Why so little love for the A2?

[cbez]

I don't have one because I'm not a pilot and not 100 years old and I have too much respect for the ones who wore them when they were 18 or 19 and sent to deal with the threat of creeping global fascism for me to feel like I could pull it off, but I think they're a great jacket, classic, and utterly cool.

do you also refuse to wear jeans out of respect for the 18 and 19 year old miners getting black lung to support their family

I like a2s, they're more casual than most leather jackets but also have a risk of giving grandpa vibes

most are leather splits so, a lighter and different vibe than a lot of the heavy moto jackets that are popular rn

 

[bn1966]

I used to live in an A-2 pretty much and had lots of compliments in respect of that jacket. Purchased it from ELC many moons ago & even wore it to my wedding. I eventually moved it on after acknowledging it was a size too small and felt like a straitjacket when zippered. It was replaced by two ELC A-2’s: a Monarch contract and a 50 cal version with brick red knits. The right size and made from a quality hide I think it’s a classic wear as long as you are in reasonable shape yourself (ongoing battle). The A-2 was the grandfather of many of the casual jackets we see worn today, or should I say yesterday as leather jackets don’t seem to be worn much by the young any more.

 

[Edward]

A2s and other milspec jackets were all the rage in these parts twenty odd years ago. A lot of that traffic moved over the VLJ at a time when Outerwear evolved into something away from the rest of TFL and a lot of the focus shifted to civilian designs that happened be classic vintage, but there was less interest in that aspect ofc them - more just the artisanal, quality type of perceptions.

I still like A2s, myself. I had an Aero and an ELC at a time, but they unfortunately shrank in the wardrobe and had to go. I'd like to replace them, particularly with some patched options. Unfortunately at the price of the big brands these days, I'd rather spend that sort of money on a more complex, civilian design, and the range of affordable, milspec options I see appearing in places I would trust mostly stop a size or so smaller than I would actually need.

 

[iwilsonjames]

My only $0.02 on A-2's is to purchase one from John Chapman. My Good Wear A-2's were keepers, the others, not so much. Not only are his jackets top tier in the accuracy department, he has a gift for nailing the sizing.

A trim fitting A-2 isn't comfortable and just won't be worn. I'd typically recommend going with a jacket with a chest measurement that is a minimum of 4-6" over your chest measurement, when wearing an A-2.

Bronco 1761 (ordered directly from GW)

View attachment 781917

Rough Wear 18091 (purchased second hand)

View attachment 781918

David D. Doniger (purchased second hand, but resold since it was a touch too small to wear comfortably)

View attachment 781919

Totally agree—John Chapman's A-2s are spot on for fit and authenticity. My Good Wear one is still going strong too. That 4-6" chest rule is gold for everyday wear. What's your chest measurement, and what size A-2 are you eyeing?
What chest size are you working with for the best fit recommendation?

 

[mcnuonuo]

Well, not everyone here owns a motorcycle either...

I don't have one because I'm not a pilot and not 100 years old and I have too much respect for the ones who wore them when they were 18 or 19 and sent to deal with the threat of creeping global fascism for me to feel like I could pull it off, but I think they're a great jacket, classic, and utterly cool.

 

[Doctor Death]

I'm not a pilot and not 100 years old (yet) but I did get an A2 (from cockpitusa) recently. And I like it!

I've been mostly a cross zipper 'til the last couple of years, but I've found that center zips (and now an A2) can be part of the rotation. My A2 fits great, like a glove. Got mine in black.

 

[TLW '90]

I owned a vintage A-2 that I’ve since sold. I think the pattern is unflattering: tubular arms, the front pockets are huge, which make the front look baggy and sagging. Often times, the roomy chest makes it look like you have man b o o b s. Sorry to say, but I haven’t seen anyone that’d look good in an A-2 leather jacket.

If you're talking about me sure, but look at post #4 in this thread, he pulls off his A2's way better than I do and I think mine fits me better than the average person wearing a random bomber style mall jacket.

