A2 Order, mid term crisis!

[Mark]

Hi all

I'm a third of the way into my order wait time and am having doubts about my order. I ordered the Bronco in Jerky Russet with mid brown knits but now i'm unsure if this will look good on me or not (i'm 47 and think this has a bearing on it!?). I chose this colour option based on Aero's Bronco Jerky Russet picture on their web site. It looks fantastic but when i look around for other examples (mostly Fedora Lounge) i find they simply don't look as good, usually too red/orangy. I now have doubts about the sample Amanda sent me too, it now looks too bright perhaps even garish (depending on my mood?). I now find myself considering the Jerky Seal and even Goat as an option. It all gets a bit stressful (i know life throws us plenty more important things to get stressed about but there you go!), I think what i want is something i can wear anywhere, does not jump out at you, understated even but cool looking and will develop some kind of character/patina in time.
Whats the general concensus amongst you guys, whats your favourite A2, one you feel most comfortable in?

I'd really appreciate your thoughts they are likely to help me come to some kinda decision.

Thanks chaps

Mark

 

[archbury918]

Mark, I'm thinking that you've got too much time to dwell over this. I'm guessing you made a very thorough, deliberate consideration before choosing the russet jerky hide.
The sample Amanda sent would be as accurate as to the finished product. The way I see it, you have fans of seal or russet jackets. It's always a personal choice. I've yet to see a "garish" looking jacket from any of the top makers from their product lines.
If you like russet, you will be pleased with the end result.

Here's a link to a jerky russet recently on VLJ. Hope it helps...

http://www.vintageleatherjackets.or...t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

Michael

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Mark, I'm thinking that you've got too much time to dwell over this. I'm guessing you made a very thorough, deliberate consideration before choosing the russet jerky hide.
The sample Amanda sent would be as accurate as to the finished product. The way I see it, you have fans of seal or russet jackets. It's always a personal choice. I've yet to see a "garish" looking jacket from any of the top makers from their product lines.
If you like russet, you will be pleased with the end result.

Here's a link to a jerky russet recently on VLJ. Hope it helps...

http://www.vintageleatherjackets.or...t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

Michael

That is my 'Real Deal' in the photo. Russett jerky HH. However..it was purchased 8 or 9 years ago. Aero's newer russet jerky HH hasn't been nearly as reddish. I will say that I have an original Aero A-2..and the hide on my older Real Deal is almost a perfect match colorwize.
HD

 

[Mark]

Thanks for that Michael. Of course you are right, you can dwell on these things too much but at £500. a jacket i want to get it right. I'm trying to have a look at VLJ site but have to registar first.

Appreciate your thoughts.

Mark

 

[Otter]

I had one around 9 years ago, one of the nicer hides they make, I only sold the jacket because it became a little too tight across the shoulder. Both my current ones are seal, one smooth horse one goat both are nice jackets but on the whole I prefered the russet jerky. Either way you will have a nice jacket.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Here's a pic of the Aero Real Deal russett jerky when new...

Here's a closeup photo of the hide with a few adornments after sever years....

The Bronco is also a fine A-2 contract by Aero....and if you are of slimmer build the '38 Aero is (I think) Aero's finest with some added body length.
HD

 

[archbury918]

Beautiful jacket HD!!! Bronco is the next contract I want....

M

 

[tonypaj]

Aero's russett pwas very light to me, when I got the jacket. Sort of between too light and too brown, hard to explain. I had only had seal jackets from them before. Then it got perfect, my wife absolutely adored it, as well, my son borrowed it, it became his favorite, then it got stolen. Now I have a seal one, had to replace the russett with more of Steve McQueen wannabe stuff...

 

[Aerojoe]

I'm still waiting for my Aero Bronco - in seal brown - but I do own an ELC A2 in russet and I think it is one of the most beautiful colors for this style of jacket. Your going to love it.

 

[Mark]

Thanks HoosierDaddy, your thoughts and advice are always most welcome. I cannot view your pics (works computer will not allow it!) at the moment but i will look at them tomorrow. I went for the Bronco as you regular Fedora posters suggested this is a happy compromise, not too tight or too baggy. I could properly get away with a 38 as i am slim (ish) but may not always be so! I'm still undecided which finish to go for but reckon its between the Jerky Russet and Jerky Seal. The knits are another area i can't nail. I prefer knits that blend seamlessly with the leather, this is more difficult to achieve with the Jerky Russet. Mid-brown looks to be the nearest i think?
By the way i was watching a programme about the Flying Tigers on "Yesterday" channel the other day. Not sure what type of A2 they had on but they did look really cool in them. looked like a smooth seal. One of the guys had this huge Blood Chit (i believe thats what it was) sewn onto the back of his A2!

