Skyhawk
Vendor
- Messages
- 359
- Location
- Portland, OR
It is documented the first A-2 contract was awarded to P Goldsmith Sons Co in 1931. It was contract number 31-1897 and was for only 25 jackets. These 25 jackets have never been seen in person and none are known to exist in any collection or museum.
Details have always been sketchy on this jacket. The jacket was thought by many to have smaller pockets than later versions. It would have had buttoned pockets and a riveted Hookless zipper. We know this from the Security Aviation Togs jacket that came out one year later in 1932, before those features were changed. I have always wanted to do a reproduction of this jacket but never had enough details. We have never even had a photo of this mythical jacket.......... Until now!
Over on the Vintage Leather Jacket Forum, a member posted the photo above of Hap Arnold wearing an early button pocket A-2 at a luncheon event. He is on the right. Thankfully it is a hi res photo. I downloaded the photo and when I zoomed in, I saw something protruding from the collar on the left side. It was a button loop! Then I noticed that the collar had no snaps and there was a button visible under the right collar. The epaulets seem to be far back, placed over the shoulder seam, and the pocket was.....smaller!
I had never seen these features before on an A-2 and thought "It must be the Goldsmith!!". I posted my findings on the forum and Ken from Aero agreed that it could well be the Goldsmith. The forum community jumped into action in an epic thread! Many discoveries were made by contributing members and we nailed down the
details very thoroughly. I am happy to announce that Headwind Mfg Co will be making a reproduction of this "Holy Grail" A-2 jacket.
The epic thread. The discussion starts at post #54
http://vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/buttoned-pocket-flaps-a-2-jackets.20145/page-3
Details have always been sketchy on this jacket. The jacket was thought by many to have smaller pockets than later versions. It would have had buttoned pockets and a riveted Hookless zipper. We know this from the Security Aviation Togs jacket that came out one year later in 1932, before those features were changed. I have always wanted to do a reproduction of this jacket but never had enough details. We have never even had a photo of this mythical jacket.......... Until now!
Over on the Vintage Leather Jacket Forum, a member posted the photo above of Hap Arnold wearing an early button pocket A-2 at a luncheon event. He is on the right. Thankfully it is a hi res photo. I downloaded the photo and when I zoomed in, I saw something protruding from the collar on the left side. It was a button loop! Then I noticed that the collar had no snaps and there was a button visible under the right collar. The epaulets seem to be far back, placed over the shoulder seam, and the pocket was.....smaller!
I had never seen these features before on an A-2 and thought "It must be the Goldsmith!!". I posted my findings on the forum and Ken from Aero agreed that it could well be the Goldsmith. The forum community jumped into action in an epic thread! Many discoveries were made by contributing members and we nailed down the
details very thoroughly. I am happy to announce that Headwind Mfg Co will be making a reproduction of this "Holy Grail" A-2 jacket.
The epic thread. The discussion starts at post #54
http://vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/buttoned-pocket-flaps-a-2-jackets.20145/page-3
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