Everybody is entitled to their preferences though, and I guess some people do expect every jacket to be trim fitting and everything.
I get it,my trim fitting jackets look great, but I do still appreciate the look and fit of a decent A2 especially considering the comfort.

 

[mcnuonuo]

If you're talking about me sure, but look at post #4 in this thread, he pulls off his A2's way better than I do and I think mine fits me better than the average person wearing a random bomber style mall jacket.

Everybody is entitled to their preferences though, and I guess some people do expect every jacket to be trim fitting and everything.
I get it,my trim fitting jackets look great, but I do still appreciate the look and fit of a decent A2 especially considering the comfort.

I almost think it's more about the confidence than anything else.
A loose fit A2 can look great too. The same with wearing any type of leather jacket in public these days.

Speaking as a person who's always self aware of people either thinking that I own a motorcycle or better an airplane.

 

[Sloan1874]

| was A-2 sceptical initially when I got into the jacket hobby, but then I tried one while I was in Aero's factory and realised that this a style and look that suited me perfectly. Since then, I've owned a couple, and moved them on, until I got my first GW, a Dubow, and that has become one of my absolute go-to jackets. It's incredibly comfortable can be dressed up or worn casually, and it just looks so cool without feeling as you're playing dress-up.
The thing about the A-2 is that while they may 'all look the same', there were actually any number of variations in colour and fit, depending the contract and maker at the time. Some were a bit blouson-y, with plenty of room to move, others very athletic and fitted; some have collar stands that give a very martial feel, others are more shirt-style and a little more modern. The colours went from light russet right down to brown-black seal; then you get to the knits, which again vary greatly, from the light caramel and browns through to the Dubow purples and Aero's famous red ones.
I've literally just paid for a Good Wear version of the Aero 21996 contract today. It's a really unique A-2 due to the production process of the original. For some reason, the USAAF decided that they didn't like the shade of russet Aero was going to use, and demanded the leather should be overdyed with a dark seal colour prior to any jackets were made. So you have this amazing bitter chocolate colour with red undertones showing through, which over time, as the thin top coat wears and scuffs away, starts to assert itself.
John at Good Wear has reproduced this in a very laborious process, dying wheat coloured Horween to get the right balance of russet then shooting it with a seal dye, before ageing it himself to let the undercoat start to shine through.
Here are a few shots of it prior to the final ageing process, though you can see where John had carried out a first pass at it:
https://goodwearleather.com/Craig_Acme21996/
The great thing about John's work is that it's so meticulous in getting the details and fit right. I went with what he describes as a combat clone, which copies the slightly wonky stitching that came with the factory-process of creating so many jackets to fulfil government contracts, and the additional ageing.
While Good Wear may be the boutique end of the A-2 market, Aero's ones are fantastic for the money and very accurate, as are Eastman's. I understand Five Star are very good value for money, but I have no experience of them, and while Bill Kelso look the part, I've always disliked the marketing strategy so I can't comment on them.

 

[TLW '90]

I really just don't understand the idea that they don't look good on anybody.
As long as a person has any inclination towards paying attention to measurements more than tag size, you can have an A2 / bomber with an at least slightly above average fit.

 

[ObiJuanValdez]

I like the general style, but I really dislike knit cuffs and waistbands. The Indy jacket, with the knits removed, is much more my thing, but you don't see those as often.

 

[Sloan1874]

Mind you, so many jackets are made with storm cuffs, so it’s hard to escape them, really.

 

[thor]

I just picked up an older U.S. Authentic A-2 off eBay for a hundred bucks. It’s dark russet goatskin but during a rain shower it looks darker than under normal lighting. I wanted a lightweight, reasonably accurate A-2 that would look casual yet still have a distinct A-2 vibe. This U.S. Authentic was exactly what I wanted. Great fit, nice details and excellent workmanship (good price too).

