Thanks Flyguy - not too bad, I guess. I suppose now is the time order with the hope that it's going be too warm to wear anyway.
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My latest buy: Aero M422A Jacket
- Thread starter Royalcrown32
- Start date
Thanks Flyguy - not too bad, I guess. I suppose now is the time order with the hope that it's going be too warm to wear anyway.
Hey Worf, ol' buddy, I'm afraid the pics I posted were not of my collection (sadly), just an assortment of photos I found on-line of vintage G-1 style jackets to demonstrate the variety of faded mouton fur found on 40+ year old original jackets.
Currently I have two M-422a repro's but a third is at the top of my wish list.
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nick123
I'll Lock Up
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You guys look great in your M-422as from here. I just took back my G&B G-1 from my dad. lol
Thanks for all your kind comments guys! It's a great jacket, and I'm always happy to put it on, but Ken deserves all the respect for it.
In that last photo (where I'm trying to embarrass my kids in Ikea by doing a Zoidberg impersonation) you can see that even though it's a very trim fit, the design still allows full arm movement, and the waist hasn't ridden up at all. I could easily swim in that jacket. I don't want to, but I could.
In that last photo (where I'm trying to embarrass my kids in Ikea by doing a Zoidberg impersonation) you can see that even though it's a very trim fit, the design still allows full arm movement, and the waist hasn't ridden up at all. I could easily swim in that jacket. I don't want to, but I could.
Great fitting jacket Big J! And interesting that you mention being able to swim in your M-422a....the original design for the Navy M-422 flight jacket specified a bi-swing back and underarm gussets to allow downed Naval aviators enough freedom of movement to swim if they ditched in the sea. In WWII many would put that design feature to the ultimate test! I've read accounts of flight crews aboard sinking carriers that had to abandon ship in their leather jackets and swim for their life through burning oil and scattered flotsam and jetsam. Now THAT is breaking in a leather jacket the hard way!
Wear it in good health.
Wear it in good health.
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Nice jackets guys! I love the reddish mouton myself over the blonde.
The Aero is a nice jacket. I still think the collar tends toward the large side, but looking at period pics, some collars were indeed larger than others.
My GW is coming up for production in the next few months. This thread whets my appetite!
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The Aero is a nice jacket. I still think the collar tends toward the large side, but looking at period pics, some collars were indeed larger than others.
My GW is coming up for production in the next few months. This thread whets my appetite!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Dumb&dumber
Familiar Face
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Super jacket,
John Travolta had this jacket in its Grease movie...super...
Grat stuff, I love it..wow..
John Travolta had this jacket in its Grease movie...super...
Grat stuff, I love it..wow..
P
JC's Navy jackets are the best out there... I have one of his GW Star G1's. BTW- because of the complexity of the design, John spends about 3x the time to put together a Navy jacket compared to the time spent on an A2. Go with a Goodwear Navy...they are really amazing jackets.
JC's Navy jackets are the best out there... I have one of his GW Star G1's. BTW- because of the complexity of the design, John spends about 3x the time to put together a Navy jacket compared to the time spent on an A2. Go with a Goodwear Navy...they are really amazing jackets.
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Just received my Aero M422a, its very fitted but I can zip it up without problem. Would say it was conceived to be fitted, since its good in shoulders and sleeves.
The leather and lining are really nice and its quite warm.
The waistband looks different, probably for authenticity, but not sure if will last long.
The Talon zipper seems better then the Talon of my AL Roadster, though.
The leather and lining are really nice and its quite warm.
The waistband looks different, probably for authenticity, but not sure if will last long.
The Talon zipper seems better then the Talon of my AL Roadster, though.
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Tefouane
A-List Customer
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We want to see it !
+1!!!
Hi!
Yes, it is really fitted cut isn't it. I like it- makes for a nice change from looser A-2s. I'm a bigger guy, but it's a flattering style. The waistband seems flimsy in the upper half of the weave, but I wore mine a lot last winter, it was fine.
nick123
I'll Lock Up
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Those pics ARE terrible, but not the jacket! Congrats.
