Stay or Go?

[PorscheFedora]

ingineer - Sounds like you have spent some time here and appreciate what we go through! So far so good here in NE Ohio but the last two years have been brutal.

Thanks for your $.02!

 

[Edward]

A lot of people here are obsessed with historical accuracy. Personally i don't see anything wrong with this jacket.
It's not accurate, but then if all you want is a cheap sheepskin jacket to stay warm, you just got one.

Horses for courses, innit? I think there's a place for both. I can appreciate wanting an accurate military repro, though it's the less milspec stuff that typically looks far morel ike what a civilian would have been wearing back in the day. We're lucky enough to have great options available for both - vive la difference!

 

[tonypaj]

My response was based purely on what I think looks good. After that I bought a B-6 Just because the stereo shop never answered to me about the speakers...

 

[kojax]

looks to big on you let it go

 

[ChiTownScion]

Although I like the idea of authenticity, I don't like the idea of giving up pockets to maintain authenticity!

I get that. I think that neurotic thread counting can be taken to an extreme. After all, unless you have the Mustang, Spitfire, or Liberator in a hanger at the local airport to wrap round the jacket, authenticity may be a great conversation starter, but it really isn't a life or death matter. A place to stow car keys and the iPhone are more of a priority to most people now than they were to a guy manning .50 cal. waist guns 70+ years ago on a run to Schweinfurt.

The other side of the coin is that there is also an undeniable aesthetic to jackets that are true to history. To me, having some old vet come up to me and comment about how much my jacket looks like one that he wore when he was a young man would be a life experience that money simply cannot buy. We all have to determine lines of demarcation between the ideal and the practical. And ultimately, as I noted, drawing that line is a personal matter.

That said, US Authentic (flightjacket.com) has a nice line of more moderately priced flight jackets, and you can get an RAF sheepskin jacket (they don't call it an "Irvin" as the name's copyright is owned by someone else) on sale now for $845. They'll make it with pockets if you prefer. Their jackets are not as high end as those of Eastman or Aero (let alone LW, Aces High or Real McCoy) - but I have an A-2 from them that I am 100% satisfied with, and their customer service is superb.

 

[Peacoat]

As others have noted, it is a bit long, but if it is warm, keep it. You will need warm in Brooklyn this Winter.

 

[Zombie_61]

Accurate schmaccurate. If you like the jacket and the way it fits, keep it. Simple as that.