Jump to content

The Flight Jacket Thread


still

Recommended Posts

looked for stuffs on flight jacket repros but found nothing here expect a old buzz rickson thread, i know a few members are into/owns flight jacket, both leather and nylon jackets...so i thought i'd start a thread for discussion on flight jackets repros.

discuss and share :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

im my opinion, real mccoy do the best repro flight jackets out there. they have a combination of original features plus quality of hides used. eastman do some ok repros but i dont feel have very good leather. aero use some nice leather but im not entirely sure on the level of authenticity.

you can often get some good deals on sale items from real mccoys.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have handled all three. i have also owned two aeros and tried on a few elc.

as i said before.. just my opinion is all and it isnt to say the other products are poor, just that i think rmc is overall better. i guess it depends on what exactly you want from it... do you want total reproduction or just something that wears nicely with the spirit of the vintage jacket.

buzz rickson are nice too but pricey.

im sure airfrog and greg would be the best people to ask about jackets on here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool, thanks for clarifying. I ask because Eastman proudly proclaim that they nerd out on their leather and that it took them 8 years (:eek:) to source the right tanneries :confused:

This thread has great timing because I've lusted after an A2 since forever and am presently selling some stuff to raise cash for one. Did some research this week and stumbled across this site http://www.acmedepot.com/a2jacket/index.shtml which seems like a great source of info. From the reviews I read, his opinion is that Aero have questionable authenticity and construction methods (reinforcing your view), Eastman are good, RMC are good but he could not justify the price tag, there wasn't a correlation between price and quality.

I'm not after a repro of a specific contract per se, just a seal brown A2 with veg tanned horsehide. I;d love to hear what others consider the bees knees.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i perferred real mccoys also. but it was more of a first impression choice tho..

buzz rickson ones are nice but the price is much more expensive than real mccoy ones.. not to mention eastman and aero are even cheaper.

their site is a interesting read (especially how they do variations on the leather):

http://www.buzzricksons.jp/product/army_air_forces-0001.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah, good advice. But I keep telling myself that this is a once in a lifetime purchase, I don't intend to beat the crap out of it so want to make the right choice, even if it means shopping outside the UK. Also, for some reason I'm very particular about the leather finish, I don't want any kind of aniline dye, sealed under clear coat crap; I think this is what gives the leather the plasticky look / feel you mention.

Thanks for your pointers, anyone have anything to say about Lost Worlds? Their site seems down. tia.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice thread! I've had A-2s by Flightsuits, Flight Jacket.com, Aero, and RMNZ. The RMNZ was custom fitted by Paddy after lots of measurements and sending a few stock jackts back and forth. Then I sent it to Jerome Urbaniak for painting of the Dragon Lady from Terry and the Pirates. Here are some of his pics - they are close-ups of the art, sorry no mid-length views of the jacket as a whole. More of my Dragon Lady pictures here: http://tinyurl.com/ywkgvc

225344510.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have had an aero bronco A-2 for just over a year now. The leather is great (jerky seal HH), but the zipper sucked, and I broke it within 6 months of decent wear. Otherwise the jacket is bombproof. Historical authenticity doesn t really matter to me, so I cannot comment on that.

I think that my next jacket will be an aero again, but I may send them a zipper to install instead of their standard talon repro. I just can t justify the additional cost of a RMNZ, as I am just not that concerned with historical accuracy. In addition to price, you can pretty much get a custom fit from aero, and they have a greater selection of leathers. The real deal is a great starter jacket. I am pretty sure my next will be their 1940 model in mid weight front quarter HH if available, with mustard lining, and ring snaps, with additional length to the body and arms.

A word of warning: A-2s are really short in body length by nature, make sure that you are aware of this.

You may want to check out:

http://cornellsurgery.com/v-web/bulletin/bb/

IMO it is the best resource for A-2s on the internet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a type A2 jacket from Avirex, it really isn't a accurate repro but it still is a great jacket.The leather is really fine and I can wear it with thick clothes.

Altough I really like my A2 (since it's my first )I'd LOVE to have a accurate repro.

pict0038vj8.jpg pict0039kb8.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my most recent purchase... by real mccoy NZ, it's a beaute.. i was amazed by how nice the texture and grain on the leather..

could you guys give me some tips for braking it in and maintenance of it?

dsc56571ue8.jpg

My advice is just wear it ALLOT. DO NOT baby it. Great looking jacket. McCoys make some mighty fine repros.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i bought an a1 from aero a couple of years ago but i cancelled the order before i received it. apparently they had already started it so it went into the sale section (oops). was in cape skin and looked gorgeous, am tempted to go for it again some time, that is if they would do it for me now!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...