New ELC Hartmann

[Hawk_Eye]

After almost three months of waiting, my Hartmann finally arrived yesterday. I ordered a size 42 long which ended up being absolutely perfect. The jacket is heavier than I had imagined it would be. The leather is thick and soft as well.
I was initially perplexed over the size of the cuff openings. When buttoned up, they are so small that you cannot even fit your hand through, meaning it has to be unbuttoned to slide your hands through. I then realized that, this originally being a motorcycle jacket, the cuffs needed to be tight around the wrists when buttoned to prevent air blowing up the sleeves while riding.
I love the RiRi zips, they seem to be of extremely high quality, they run smoothly and look the part of a late 1930s zipper. The brown contrasting zipper tape is also visually appealing against the black leather. The side adjuster straps are a great feature which allow a perfect fit around the waist.
The lining is a wool grey/green/yellow tartan pattern which fits in excellently with the look of the jacket, and really looks more like something Aero would offer.
The jacket has a great civie look, but still has that military connection. My girlfriend says I look like James Dean or Benjamin Button on his motorcycle when I wear it. That works for me :lol:

My half-assed James Dean impression

 

[James Miller]

Fine Looking Jacket

Hawkeye, that is a nice jacket I haven't seen that style before. however it's a sharp jacket. Enjoy.

 

[Edward]

Always nice to see good photos of Aeros and Eastmans (Eastmen?) being worn: gives a much clearer idea of how they look than often the photos on the company websites do. This Hartman looks fantastic - enjoy it!

 

[BellyTank]

Looks great.

Congratulations.

I didn't actually find any photos for you- it seems I don't have any.


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[Spitfire]

Congratulations. What a nice jacket. Looks great on you.

 

[CodeRed]

It looks great now, but will only improve with time. Good choice.

 

[Smithy]

Gone over to "the dark side" eh Hawk Eye

Lovely jacket mate, and you've nailed the fit. We must be similar, I wear 42 long or extra long with ELC jackets.

 

[Spitfire]

Gone over to "the dark side" eh Hawk Eye

Lovely jacket mate, and you've nailed the fit. We must be similar, I wear 42 long or extra long with ELC jackets.

No, no, no - not "the dark side" - James Dean!!!!!!lol lol lol

 

[GHQ1]

Spam spill on Aisle #9

. ..and more to the point . . .SUPERB CHOICE . . .!

I've passed up an ELC Hartmann or two online and always kick myself . . . since Ima slough lurner . .

 

[miles_archer]

I really dig the German ELC jackets but can't resign myself to wearing an axis flight jacket. Your jacket looks tremendous though.

 

[Tommer45]

Very cool jacket. Definitely a head turner being that the style is not often seen. Nice addition to the collection. What are the weight and type of leather?

Tommer

 

[BellyTank]

I really dig the German ELC jackets but can't resign myself to wearing an axis flight jacket.

But it (they aren't)isn't really. This has been much discussed.
They are civilian styles.


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[miles_archer]

But it (they aren't)isn't really. This has been much discussed.
They are civilian styles.


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Ummm...The jacket is named after a German fighter ace so I think saying there is a very strong connection with the Luftwaffe is not much of a stretch. Many civilians enjoyed the style of a Charlie Chaplan mustache at one time but the Nazis pretty much tainted that look too. Again though that is a really good looking jacket and quite a bit more unusual than the ubiquitous A2's, G-1's etc. If I can convince myself it is a 'French Cyclist jacket' and not a nazi ace jacket it might be a possibility.

 

[Marv]

Very nice jacket, stylish and classy and I wouldn't have any problem wearing it because it was styled on a Luftwaffe ace.
It seems a bit harsh to call it a Nazi jacket as not all pilots were members of the Nazi party and a lot didn't really agree with their policies.
There is no record of Erich Hartmann or his family ever being a member or associated with the Nazi party and as far as I can see he was just another german officer doing his bit for his country in times of war.

Just my opinion though......

 

[Creeping Past]

How can clothing, as non-sentient cloth, fabric, etc. be ideological? I've never really understood that conundrum.

On Sunday, at Duxford Flying Legends, I finally appreciated that the ME-109 was a far superior plane to the Spitfire (faster, bigger, more manoeuvrable). That realisation didn't make me a Nazi, and the plane certainly wasn't a Nazi.

In another, more controversial vein (I hesitate given the nature of this forum, but it's my considered opinion), if one regards certain garments as tainted by association with particular ideologies, one may need to consider one's relationship to all clothing used in or inspired by war-fighting, because surely it's heavily tainted by association with mass death and misery, both in terms of military personnel and the civilians caught up in war.

 

[Marv]

The ME 109 is actually smaller that the Spitfire, are you thinking of the FW190 which had it's show at Duxford flying legends.

 

[Creeping Past]

Well, it flew closer to me...

It was a lot more impressive, though.

 

[BellyTank]

If I can convince myself it is a 'French Cyclist jacket' and not a nazi ace jacket it might be a possibility.

There you go!

And the moustache was nothing more than contemporary, for a WW1 veteran.
I don't want a Luftwaffe flight jacket, I want a European 1930s style leather jacket.
Eastman sell a jacket that fits the bill- Dumb luck, good luck. Nobody else makes one as well (yet).
The other "LW" jacket they sell is also a civilian style.





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[H.Johnson]

The ME 109 is actually smaller that the Spitfire, are you thinking of the FW190 which had it's show at Duxford flying legends.

But which Mark of Spitfire?

 

[BellyTank]

Well, it flew closer to me...

It was a lot more impressive, though.

No, no, Dougal, those Spitfires are just far away...


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