Thanks again

Mark

 

[Otter]

Most of them actualy wore the USN jackets I believe! For a while Aero did a CBI field modified A-2 with a sheepskin collar, not sure if they still do it. My jacket had the early CBI multilayer bloodchit on the back with the "un-official" Disney designed flying tiger on the front and Nationalist wings, if you ask Aero can probably still do them, they do not seem to advertise the patches much now. Realy nice jacket, sorry I don't have any photos of it as the were on a hard drive that pancaked on me.

Hoosier, nice jacket! Nobody ever goes for the bombadier wings, very nice to see the proper leather ones.

 

[ButteMT61]

If you want awesome patches, go to VLJ and signup. There are a few guys doing amazing work. I believe some of them also sell on eBay. That's where I'd go if I wanted patches, unless I had some of my own to use.Like JC's jackets, some of them were used in jackets for "Red Tails". And likely other films...

 

[archbury918]

Here is the link to some fantastic leather incised patches. Roberto's work is superlative!
http://www.italianpatchmaker.it/

As for the AVG (Flying Tigers), they were literally mercenary fighter pilots. The US govt refused to let any of their pilots fly in China for Chennault.
So they had to resign their commissions before forming those squadrons. As a result, the pilots brought the flying gear they wore while USN/USMC, AAF pilots and ground crews.

And just a small correction on the leather wings... those are gunner's wings. Very similar to bombardier which is a bomb over a bullseye.
Still, a nice nod to veteran's as most use pilot's wings.

M

 

[leopardstyle]

I understand what your going through. I support russet, but I have to say the reasons you stated are exactly why I went with dark seal. And let me tell you, it's never garish, goes with everything, and is quite cool. In my personal opinion. I'd hate to see you think too much but for me, seal is a 1st jacket, russet is a second more specialized one. Just my 2 cents.

 

[ButteMT61]

I steered clear of Russet for years. Now that I've seen 100's of pics and many in person, I would not hesitate to go that route - and my upcoming GW may very well be Russet. I had the same opinion of it a few years back. That's why all my jackets are brown, seal, or rarely, black. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, but honestly, I'd NEVER recommend a color to anyone. That's all personal taste.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

And just a small correction on the leather wings... those are gunner's wings. Very similar to bombardier which is a bomb over a bullseye.
Still, a nice nod to veteran's as most use pilot's wings.

M

Yes they are aerial gunner wings. Bombardier also doesn't have the little wings on each side of the shell. My step Father was a gunner during WW2.
HD

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I'm a huge fan of russet as it's the original color for leather items made for the army including most, if not all A2s in service at the start of the war. Never looks garish to me.
Back when I first became interested in the military leathers, I was under the false impression that A2s were exclusively either dark brown or maybe black because of TV shows like Hogan's Heroes and 12 O'clock High. Black and white wartime photos of men wearing jackets made most look very dark also. It wasn't until I received my first Eastman catalog that I realized there was such a thing as a russet brown A2.
I think for my next one, I'll ask Mark if he can do a sort of depot re-dye. Seal brown over a russet base. Those can look killer when the wear in.

 

[Edward]

As for the AVG (Flying Tigers), they were literally mercenary fighter pilots. The US govt refused to let any of their pilots fly in China for Chennault. So they had to resign their commissions before forming those squadrons. As a result, the pilots brought the flying gear they wore while USN/USMC, AAF pilots and ground crews.

That was the official story at the time, but didn't they admit years ago that it was official policy on the quiet? There were obvious perceived advantages in the US to propping up the nationalist government in China as against Mao's Red Army, which I am inclined to believe had a lot to do with it.

 

[Mark]

Thanks HD, your jacket looks fantastic, its reassured me i'v made the right decision choosing Jerky Russet. Are those knits dark brown? Do you think the mid brown would look ok?

Cheers

Mark

Here's a pic of the Aero Real Deal russett jerky when new...

Here's a closeup photo of the hide with a few adornments after sever years....

The Bronco is also a fine A-2 contract by Aero....and if you are of slimmer build the '38 Aero is (I think) Aero's finest with some added body length.
HD

 

[Otter]

I stand corrected, apologies, I should have looked more carefuly!

Butte, sorry to drift the thread, have you ever come across a repro of the West Pacific Wind Map in slik? I saw one on a jacket on ebay a few weeks ago and popped a link in the WWII section but no-one seems to have seen it.