Ultimate EASTMAN (ELC) flying kit thread.

[Tim P]

it should fit

 

[simmo]

If it doesn't fit you can always sell it on and you will definately have no problem selling an Eastman on.

 

[BellyTank]

....give the manufacturer your dr4ess shit size and they'll be able to tell you what size to order.....

Pardon..?

Isn't that kind of thing very private..?

B
T

 

[JWG]

Excuse me, I meant shirt size, such as 16 1/2 X 34, etc.

 

[greyhound68]

I wear a size 16.5x32 shirt and a 40 or 42 suit jacket (depending on the suit jacket). I wear a 42 Eastman (27752, 1401, and Cable). Hope this helps.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Exactly. And,.....

Im a size 42 chest but I prefer to wear one size larger for comfort
like a 44R

I think it's better for the jacket to fit a little loose than too small, because if it's too small you cant wear any layers underneath and feels restrictive when you move

You end up looking like a dork in a jacket that's too small for you! A2 jackets is one thing in life where bigger is really better. As Eastman's jackets were patterned after originals that they actually cut apart and traced the pieces of to produce their line, they have a definate tendancy to run small. Especially by today's standards as we are a bit larger in stature on the average in this country today than we were 70 years ago. Mind you, I have nothing against Eastman, they are a great manufacturer of beautiful A2's.
I bought my russet horsehide here ~ www.flightjacket.com The price is about half that of Eastman's, and the quality and fit is top notch. They also have a liberal try-on and return policy, so you needn't fear wasting your hard earned cash on a jacket you don't like, and then trying to convince yourself that you made a wise purchase!
(No, I don't work for them, I just found their great product so I have to share the knowledge!) :cheers1:

 

[greyhound68]

Agree with Maj Danger. I have a flight suits goatskin A2 that is so close to my original Rough Wear 18091 goatskin A2 it is amazing. Agree on their customer service it is outstanding. Their jackets do run a bit large I take a 40 in their jacket and 42 in everyone else. For sizing check out the Acme website and their measurements.
http://www.acmedepot.com/a2jacket/measure.shtml

This website has been a real help to me.

 

[Captain Krunch]

Greyhound, I'm thinking of getting the Flight Suits goatskin A-2 in the next month or so. How long have you had yours? How's the hide? I have one of their historical horsehide ones, and that horse is one tough hide! It has yet to break in to my satisfaction. I'm hoping that their goatskin will be much softer.

 

[MudInYerEye]

You end up looking like a dork in a jacket that's too small for you! A2 jackets is one thing in life where bigger is really better. As Eastman's jackets were patterned after originals that they actually cut apart and traced the pieces of to produce their line, they have a definate tendancy to run small. Especially by today's standards as we are a bit larger in stature on the average in this country today than we were 70 years ago. Mind you, I have nothing against Eastman, they are a great manufacturer of beautiful A2's.
I bought my russet horsehide here ~ www.flightjacket.com The price is about half that of Eastman's, and the quality and fit is top notch. They also have a liberal try-on and return policy, so you needn't fear wasting your hard earned cash on a jacket you don't like, and then trying to convince yourself that you made a wise purchase!
(No, I don't work for them, I just found their great product so I have to share the knowledge!) :cheers1:

Huh? Are you saying that ELC jackets run small? Not in my experience. I wear a size 40 in McCoy's and Lost Worlds and 38 in Rickson's and Aero but in an Eastman I wear a 36, and this is after they sized down their patterns a few years back

 

[BellyTank]

I concur Mud'-

Eastmans are a sloppy fit- at least, compared to McCoys, Rickson and Aero.
ELC A-2s are made and sized for bar pilots bellies.

And in my opinion, a sloppy/loose A-2 looks dorky and a fitting one looks sharp.
Clothes which don't fit...they just don't fit- how can they look good.

B
T

 

[PADDY]

Need to know quick...how do the A-2's fit in Eastman's jackets? I'm a size 40. I've heard they run small. Hate to waste my money though if the one I'm gonna buy is too big.

Thanks!

Eastman 42 on a 40 chest? no way. Really, you want a ELC 38 if you are a 40. Baggy A-2s just look like a dog's dinner. A-2s are to be worn with a shirt, not a big jersey/jumper/sweater.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Huh? Are you saying that ELC jackets run small? Not in my experience. I wear a size 40 in McCoy's and Lost Worlds and 38 in Rickson's and Aero but in an Eastman I wear a 36, and this is after they sized down their patterns a few years back

I was refering to the length of the jackets mainly. I found a very informative chart through this site,of actual measurements of various sizes from most major manufacturers. I was surprised to see there's a lot of variation between all the differant maker's sizes.:cheers1:

 

[BellyTank]

Yes, AcmeDepot.com has a lot of information and the comparitive measurements of repro A-2 repros can be very useful indeed.

B
T

 

[greyhound68]

Greyhound, I'm thinking of getting the Flight Suits goatskin A-2 in the next month or so. How long have you had yours? How's the hide? I have one of their historical horsehide ones, and that horse is one tough hide! It has yet to break in to my satisfaction. I'm hoping that their goatskin will be much softer.

Their goatskin is awesome. Little or no time to break in. Goatskin is just like my original Rough Wear 18091 which is thin and soft. I just got mine in a jacket trade. The only bad news is it is a little big on me. Their size 42 is more like a 44 (or wartime A2 46). If this is your size I could give you a deal on an almost new jacket.

 

[Weston]

Thanks for the info- I may go ahead with Flightjackets. Want a horsehide, but don't have the bucks. Love how accurate they seem, for so much less. Thanks for the heads up!

 

["Doc" Devereux]

Question for Eastman jacket owners

Hello all. Guess being a new boy puts the first round on me.

I'm just about to pick up an Eastman Luftwaffe jacket (still trying to decide between the 'standard' and the Hartmann), and was just wondering how fast the dye is. I've had a couple of jackets over the years that had an annoying habit of leaving dark smudges on the back of my white shirt collars; have any of you had similar problems with an Eastman?

 

[Flightnut]

Had a few Eastman A2's and one did stain very slightly round the collar area.I also found they stained the cream leather seats of my car!

 

[greyhound68]

Have owned three Eastmans and buying a fourth and never had that problem. Having seen in person both the of the jackets you are considering I would go with the Hartmann.

 

[D-Day-Doll]

I haven't had any problems with my Eastman A-2 staining anything. My only observation is that the leather is very stiff, I haven't really worn it enough to break it in though.

Greyhound68- Nice avatar! I have 2 retired greyhounds myself! Lindy and Normandie were both big losers on the track but they are perfect pets.

 

[Speedster]

I have had an Eastman A-2 for 3 years and no problems with staining.

Speedster