Why & when do we love the A-2 & other leather jackets?

[Phantomfixer]

This is just assuming that the majority of people in this forum at least like the A-2 if not really like it. When I was a very young lad of about 8 (1973), I was reading a magazine containing an article on B-17s in the 8th Air Force. One picture that caught my eye was the famous crew photo of the Memphis Belle. See Below. The gentlemen on the far left. The way the jacket hung on him really impressed me with the way an aviator should look(I should know by now which gunner he is but I don't, so now I am on a quest to find his name, a short quest I would hope). The strong confident look.That look got me hooked and I've been a sap for A-2s ever since. I have an archive original of this photo and it is much clearer(not this internet digital thing). It really shows the jacket in a much better way.

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[Silver Dollar]

How's this link for you, Phantom.
http://www.91stbombgroup.com/crewphotos/memphisbelle.html

This is the same picture with all of the crew named from left to right. I figured that guy on the left was the engineer/ top turret and the little guy next to him was the ball turret gunner. I was right. Hope this helps your quick quest. :eusa_clap

 

[Phantomfixer]

so it is he

Harold P. Loch. Thanks Silver!! To this man I owe my interest in the A-2. Maybe I owe him my career in the AF too. How can one picture have such an impact on one's life? Fast forward 20 years or so... I met Bob Morgan and Jim Verinis at Reading PA during an airshow. Both where very much the gentlemen. I believe Jim was a bit surprised to find out that I knew who he was. Most people were passing him by in the book signing line. Gabby Gabreski was very interested to learn that I knew his son in Germany. Gabby jr was an F-4 pilot assigned to the 512th TFS Ramstein, I was a crew chief on F-4 68-404 and he flew it a few times. Gabby sr and I swapped a few stories about his son. I think I saw Gabby sr smile, you could tell he was proud of his son. Most people in the book line wanted to know " what was it like to fly a fighter" as if he never heard that question before huh? Which leads me to the question how did you get your start in the flight jacket world?

 

[Peacoat]

For me, the answer to your question about why we love the A-2 is because of its simple classic lines. A simple answer to a complex question.

 

[442RCT]

I think I love the A-2 because it's an iconic symbol representing those men who flew into the skies to carry the fight to the enemy. If the truth be known, I've never really thought of the A-2 as a 'practical' piece of kit for everyday wear as a civilian even though I wear one often.

Features I like in a leather jacket:
G1 - Bi-swing back and in-side entry pocket.
A2 - leather collar and snap pockets

civilian features- side entry hand warmer pockets, an inside pocket.

I know I can wear an AN-J 3 with most of these features, but I won't, it's just NOT an A-2. [huh]

 

[Silver Dollar]

I think I love the A-2 because it's an iconic symbol representing those men who flew into the skies to carry the fight to the enemy. If the truth be known, I've never really thought of the A-2 as a 'practical' piece of kit for everyday wear as a civilian even though I wear one often.
]

Ditto. It's the most recognized symbol of the WWII aviator. It's many times what went to the target and back and got shot at alot.

Phantom, the story of Gabby Jr. is interesting. I knew him when I was at Hickam AFB. He popped into the dental clinic for something. I noticed the name and asked if there was any relation to you know who. He replied in the affirmative and told me his dad was going to be in Hawaii and would be going to one of the wing commander's call. I got a chance to talk to him and get an autograph. The man could tell a 45 minute story and not one word would be boring. Before that, I got to meet him at an 8th AF Historical Society convention banquet. There he stood side by side with Robert Johnson himself. That was one cool banquet.

 

[Zombie_61]

Classic design, comfortable, and functional. What's not to like?

 

[aswatland]

This post is like history repeating itself! Its been discussed several times before.

 

[Phantomfixer]

This post is like history repeating itself! Its been discussed several times before.

Yeah but I really like talking about it I wish it was simple maybe it is and I am just overthinking it? But talking to the vets whether famous or not is always a treat. I shouldn't say alway though I recon. I bumped into an old B-26 pilot and at first the conversation went very well and then he told of how he was tail end of a low level formation. He saw the bombs of the lead ship walk into a village church just letting out. The old guy was in tears and there was nothing I could say but that the war was not his fault or his responsibility.

 

[Navin323i]

I don't know what's more cool... Phantom posting such an amazing picture or Silver Dollar's post that ended Phantom's quest so fast.

Prior to joining this site a month ago I didn't know about the existence of A-2, G-1, etc but Phantom's picture really makes me like the A-2 jacket. I'm guessing that the elastic cuffs on the sleeve and at the waist serve the same functional purpose as a storm cuff on a motorcycle jacket (i.e. to keep the wind out)... correct?

Thanks for posting the picture, Phantom.

Navin

 

[Phantomfixer]

NP Navin my pleasure. The cuffs and waist do serve a purpose as do the snaps on the collar tips. I learned about those the hard way in my flatfender lol

 

[Fletch]

A well fitting A-2 is simple, rugged, and elegant all at the same time. That's what makes a classic.

 

[Phantomfixer]

I agree Fletch. I read on another post heck maybe this one that an A-2 shouldn't be worn with jeans and sneakers. Heck an A-2 goes with everything. Slacks, jeans, I even wore it to the gym in sweatpants. It is one versitle jacket. Sounds like I am beating a dead horse.....sorry. But what I was asking is WHAT and WHEN got you guys hooked not really why that is a given....Some guys have never heard of them till they came here some have been living with them for decades. And it doesn't have to be A-2s it could be peacoats or biker jackets or whatever gets it for you... WHEN did it hit you???? I guess that is what I was asking.

