Aero A2

[Sloan1874]

Thing about the Happy Days jacket is that it would give you the look of an A-2 without the hassle of the patch pockets.

 

[Harris HTM]

Thing about the Happy Days jacket is that it would give you the look of an A-2 without the hassle of the patch pockets.

That's why I got it, I liked the A2 but I wanted something with handwarmers and less trim fit.

 

[Harris HTM]

can you post pics please

You can find some photos here:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/happy-days-jacket.86785/

this is when it was new. If you need extra photos please let me know

 

[breezer]

I used to own a reversible Waterfront - I liked the look - basically a black A2, but I couldn't get along with the pop fasteners, and the fit wasn't great either - so I traded it in. I will have a look at the Happy Days, but I am still leaning towards an A2.

 

[bn1966]

Going black A-2 here in the near future with contrasting knits wardrobe was looking too brown so the black ANJ-3 came along...earlier this year. Though many don't, I quite like the use of black on these jackets & could see an A-1 in it too

 

[Pdxgeo]

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/frisbee/item/10005662/

I stand corrected. This looks pretty cool. Go with Vincenza. You will love it.

 

[breezer]

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/frisbee/item/10005662/

I stand corrected. This looks pretty cool. Go with Vincenza. You will love it.

am having second thought about green knits, might just go black…..and like the jacket above, go for contrasting stitching.

 

[bn1966]

TBH I love the idea of a 'soft' black A-2 with olive knits

 

[Pdxgeo]

https://www.thurston-bros.com/colle...flight-jacket-size-40-black-vicenza-horsehide

Looks pretty nice too

 

[El Marro]

I think green knits are the way to go! All black just seems too plain to me now that I have been picturing your jacket this way. Black with rust or caramel knits would also be a pretty sweet combination.

 

[tropicalbob]

I know this is heretical, but I much prefer the Happy Days design to the A-2. Seems much more practical.

 

[Damon B]

Thurston had a black fqhh Aero A2 with green knits and it was stunning, go for it.

 

[breezer]

Thurston had a black fqhh Aero A2 with green knits and it was stunning, go for it.

that is lovely…...

 

[regius]

If you want an all occasion jacket, get the 1950s flight jacket, the civil A2 so to speak, it's very nice and I love that 1950s Rebel without a cause look, more functional.

 

[Manolito]

I just acquired an A2 from the quatermaster section for a super fair price (around 500 € tax and freight included to France). The DHL delivery was super fast, less than a week between the day I bought my jacket and the day it was delivered. Super great customer experience !

It is a 38, my true size, and it is made of brown battered steerhide. It is a light leather (about 1mm thick, one of the lighter Aero leather). I really like this leather, great smell, light feel, no need to break it, it is totally supple from the moment you take it out of its box ! It reminds me a lot of goat jacket, although with a different grain. Beautiful, yet not to showy. The construction is excellent to me. It is very breathable, with the coton lining and the light leather, i can even wear it in this hot july with a tee shirt and i don't feel too warm.

The dark brown top coat is super light, a slight scratch with the nail takes it off and lets the lighter brown core leather appear. So i guess it will have a teacore effect look quite fast. For me it is neither a pro or a con.

Now... I already bought two Aero Leathers jackets, and have not kept them because of the pattern. One Board Racer in jerky horsehide that was super incomfortable around the neck. And one college jacket that was a little small and short, but this one was a size down from mine, so I was the guilty one.

This A2 has the same measurements than other jackets I own, especially a Schott 674 flight jacket from the 70s so I was optimistic.

This Aero A2 jacket is quite slim. From the moment i put it on, i felt that the armholes were quite tight, especially under the arm and on the shoulder. The freedom of movement is quite restrained. It has a very small armholes (8 inches laying flat, the Schott 674 is 10 inches). Still, after a day of wear, you get used to it, and the leather being quite supple, it adapts to your body and quickly begin to feel less constraining. But it still is not a jacket that i will wear for gardening or for a long journey... .

The back length of 24 inches is fine for me... But the jacket has zero drop. I was surprised as on many historic pictures, the A2 had obviously front drops.

It is 24 inches on the front too, which unfortunately does not work very well for me. It is below the belt in the back and above the belt in the front, which is not gracious. This jacket will only work for me with pants sitting above the hips, and it will look like i just come out of the forties. A bit too disguised...

I have 674 flight jackets that work alright with 23 or 24 inches back because the front is always 25 inches long. Other A2 jackets I've handled also have a front drop (Cockpit).

If I knew that there was no front drop, i guess I would have taken a 25 inches long jacket in the back as I am rather tall (6 feet tall/183cm)

Now I don't know if I will keep it.

The good point is that I bought this jacket with a great discount, and will be able to sell it with no loss I guess, but i am still a little sad because I think Aero makes great jacket at a fair price, but theu don't seem to be made for me...

 

[Bfd70]

Looks good in the pictures. Love the color combo. Maybe get someone else to shoot the photo and stand straight forward with the pants you typically wearl.

 

[Manolito]

Tnahk you for the answer. Unfortunately, i can't really take better pictures sorry.

I have tried it with mid/high waisted trousers (Uniqlo regular chinos, which land just below my navel) and the result is quite better. It falls just below the belt in the front. Which is much more acceptable. I have other short jackets that I can only wear with these kind fo trousers (the recent regular baracutas G9 for instance). I won't wear it everyday, it does not work with a recent slim levi's, but yet, finally, yes, it's a keep... For now !

I especially appreciate the fact that it is a light, breathable and supple jacket, and not an unbreakable monster.

 

[Tom71]

I’d strongly suggest a light weight leather. An A2 just HAS TO drape properly to look good. In that sense Eastman absolutely kills it with their house-leather (I swapped mine for a RMC, and while it is very nice, it hasn’t even started to break-in properly).

Whatever you do, don’t go FQHH. It will look good, but it will never really mold properly, and the heavy leather will eventually kill the knots too.

As for models, you will know best when you visit Aero. I’d give the „Bronco“ a close look, as it’s a bit more „modern“ (in the sense of slim fitting) than other contracts.

 

[Tom71]

Oh, and green knits on a dark hide will look absolutely stunning!