Edward
Bartender
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Crackin' jackets, guys. Definitely a slim style: my first Aero was an AN6552. Beautiful, but I've had to accept that I need to go up a couple of sizes. Fits me sort of like a Perfecto, in which I need a 46. For reference, I wear 42 in a std HWM and postwar patterns like the Bootlegger, and a 44 in the prewar halfbelt styles. These USN jackets seem to be cut about 2" in the chest over the given size, and I tend to need 4 to 6 inches to move in, even in a jacket that looks snug on me. Fwiw, while wartime photos show huge variation in A2 fits, the USNs uniformly seem to have been worn a little bigger. Both BigJ's jackets are within the ballpark, but the second one does look sharper.
My experience is that it feels warmer than an A2. Combination of closer fit in my case, plus non-breathable lining and mouton collar. This is comparing like for like: an Aero A2 against an Aero AN6552. Both in the "old" goathide. A2 has a red silk lining, USN jacket the red rayon. Very little in it, mind, but there are definitely days when the A2 is bearable but the USN would roast ya, while on other, cooler days the mouton collar and rayon make just enough difference.
Ymmv, naturally - I see already there are various experiences/opinions on this regard.
My experience is that it feels warmer than an A2. Combination of closer fit in my case, plus non-breathable lining and mouton collar. This is comparing like for like: an Aero A2 against an Aero AN6552. Both in the "old" goathide. A2 has a red silk lining, USN jacket the red rayon. Very little in it, mind, but there are definitely days when the A2 is bearable but the USN would roast ya, while on other, cooler days the mouton collar and rayon make just enough difference.
Ymmv, naturally - I see already there are various experiences/opinions on this regard.
rknight
New in Town
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The M422a is a closer fitting jacket but I've found that it's not a problem. The cut of the jacket gives more room in the shoulders and chest compared to most A-2 designs so I have more freedom of movement even with the closer fit.
I think the M422a is the warmer jacket. With a thin sweater underneath it's all that I need through most of the winter. But, more important here in Portland, the goatskin doesn't soak in every drop of water like horsehide so I can wear it around and stay dry even in a fair amount of rain.
I think the M422a is the warmer jacket. With a thin sweater underneath it's all that I need through most of the winter. But, more important here in Portland, the goatskin doesn't soak in every drop of water like horsehide so I can wear it around and stay dry even in a fair amount of rain.
So...
I'm always saying that M442a/G-1's have a closer fit than A-2s. My Aero M442a has a really trim fit, and I think it looks great, but check out these photos of the AVG;
This guys jacket looks way too long;
And these guys have jackets that look a couple of sizes too big (check the shoulder drooping, and the baggy waists);
Only this one guy has a jacket that fits the way mine does (I like his style!);
I guess if I want an AVG repro, I'm going to have to ask Ken to make me a size 54 or something, for that authentic AVG 'fit'!
I'm always saying that M442a/G-1's have a closer fit than A-2s. My Aero M442a has a really trim fit, and I think it looks great, but check out these photos of the AVG;
This guys jacket looks way too long;
And these guys have jackets that look a couple of sizes too big (check the shoulder drooping, and the baggy waists);
Only this one guy has a jacket that fits the way mine does (I like his style!);
I guess if I want an AVG repro, I'm going to have to ask Ken to make me a size 54 or something, for that authentic AVG 'fit'!
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nick123
I'll Lock Up
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Great observation about the AVG jackets. They really are pretty roomy. I've noticed the same roomy fits also very common in war films. All of these guys look the part, despite having their jackets a little large.
My original Gordon & Ferguson M422A size 40(my normal size) fits me almost exactly like your first photo. A slightly longer and looser look. The fit around chest and shoulders is spot on with no shoulder droop but they do have extra length built in IMO. One would have to well over 6 ft to get the shorter look.
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