 

[raf]

A patient person who understands their personal body measurements very well, and hopefully supplied with accurate measurements by the Seller, can usually obtain a very decent Repro A-2 or G-1 on eBay at a very reasonable price. For the most part, jackets like this vary in chest size, with shoulder width and sleeve/back length varying in conjunction with chest size. Some Mfrs may offer various lengths of jackets, in a given chest size, (Short, Reg, Tall/Long) but not all Mfrs do so. Folks with unusual body measurements will need to be much more patient.

 

[marker2037]

I kind of want to go all in for an A-2 soon. I think they tend to be a “forgotten” or “boring” or “normal” look for leather jackets, but I really love them when done right.

I am thinking a Dubow 27798 now as I really love the collar design, lack of a collar stand, and the dull purple knits for something different. Seal brown, dull purple, olive thread…I like the sounds of that.

I’m between Good Wear and Bill Kelso here. Ideally, Good Wear seems to be the best maker you can get, but also sounds like the wait can be ultra long. They state 12-14 months on the site, but I remember hearing a few years ago that the real waiting time is anywhere from 2-4 years. Anyone know the current times for GW? I imagine Kelso is around 10-12 months,

I’m not in any rush, but also don’t want to be strung along for half a decade.

 

[coolhandluke_7]

I kind of want to go all in for an A-2 soon. I think they tend to be a “forgotten” or “boring” or “normal” look for leather jackets, but I really love them when done right.

I am thinking a Dubow 27798 now as I really love the collar design, lack of a collar stand, and the dull purple knits for something different. Seal brown, dull purple, olive thread…I like the sounds of that.

I’m between Good Wear and Bill Kelso here. Ideally, Good Wear seems to be the best maker you can get, but also sounds like the wait can be ultra long. They state 12-14 months on the site, but I remember hearing a few years ago that the real waiting time is anywhere from 2-4 years. Anyone know the current times for GW? I imagine Kelso is around 10-12 months,

I’m not in any rush, but also don’t want to be strung along for half a decade.

Current wait time with Good Wear is somewhere in the neighborhood of 18-24 months.

I see BK A-2 complaints (most are sizing issues) with decent regularity, so I'd err on the side of caution and go the Good Wear route. You can always drop Mr. Chapman an email and let him know what you're after, in the event that he ever has a sizing return that would work for your measurements.

It's a shame that Mark from Norshor has taken a hiatus from jacket making. He made a banger of a 27798 and his wait times were much easier to swallow for the impatient (like me).

Norshor

GW

FWIW, another good 27798 option is a Platon, if you happen to run across a used example.

Photo courtesy of Brettafett...

 

[Edward]

Current wait time with Good Wear is somewhere in the neighborhood of 18-24 months.

I see BK A-2 complaints (most are sizing issues) with decent regularity, so I'd err on the side of caution and go the Good Wear route. You can always drop Mr. Chapman an email and let him know what you're after, in the event that he ever has a sizing return that would work for your measurements.

It's a shame that Mark from Norshor has taken a hiatus from jacket making. He made a banger of a 27798 and his wait times were much easier to swallow for the impatient (like me).

Norshor

View attachment 785403

GW

View attachment 785404


FWIW, another good 27798 option is a Platon, if you happen to run across a used example.

Photo courtesy of Brettafett...

View attachment 785405

Wasn't there a Platon formerly associated with another brand?

 

[Harris HTM]

Wasn't there a Platon formerly associated with another brand?

Bill Kelso.

 

[Harris HTM]

Ps- I own a Platon jacket and it is a great a2, I like it much better than my Aero.

 

[Edward]

Bill Kelso.

Ah, yes - that's where I remember it from. Did they fall out? I remember almost buying an early BK A2 when they sold them off cheap around the time they started making contract repros, but backed out when my email asking whether I should go for a size up when I was between sizes gave med the hard sell on a jacket that was one size down from, but "sized like" my usual. Not a risk I wanted to take somewhere I couldn't take a bus to to return if it didn't fit. Then they started promoting their new leathers by running down their old product and that of their competitors, at which point I decided they really weren't what I was looking for. A lot of their designs certainly looked nice, but in truth the marketing approach left a sufficiently bad taste in my mouth that I know I wouldn't enjoy wearing one.