What are your favorite Aero designs?

[Peter Bowden]

Mostly in reply to Edward
My Aero King Of The Road is a nominal size 46" chest with a 26.5" back measurement,27" sleeves and 20" across the shoulders.The waist measurement is approximately 42.5" taken about .5" above the hem.I think it is a superb jacket and I imagine very complex to make.I will try and get some fit pictures produced if desired but my camera skills are not great
Regards
Peter

 

[AdeeC]

You got photos of that? I've never been quite able to talk myself into a Grizzly (though I suspect the other half would love me in it). I suppose I wonder about rain.... How's it feel keeping the fur on the outside, does it make it cooler than a jacket with it on the inside, trapping the air against you to keep the heat in?

The Grizzly feels nice to wear. Well balanced with the weight of the FQHH carried over the shoulders and arms. The mouton give a light feeling around the body and very tacltile to touch and quite warm. It is a short jacket so one has to be comfortable with the style and look. Is suitable for a trim leaner figure. Never worn it in the rain yet. Will try to post photos tomorrow. Is an attention grabber and my wife loves me wearing it. I currently have 9 leather jackets amongst many others and this is my favourite.

 

[Monitor]

I don't recall Rodney in anything other than the old camo jacket.... the young Del wore a very similar jacket in the prequel, Rock and Chips, though. Maybe if they had Rodney wearing one it was supposed to be Dels old jacket? If memory serves, the prequel was set in 1960, when it was still very much the 1950s in Britain (and continued to be so until 1963 at the earliest...). Del would still have been in the midst of the British rock and roll thing, before the Beatles came along and ruined it for everyone... By the mid Sixties, Del had defected to the Mod camp (in OFAH, he refers on at least one occasion to having had to babysit Rodney when all the other mods were out on the tear).

Aye, Rodney was wearing a really worn out looking black leather jacket for the most of the first season. It was occasionally seen in the second season as well the third, but he was mostly in that checkered red Rob Roy tartan jacket, and in the camo one later on. Rodney's wardrobe was quite Americanized. Here's a video clip where you can see the jacket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_nMMffZ3eU
Looks like a HWM style, only with zippered hand warmers and snap on sleeve cuffs. It's was a good five sizes too big. lol I remember when he says that some chick left because she found a bloke with faster Vespa. I think it's from the same episode you've mentioned.

It's a similar jacket to what young Del wore in 'Rock 'n' Chips', but definitely not the same. Dell also wore Lewis Leathers Dominator at some point in the prequel, though I can't remember what episode was that exactly.

 

[mendelboaz]

That is just a beautiful jacket. A genuine classic in my opinion.

I highly agree with you there, mate

 

[AdeeC]

Here are some photos of my Aero Grizzly. Still not fully broken in yet

 

[pawineguy]

^ That Grizzly is a thing of beauty.

 

[handymike]

A beauty and a beast....I like it!!!

 

[Benny Holiday]

While everyone else in Sydney is complaining about the cold, AddeC is rockin' his Grizzly and looking the bees knees!

It's hard topick a favourite but I'd have to say the Sunburst followed by the Dustbowl.

 

[Edward]

Mostly in reply to Edward
My Aero King Of The Road is a nominal size 46" chest with a 26.5" back measurement,27" sleeves and 20" across the shoulders.The waist measurement is approximately 42.5" taken about .5" above the hem.I think it is a superb jacket and I imagine very complex to make.I will try and get some fit pictures produced if desired but my camera skills are not great
Regards
Peter

Sounds very nice indeed - is that a bit of a drop between chestg and waist? The standard MC pattern (at least prior to Ken coming back, not sure if they've reworked it since) has a really pronounced drop, which would probably be a bit tight on me even when I've lost the rest of the weight I need shifting!

The Grizzly feels nice to wear. Well balanced with the weight of the FQHH carried over the shoulders and arms. The mouton give a light feeling around the body and very tacltile to touch and quite warm. It is a short jacket so one has to be comfortable with the style and look. Is suitable for a trim leaner figure. Never worn it in the rain yet. Will try to post photos tomorrow. Is an attention grabber and my wife loves me wearing it. I currently have 9 leather jackets amongst many others and this is my favourite.

Sounds great. I'm fine with a short jacket (some don't care for the length of a Schott 618, but it works great for me), though I'm not sure I'll ever be eactly 'trim' again....

Aye, Rodney was wearing a really worn out looking black leather jacket for the most of the first season. It was occasionally seen in the second season as well the third, but he was mostly in that checkered red Rob Roy tartan jacket, and in the camo one later on. Rodney's wardrobe was quite Americanized. Here's a video clip where you can see the jacket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_nMMffZ3eU
Looks like a HWM style, only with zippered hand warmers and snap on sleeve cuffs. It's was a good five sizes too big. lol I remember when he says that some chick left because she found a bloke with faster Vespa. I think it's from the same episode you've mentioned.

Jinkies, yeah.... I didn't remember this one at all. I do remember Rodney wearing a leather jacket in just one episode later on... the one where he's trying to impress some girl with pretending to be a hardcase. I think that might have been the same one in which he did the big jump in the three-wheeler van? There was an American nod in his look earlier on, you're right. I've never really thought about it before, but it's definitely there. Maybe it reflected a wider trend for 1950s Americana at that time, though I think in Britain that peaked a little bit later than 81, not sure. If you ever watch Ashes to Ashes, they retrospectively did that 'eighties does 50s' look (though with more of a suits and ties bent) with Daniel Mays' character.

