd be seriously considering that myself for an A-2 (just have to convince the better half that knits are OK - I've outgrown my old A-2 and she's not at all keen on me getting another!)

 

[Cocker]

I'm really in love with the jerky HH. It has a wonderful grain, is a bit stiff at first but is already starting to soften up. I've been wearing it for the whole week-end at the airshow in La Ferté Alais, and the jacket is really comfortable. Gained a few nice comments, too!

Had to switch to something hotter in the evening, as it was around only 7°C with a blowing north wind, though.

 

[Lonewolf051]

I'm really in love with the jerky HH. It has a wonderful grain, is a bit stiff at first but is already starting to soften up. I've been wearing it for the whole week-end at the airshow in La Ferté Alais, and the jacket is really comfortable. Gained a few nice comments, too!

Had to switch to something hotter in the evening, as it was around only 7°C with a blowing north wind, though.

I'm really in love with the jerky HH. It has a wonderful grain, is a bit stiff at first but is already starting to soften up. I've been wearing it for the whole week-end at the airshow in La Ferté Alais, and the jacket is really comfortable. Gained a few nice comments, too!

Had to switch to something hotter in the evening, as it was around only 7°C with a blowing north wind, though.

Great Aero!! think we could get an update to how this beauty is breaking in a couple months in?


Ive also decided to get one of these same contract A-2s a couple months ago, so by now it should be shipping here any day...strangely I have the exact chest measurements as you Cocker, may I ask what your shoulder width is? mine's 20 inches across, and ordered at 44 size, since the 42 would be too restrictive in the shoulders

 

[Brettafett]

Thats a beautiful thing....

 

[Cocker]

Great Aero!! think we could get an update to how this beauty is breaking in a couple months in?


Ive also decided to get one of these same contract A-2s a couple months ago, so by now it should be shipping here any day...strangely I have the exact chest measurements as you Cocker, may I ask what your shoulder width is? mine's 20 inches across, and ordered at 44 size, since the 42 would be too restrictive in the shoulders

Slowly breaking in, but the weather is now too hot to wear it, so we'll have to wait a couple more months to have some real break in.

As for the shoulders, I'm 20 inches across too, but seen I wanted a snug fit, Holly told me to go with the size 42. True, it's a bit tight, but nothing really restrictive. It was a matter of balance between this and the relaxed fit a size 44 would have been, with a roomier chest.

 

[Worf]

Nothing like a good looking jacket on a satisfied customer!

Thanks for sharing...

Worf

 

[Lonewolf051]

Very nice fit! I plan on a little HWT and wearing till dry since A. Cold wet leather feels good on hot days lol and B. It should shrink just enough to my 42 inch chest and mold to the rest of my torso as arms

P. S. I love the jerky hide, totally underrated IMO, the Italian hide is great too but the jerky is just wow!

 

[Monitor]

The leather is just insane! I forgot, Jerky HH is not the same as Tumbled, right? Is it Horween?

 

[Cocker]

@Monitor , to be honnest, I don't know if it's Horween. It's the standard Jerky HH from Aero. The hide is amazing, showing lots of grain and character. The top coating is already getting a bit "used" at some friction points, showing the reddish hide below it, couple creases here and there... I'm eager to see a temperature drop so I can wear it more often!

IMHO, the jerky HH is looking better on an A-2 than any smooth hide. It has this more "rugged war-beaten" feeling. That's just my 2 cents, though.

@Lonewolf051 , that's one way to do it, too! I must say, having never done any HWT before, and this being my first quality leather jacket, I didn't want to fumble with any experimental way to make it fit better!

 

[Lonewolf051]

@Monitor , to be honnest, I don't know if it's Horween. It's the standard Jerky HH from Aero. The hide is amazing, showing lots of grain and character. The top coating is already getting a bit "used" at some friction points, showing the reddish hide below it, couple creases here and there... I'm eager to see a temperature drop so I can wear it more often!

IMHO, the jerky HH is looking better on an A-2 than any smooth hide. It has this more "rugged war-beaten" feeling. That's just my 2 cents, though.

@Lonewolf051 , that's one way to do it, too! I must say, having never done any HWT before, and this being my first quality leather jacket, I didn't want to fumble with any experimental way to make it fit better!

yea Ive done HWT to a few Wested Indy jackets with great results, for this one though I may use the spray bottle tactic with hot water to get certain areas to shrink just right

 

[Cocker]

yea Ive done HWT to a few Wested Indy jackets with great results, for this one though I may use the spray bottle tactic with hot water to get certain areas to shrink just right

Isn't the HWT working both ways, I.E. being able to stretch some parts of the jacket soaked/sprayed in hot water?

 

[Cocker]

Two pictures of the "stress points" where the top finish has been giving up, showing the reddish color of the leather underneath:

 

[Lonewolf051]

Isn't the HWT working both ways, I.E. being able to stretch some parts of the jacket soaked/sprayed in hot water?

Beautiful! I can only imagine what till look like next year at this time mine will likely have a ton of wear too since I do alot of aircraft work... Regarding your question above, It does for sure, in fact I've been able to get an extra inch or two out of sleeve length using a wet jacket sleeve, a heavy bench vise and drying over the back of a chair for a couple hours for each arm, not sure how many of you have heard of this method, I guess I invented it lol, but man does it work good! I lengthened my leather M-1941 jacket sleeves about an inch and a half

However yes it will shrink when you use hot water and let it air dry on the sun (ideally) or wear it so it can mold to your body

 

[Brettafett]

That Jerky is nice. Heres a pic of my 'old' 15142 from a few years back.
Shows what you've got to look forward too Wear the heck out of it!

 

[Lonewolf051]

Very nice aging! Is it all natural wear? No artifical distressing?

 

[RJR]

That Jerky is nice. Heres a pic of my 'old' 15142 from a few years back.
Shows what you've got to look forward too Wear the heck out of it!
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Very nice.