 

[Silver Dollar]

Ahaaaaaaaa!!!! That makes a whole lot of sense. Here's how it went with me. I started collecting WWII Air Force memorabilia about a year after I joined the AF. I started with patches because I thought they were really cool so to speak. I liked the color arrangement and the style. We didn't have anything like that on the standard Air Force uniform at the time and the current AF patches just didn't have the same sense of style. From there, I started collecting some other things as they became available. Everything was plentiful and not very expensive. Then I went to my first real militaria show in the mid 80's in New Jersey and saw some of what the hard core collectors had and I got hooked for sure. It seemed that what everyone wanted more than anything was an A2 jacket they could wear. It was a type of Holy Grail for WWII USAAF nuts. I hated the fact that couldn't wear an A2. First, they were old, delicate and pieces of history that could be destroyed and worn out. Second, a lot of them didn't smell too good and didn't smell any better when they got cleaned up. I bought a jacket from Avirex which really wasn't that accurate but it was adequate. I put some goofy looking patches on it and wore it wherever I went. One day when I was in a New Jersey mall, another guy was coming toward me wearing another repro leather jacket with some WWII artwork. I asked him where he got it painted and he said he did it himself. That guy was Charles DiSipio who now owns Historical Preservation Associates but he didn't own it at the time. We got to know each other and together tried to find the most authentic jacket we could find. We were even going to go to Korea and see if we could get some custom made. We wanted the most accurate reproductions we could find so we could duplicate original artwork and wear that instead of the originals. He was painting some jackets for some other veterans and I would send him some squadron and group patches drawn out on card stock so he could do them on leather. I had the reference books so I sent him whatever he needed. I was also painting jackets at the same time and we would learn from each other. As things would have it, I got transfered about 5000 miles away and it became a bit difficult to keep in touch. Finally, I lost all my reference books in Hurricane Andrew and that was it for me. Plus I still had a career and a family to attend to. Charles went and hooked up with Gary at Eastman, I went and developed my clinical skills and the rest is history. He's worked extremely hard to get where he is and has done a fantastic job doing it. I'm so glad he realized the dream and now he puts out one of the best products available. That's why all my good repros are Eastman jackets. I know there are many good repros out there but I'd recommend HPA to anyone that wants great stuff. You may have to wait for a product from time to time but it's worth the wait. Of course I got off track but that's how I got into the jacket world in the first place.

 

[Edward]

Ditto. It's the most recognized symbol of the WWII aviator.

Maybe in America.

 

[tonypaj]

I've stated before about the mixed feelings I have for A-2s. The history is fascinating, though. Here's a picture of the father one of my classmates in high school (I did not much like the kid...). This dude shot down 32 Russians. I have no idea what the jacket is, but the picture tells more than I could ever.

http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/foto/karhinv1.jpg

 

[Spitfire]

Maybe in America.

Guesse you are right, Edward.
When I wear my Irvin it's immediately recogniced as a pilot/aviator jacket from WWII.
When I am wearing my A2 - it's just a leatherjacket to the majority of people and only flybuffs knows it's origin.

 

[Smithy]

Guesse you are right, Edward.
When I wear my Irvin it's immediately recogniced as a pilot/aviator jacket from WWII.
When I am wearing my A2 - it's just a leatherjacket to the majority of people and only flybuffs knows it's origin.

Same in the Commonwealth countries as well. An A-2 jacket is just a leather jacket to 99.9% of the population in the CW but Irvins are recognised by all and sundry as one of those "WWII Spitfire pilot's jacket".

 

[RLM]

I was fascinated with WWII when I was a kid. I read books & watched old movies/TV shows on WWII any chance I got. Many of the movies were of course about the AAF, and the A-2 was ever present. I guess my love of the A-2 was spawned from that. I've actually only owned one A-2 copy, my current US Authentic, but its, as has been stated, a classic symbol of the WWII American aviator. I guess its the wannabe in me, I've never been in the service and know that the glory protrayed in many of the old movies was not reality and that combat is anything but glorious, but I feel like a daring fighter pilot when I wear it. I remember once as a kid, probably 10 or 12 years old, talking to my uncle, who'd been a ground crew member in the 8th AF, about a book I was reading on B-17s. I said something to the effect that I wished I could have flown a B-17, that it must have been fun. He must have been in a particularly bad mood that day, or maybe it was my talking about it like it was all glory and fun, but whatever set him off, he decided to set me straight on a few things. He then proceeded to tell me that flying the planes in combat was NOT fun and related numerous instances of having to hose what was left of guys out of the planes in between missions. He was a good man and a fun uncle, but that instance has stayed with me. That's a lot for a 10 year old to hear when they've never been exposed to anything like that. It was really the first time anyone that had been in a war had ever talked to me about their experiences. It was the only time he ever talked about the war other than occasionally sharing his knowledge of the aircrafts' specs and characteristics with me when I asked.

 

[442RCT]

Same in the Commonwealth countries as well. An A-2 jacket is just a leather jacket to 99.9% of the population in the CW but Irvins are recognised by all and sundry as one of those "WWII Spitfire pilot's jacket".

If an A-2 is either patched and/or painted with nose art, does that make it more recognizable as a yank's flight jacket ?