Pics of my RW A-2 (Again)

[Estevan]

Sorry, here they are again...

 

[aswatland]

Very nice RW 18091 Steve. I particularly like the patch-quite plain and simple yet very effective. Is the patch original to the jacket. I too have a jacket from the same same contract, but in a 44. The goatskin is awesome-full of grain. I understand this is a 1941 contract. Here's some shots of mine.

 

[Estevan]

Andrew, They're posted again....Yes, the patch and name strip are original to the jacket. Love it and it fits very nice. Something about goat that just wears much better than HH. Love yours BTW.

Steve

 

[aswatland]

Steve, are the knits on yours original or replacements?

 

[greyhound68]

Not to be outdone here is my 18091 size 44 original patch and nametag. Went through depot at some point as it got resprayed seal brown. Still can still the original russet color in the interior of the pockets. Agree goatskin on this jacket is superb even after over sixty years. Knits are replacements by Flight Suits.

 

[Estevan]

Andrew, They're posted again....Yes, the patch and name strip are original to the jacket. Love it and it fits very nice. Something about goat that just wears much better than HH. Love yours BTW.

Steve

Andrew, the cuffs are replacements, the waistband is flawless though. ELC provided the knits and work.

 

[RockBottom]

Wow! I didn't know Rough Wear was made in Middletown. That's not far from me--home of Three Mile Island nuclear plant.

 

[Estevan]

Andrew, the cuffs are replacements, the waistband is flawless though. ELC provided the knits and work.

Now wouldn't it be great to go there and find an old room with a few boxes of mint RWs stored away :eusa_clap

 

[Estevan]

Maybe some patch info help....

Still looking for information regarding the squadron for this patch. If anyone here has any information I would love to hear from you. I tried researching it with no joy on the net. [huh]

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Estevan]

Patch info found!

Yes, finally was able to uncover information regarding my RW. It belonged to a pilot of the 57th FS/54th FG. The patch was the only one they had and was "unofficial" nonetheless it was their squadron emblem and very rare. This squadron flew P-39s and P-41s. They were stationed at Kodiak, AK during the Aleutians campaign. I was able to find a pic of the emblem on one of their aircraft. This is still a work in progress and I'm trying to uncover all the information on the pilot of the jacket.

Steve

 

[PADDY]

Another interesting project for you Steve.

I really enjoyed that last one as you discovered more pieces of the jigsaw. So I'm equally interested in what you discover on this one!!

 

[Estevan]

I really enjoyed that last one as you discovered more pieces of the jigsaw. So I'm equally interested in what you discover on this one!!

Thanks Paddy...The last one was a real treasure indeed, but I have a feeling this one will be equally if not even more interesting.

 

[MudInYerEye]

Great jacket Steve. The Rough Wear is epitome of the A-2.
Edit: my mistake, great jacket Andrew. Steve's jacket just looks like little question marks.

 

[Fletch]

This squadron flew P-39s and P-41s.

Not P-41s, surely. There only ever was one, a test model P-35 with a turbocharger. Were they P-40s perhaps?

 

[Estevan]

Opps

1941 - 1943 - P-39
1943 - 1944 - P-51

Sorry form the typo..

I found some pics of the same squadron in "Report from the Aleutians" my heart stopped when I saw the same jacket in the film, well, not the same jacket, but the same patch and squadron. Have a look, it´s about midway through the film the pilots are sitting around a table and there are several with the same jacket.

 

[Fletch]

Aha, P-51s make sense.

 

[Estevan]

Ahhh, now here they are...

 

[fraazierjo]

A2 ROUGH IN

I went to the factory in Middletown to check the jackets out. They had stopped making them and were trying get a contract for Navy G1s. No where nearly as sexy .

 

[MudInYerEye]

I went to the factory in Middletown to check the jackets out. They had stopped making them and were trying get a contract for Navy G1s. No where nearly as sexy .

WHAT?!!!

 

[BellyTank]

I went to the factory in Middletown to check the jackets out. They had stopped making them and were trying get a contract for Navy G1s. No where nearly as sexy .

Well, I'm guessing you must have visited the factory at Middletown, PA,
in the 1940s then?
Sounds exciting, please elaborate!

B
T