Old Good Wear Aero 16160 "The Bad Penny" 91st Bomb Group A-2

[CBI]

this is a 5 year old Good Wear "test jacket", John's first Aero 16160 contract A-2. Amazing work even at this "early" stage. Since it is well-worn, I decided to add some worn paint. Kept it low key. The jacket is HH. If you double click the image, it takes you to Photobucket and you can super enlarge them to see details.

 

[Stand By]

Man, some great tones in that leather! Very nice, CBI ! And I love the fit on you too.
I like the artwork too - looks very original ... was The Bad Penny a B-17/B-24 and is this a direct copy of the original artwork?

 

[archbury918]

Love the jacket! And the artwork is awesome!

 

[Jeff M]

The jacket looks great. Breaking in beautifully.
I love the look of good artwork/patch on an A2.

 

[archbury918]

I will risk taking some of CBI's thunder here. I believe his jacket is depicting the 322nd's B-17F.
It's fame partly rests on being the aerial photo platform for the Memphis Belle.

 

[CBI]

Archbury is correct however I chose "The Bad Penny" for it's WW2/1940's "feel" but used different font than the actual B-17. I have painted many a jacket and have worn them with pin-up girls, planes, mission markers, etc but always felt a little uncomfortable about it. I think this one is low key enough to wear around.

 

[archbury918]

I have a handful of repro jackets w/ artwork done. Primarily of the 91st and specifically copies of Tony Starcer's originals.
I met his son a number of years ago. His father had already passed, but gave me blessing to have his father's work replicated. He said his Dad would be honored. He also gave me a number of original sketches from his father. Items I truly treasure.

As for wearing the jackets, I have developed strong ties and friendships with the surviving vets and invited to their reunions. They get a big kick out of seeing the jackets again and it always opens their memory banks to sometimes things long forgotten. It makes it even more special for all of us.

I don't wish to influence your own convictions CBI, but its always been a pleasant ice breaker even with other AAF vets. With your talent, I definitely envy the possibilities..

 

[CBI]

No worries, those pin-ups, etc are really cool. Its great to see people wear them. I was only commenting on what I wear.

Enjoy

 

[archbury918]

the next jacket I'd like done is the 401st "Diabolical Angel"... do you do work for other's jackets?

 

[Jeff M]

Funny you should mention that.





Painted on a Good Wear for me by Jerome Urbaniak.
The first photo is the original jacket.
I asked him to make her dress less revealing so I could wear it in polite company.

(Double clicking on the photos enlarges them.)

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/24123337

 

[CBI]

Looks great Jeff!!!!

I wish I had time to paint jackets for others but alas, no extra time in the schedule these days.............................

 

[Bunyip]

That is just superb! Did you actually paint that yourself? It's stunning, and I'm not a hard core repro man..very very well done.

 

[archbury918]

I wish I had time to paint jackets for others but alas, no extra time in the schedule these days.............................

I really like your work, especially how you blend the aged look into it....alas, I guess I'll have to keep searching for the right artist..

 

[archbury918]

Funny you should mention that.

View attachment 5068 View attachment 5067

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Painted on a Good Wear for me by Jerome Urbaniak.
]

Jeff, Jerome did a great job on yours. I'll have to see if he is still accepting jobs.
My previous jackets have been cartoon type characters. It's a real art to do the female face with realism. In this case, I'm looking to get my girlfriend's likeness. She's already given her approval to do so.

I'm looking to have the other version done.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Man is that a sweet Jacket, CBI. I think I'd love the 91st BG patch even if I didn't love the "Belle" movie so much. Thanks for sharing this with us. You make a convincing case for waiting to do the artwork until a few years into ownership.

 

[CBI]

Thanks ZF.

Bunyip - Yes, I do this work myself and have done many of them but there seems to be no time anymore. I even cheated on this a little and used a 91st patch and name tag I made about 18 months ago. The back is more recent. I noticed that a number of originals have the painted squadron patch (on a leather disc) and then the back artwork added later. Mission markers (bombs) typically were added at the end of the tour. I wanted an "in process" look but 70 years later. I could easily add shoulder insignia but am keeping it low key. Thanks again

Archbury - FYI - Jerome is not painting jackets at present. There is a guy on the VLJ forum who has waited 6 years for Jerome to paint his (Jerome has ad it the entire 6 years) so I would not go in that direction.

 

[Jeff M]

...
Archbury - FYI - Jerome is not painting jackets at present. There is a guy on the VLJ forum who has waited 6 years for Jerome to paint his (Jerome has ad it the entire 6 years) so I would not go in that direction.

Yep. I understand I got lucky with my timing for some reason.
(After that long a wait with nothing to show for it but excuses while in the meantime others receive their commissions, I think I'd ask for my jacket back....but then, who am I to talk )

 

[Stand By]

this is a 5 year old Good Wear "test jacket", John's first Aero 16160 contract A-2. Amazing work even at this "early" stage. Since it is well-worn, I decided to add some worn paint. Kept it low key. The jacket is HH. If you double click the image, it takes you to Photobucket and you can super enlarge them to see details.

Y'know, I was walking the dog this morning thinking about this jacket of yours, CBI (I know. The things you think about at 5AM!) as I'm still debating whether to paint on the back of my ANJ-3 or not - and was I wondering how you managed to get that really nice, very aged fade on your lettering on the back panel ? It looks very authentically old - can you spill your secret on how you did it ?

 

[CBI]

thanks Stand By - super busy at work but will respond soon. Here's a better pic of the patch anyway..........

 

[Stand By]

Man, that's a beautiful patch, CBI ... and a great design too; it's one I've looked at before but never seen , if you know what I mean. Now I see the bird has a bomb-fin tail, which I'd never noticed - and the silhouette (like a shadow, but not) is a B-17 ....

I look forward to hearing how you got the great fade on the lettering as your time kindly allows .... thx !