Definitely a different jacket Rodney has on there, though in tv warddrobeland, who knows.... It looks to me much more the boxy look of one of the American style jackets of the 50s (even allowing for the fact it's clearly far too big), rather than the likes of a Lewis or Highwayman or Mascot (original, rather than the consciously Americanised reworking Ken did on the design in 1982).

It's a similar jacket to what young Del wore in 'Rock 'n' Chips', but definitely not the same. Dell also wore Lewis Leathers Dominator at some point in the prequel, though I can't remember what episode was that exactly.

They really captured his style, evolving into what became recognisable as Mod, very well.

Here are some photos of my Aero Grizzly. Still not fully broken in yet
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Thanks - looks stunning.

 

[AdeeC]

Thanks guys, wearing one of these is unlike any other leather jacket. Everyone wants to touch it. I was used to wearing solid middle of the road jackets before like Schott's etc but the quality of this is outstanding. Never seen or felt real nice mouton before. Every component is of the best quality. My only minor gripe having never owned a FQHH jacket before is it takes a while to break in especially in Australia where there a is shorter weather window to wear something like this. I am pleased we are having a colder winter and have the opportunity to wear it often. Aero really have an amazing collection and there is something for everyone's wardrobe on offer.

 

[Peter Bowden]

Edward
I cannot detect any noticeable drop on the front panels of the jacket.The zip length is 22"-I don't know what vintage the jacket is as it was a Ebay purchase-The previous owner kindly left me his dice!
Regards
Peter

 

[Monitor]

Such beautiful leather on this one. This is HH, correct?

 

[Sloan1874]

Here are some photos of my Aero Grizzly. Still not fully broken in yet
View attachment 30360
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Every time I see one of these posted, I like them that little bit more. Just wonder whether our wetter climate up here would make it a little difficult to live with.

 

[Monitor]

There's always Trail Rider - also, one of my favourites from Aero.

 

[AdeeC]

Every time I see one of these posted, I like them that little bit more. Just wonder whether our wetter climate up here would make it a little difficult to live with.

Many of the advertisements from the 30's targeted them for outdoors sportsperson types including skiers. Probably similar to an Irvin for suitability but not sure.

 

[Edward]

Edward
I cannot detect any noticeable drop on the front panels of the jacket.The zip length is 22"-I don't know what vintage the jacket is as it was a Ebay purchase-The previous owner kindly left me his dice!
Regards
Peter
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That looks really sharp. Sounds liek the fit could be good... I have my eye on a J106 in black, but I'm very tempted also by the notion of a KOTR in brown.... possibly Vicenza rather than FQHH, just for the variation... shiny brass hardware.... Oh, my.

Every time I see one of these posted, I like them that little bit more. Just wonder whether our wetter climate up here would make it a little difficult to live with.

Mn, I'd be the same.

There's always Trail Rider - also, one of my favourites from Aero.

It is nice. Always put me in mind of the Ace Cafe / Ton-Up boys. Not a million miles away from the same sort of jackets as the Original 59er Highwayman.

Many of the advertisements from the 30's targeted them for outdoors sportsperson types including skiers. Probably similar to an Irvin for suitability but not sure.

That's what I'd think.... I do tend to avoid wearing my Irvin in the rain - sheepskin isn't so nice in your skin when it gets wet, ime. Maybe best for dry climates and those which have the dry, powdery type of snow rather than the wet, slushy stuff we get.

 

[Peter Bowden]

Hi Monitor
Yes, it is horsehide-Its actually quite malleable and nice to wear especially in a hot sunny day as it is today.I was really pleased to win this auction...the quality of the hide and zips and fastenings is so much better than anything I had owned before
Regards
Peter

 

[Fanch]

Hi Monitor
Yes, it is horsehide-Its actually quite malleable and nice to wear especially in a hot sunny day as it is today.I was really pleased to win this auction...the quality of the hide and zips and fastenings is so much better than anything I had owned before
Regards
Peter
View attachment 30378

I suspect the determining factor is how one defines a "hot sunny day" which in my part of the world is 90F!

 

[Peter Bowden]

Hi Fanch
Yes,I get your point....It's about 68F with a nice breeze and low humidity here which I find comfortable
Regards
Peter

 

[Monitor]

Peter, I think I know the type, and it is in my humble opinion the best variation in FQHH and probably the best leather I've ever seen. I've only had one jacket made from this type of leather, my J106. Soft and malleable from the get go, with fantastic grain and lots of character right out of the box. A bit more shiny, too. Just fantastic stuff!

Though yeah, 60f is cool enough for such jacket (although the corduroy lining looks quite warm). It's 92f here... lol

I do remember Rodney wearing a leather jacket in just one episode later on... the one where he's trying to impress some girl with pretending to be a hardcase. I think that might have been the same one in which he did the big jump in the three-wheeler van? There was an American nod in his look earlier on, you're right. I've never really thought about it before, but it's definitely there. Maybe it reflected a wider trend for 1950s Americana at that time, though I think in Britain that peaked a little bit later than 81, not sure. If you ever watch Ashes to Ashes, they retrospectively did that 'eighties does 50s' look (though with more of a suits and ties bent) with Daniel Mays' character.

They really captured his style, evolving into what became recognisable as Mod, very well.

lol I remember that episode. I think he wore a Perfecto-style jacket in that one, if my memory's right. Perhaps a LL? Haven't seen this show in a while... I need to re-watch Rock 'n' Chips one again. I remember when it came out, the reception was very bad and I've only really seen one episode of it though I didn't think it was really that awful at all. The characters were well written and fun, and I though young Dell did just fine. As for how well they did his style, I'm going to have to take your word on it, though. Unlike Rockers, Mods didn't really spread outside the UK, at least not in the same extent, so I'm quite lost to this particular subculture...