Owners of U.S. Authentic / flightjacket.com A-2 jacket owners please help.

[atkins]

May i have your description on your U.S.Authentic A-2 collar? To me it doesnt have stand-so-boldly- robust Mc ARTHURian A-2 collar type. From pictures i examined I'm under the impression that their collar appears to lay flat even it were snap down. And also it lookS too tiny compare to other replicas with collar stand. I haven't any A-2 to compare. I hope you gents owner of US AUTHENTIC A-2 JACKET can help me on this collar query.

I asked this help because i'm in a hunt for a limited budget life-time A-2 jacket.US A' almost have all the qualities i need. The only one more thing to consider is their collar design. In short, should i have a custom collar job from US. Authentic to get the huge clown collar?

Regards,
Atkins

 

[The Wingnut]

Mine stands at attention, mainly because I usually flip it up in the back Robert S. Johnson style. The collar stand seems to work fine.

U.S.A's horsehide is THICK. As a result, you don't get the sharp creases that other jackets do at the collar break. They wear like iron, though.

If I were to do it again I'd have saved for a few more months and got a McCoy's. The U.S.A is a great buy for the price, though.

 

[SamReu]

Spokes Man

Atkins, I have a US A A-2, the russet horsehide, and the collar, as Wingnut noted, stands at attention. I've never doubted that the jacket had a collar stand. And, as Wingnut also observed, the jacket has thick leather; I'm reminded of an aged biker's jacket, the leather is so tough.
And, I hate to keep parroting Wingnut, but I have to second his advice about saving your bucks for a slightly pricier jacket. I am thinking of upgrading, meaning I may eBay the US A.
Then again, I may keep it in the garage for the really rough chores...

 

[ldmax]

Collar Stand

I have a US A goatskin A-2. It very definitely has a collar stand. A 3/8" separate piece of leather between the body of the jacket and the collar. It also has it's own cotton lining on the inside. The collar stands up nicely when snapped even with the goatskin. It does spread out almost flat when unsnapped.

LD

 

[Swoosed]

I dont know doo squat about a mcarthur coller but heres some pics of mine.

us authentic, eastman and aero.

US authentic with snap closed, HH model.

eastman with collar un snapped, HH house model

Aero collar, real deal HH model

The eastman is my personal fav. fit wise. Awesome jacket. The USA is much thicker and heavier. the Aero didn't fit right, so it's gone. The eastman and Aero were veg tanned so the lighter undertones / patina came out nicely. the USA is chrome tanned, black undertone when it wears, not what I like personally. I use the USA when the weather gets too cold for the eastman but not cold enough for the B-3.

cheers

 

[Fletch]

I have a US A goatskin A-2. It very definitely has a collar stand. A 3/8" separate piece of leather between the body of the jacket and the collar. It also has it's own cotton lining on the inside. The collar stands up nicely when snapped even with the goatskin. It does spread out almost flat when unsnapped.

LD

You sure about that 3/8"? The stand on my US-A goat is 3/4" wide. The collar is 3 1/2" long at the points and 2 1/4" high in back.

All in all the US-A fit and cut remind me a whole lot of my Willis & Geiger A-2. Even the spec tags are nearly alike.

 

[Doctor Strange]

That's not surprising: I seem to recall reading on one of these forums that Willis & Geiger subcontracted A-2s from US A.

I didn't respond earlier because I wasn't sure what was meant by the "McArthur stand-up collar" in Atkins' original query. I have a US A HH A-2, and the collar is definitely pretty stand-up: given the collar-stand construction and thick, springy leather, it's not about to lie flat! (I also have a goatskin FS A-2 without a collar stand: that one is very floppy and pretty much just lays there.) The US A does have a smallish collar with rounded points - which may not be suitably "McArthur"ish - but I really like the way it looks...

 

[atkins]

So what should the custom instruction be?

Thaank you for all the replies,


Need more help on how to wrote instruction email to US.Authentic to have the desired MacArthur collar. I don't know about jacket pattern, can't afford to make mistake.

Regards,
Atkins

 

[atkins]

The collar in question

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m147/arch5000/Jackets/14081p.jpg

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m147/arch5000/Jackets/119661p.jpg

Regards,
Atkins

 

[Fletch]

I'm thinking that's a Rough Wear - I understand Mac wore one at one time. Their collars were all stand built, high in the back, and developed that nice roll in front.

Original RW #42-1401
The Few RW 1401 repro
Eastman RW 1401 repro & pic of Jimmy Stewart in his 1401

Original pre-WW2 RW contracts:
Original RW # AC-16159
More 16159 pics - scroll down
Original RW #AC-18091

I imagine if you can get measurements and pix from someone with an original or faithful repro RW, you can be specific on what you want US-A to make for you.

 

[rubicon]

Hi, first post. I got a US A about a week ago. Hope this helps.

 

[Fletch]

Welcome. Nice hide and color - are the pix true to shade?

That must be the horsehide - it looks like it has character.
My goat US-A is soft and supple, but a bit blah to look at.

 

[rubicon]

The pics are very close to their true shade. Taken indoors but with no flash. This is the vintage horsehide version that is a Pure Aniline finish. I am hoping for the nice patina that comes from this some day.

 

[Fletch]

Collar on my medium brown goat US-A

Doesn't have that MacArthur/Rough Wear stance to it, but it's representative enough of the era.

I apologize to all for failing to shave beforehand.

Or focus.

 

[Swoosed]

Looks like Dover got the hide right this time. I'm like'n the vintage HH WOW!!
mines too shiney.

 

[Fletch]

You could machine wash it. Cold cycle, no soap. Zip it up and throw in 2 or 3 bath towels.

 

[atkins]

[/quote]I imagine if you can get measurements and pix from someone with an original or faithful repro RW, you can be specific on what you want US-A to make for you.[/QUOTE]

That's very true my friend, well untill i found the right owner with the right size, i'll have to stick with cloth model of collar base on the measurements you guys gave me.

Regards,
Atkins

 

[atkins]

Hi, first post. I got a US A about a week ago. Hope this helps.

Hi, Rubicon,
Thank you for the image, i recognize the leather as vintage hh instantly, that hide were my first choice but i realize i need the russet. Wear it in good health.

Regards,
Atkins

 

[atkins]

Mine stands at attention, mainly because I usually flip it up in the back Robert S. Johnson style. The collar stand seems to work fine.

U.S.A's horsehide is THICK. As a result, you don't get the sharp creases that other jackets do at the collar break. They wear like iron, though.

If I were to do it again I'd have saved for a few more months and got a McCoy's. The U.S.A is a great buy for the price, though.

I'm waiting for leather samples from NZ, when it arrived, i will be sure which one is thicker, RMCNZ or US'A. I can't believe the caliper shows almost 2mm thick on US A' russet hide.

Regards,
Atkins

 

[rubicon]

Hi, Rubicon,
Thank you for the image, i recognize the leather as vintage hh instantly, that hide were my first choice but i realize i need the russet. Wear it in good health.

Regards,
Atkins

I had a hard time deciding between the russet and the vintage. So hard to know the right choice without actually seeing them in person. Anyway, I am very happy with the vintage and I hope you are just as happy with your russet.