Avirex question for you experts

[fedoralover]

Guys, I have an Avirex in what looks like horsehide or possibly cow, that is a contract 1978-01 model. I know that it obviously isn't an accurate repro, but the leather is actually pretty nice, it has the one piece back and 2 piece sleeves. Does the 1978 mean it was made in that year? Any info on this model of Avirex would be appreciated. It looks identical to this one that is on ebay.

thanks fedoralover

 

[Fletch]

IANA Avirexpert...

...tho I now own a Cockpit horse, so I have at least some lame-o points.

I'm thinking 1978 might indicate the year of the pattern or (re)design. My Schott A-2 from 1992 has a similar number starting with 1987.

The 70s-80s Avirexs are said to be superior product to those available today. The old Schotts aren't bad either - mine has a pretty trim fit and svelte sleeves. Just a few glaring details are wrong, like blended knits/liner and pockets way too close to the stormflap.

Hide is most likely cow. Smooth grained, supple, not too thick?

 

[MrBern]

I have an avirex.
I believe 1978 was the year they started business.
I dont think theyve ever changed that tag.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I had a 1978 Avirex also. It was made of lamb skin which is not exactly my favorite leather for an A2, as it is so delicate. However, the jacket was a decent repro with the proper cloth lining, nice wool knits, and a nice design overall.

 

[Alan Eardley]

Avirex

They used that label for years and years. It was when they started making A-2s. The early ones are actually rather good jackets - small production runs, nice horsehide and NOS Talon zips etc. They (like many things in life) 'went off' over the years.

Alan

 

[The Wolf]

their ads scare me

fftopic: I thought I had heard about Avirex A2s. I saw an ad in Maxim and thought they were not the company for me. It showed some guy with a tatooed hand, flashing his "grill" and grabbing two incredibly phony looking women. Is that the same Avirex?

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

fftopic: I thought I had heard about Avirex A2s. I saw an ad in Maxim and thought they were not the company for me. It showed some guy with a tatooed hand, flashing his "grill" and grabbing two incredibly phony looking women. Is that the same Avirex?

Sincerely,
The Wolf

No! It is the new, phony "Avirex" ad you saw. Not to be confused with the classic Avirex of the past.
The stuff they sell now even has "noseart" printed on the back in some cases. That could be considered a nice nostalgic touch, but what I saw was poorly done and not in the best of taste, or in the true spirit of real hand painted nose art.
Older Avirex jackets can be had on ebay for a decent price from time to time.

 

[MrBern]

The old Avirex had a showroom on Broadway called TheCockpit.
I've been dropping by there since the `80s.
WWII decore w/ partof a cockpit & of course many styles of WWII jkts.

I dropped by a couple years ago & they had switched to a PDiddy style or urbanwear....incongrous to the decore. And the WWII jkts in the back of the shop.

It all seemed to be a way to keep th business afloat.

I've seentheir newer showroom, again a mix of styles that makes you scratch your head.

I beleive they still sponsor the WWII flight museum in farmingdale, NY.

 

[The Wolf]

that is sad to hear

I looked up their website. The history of the store sounded good. Here is the new look:
http://www.avirex.com/
:eusa_doh:

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I looked up their website. The history of the store sounded good. Here is the new look:
http://www.avirex.com/
:eusa_doh:

Sincerely,
The Wolf

Ewwwww!
It's worse than I thought! :eusa_doh:

I believe U.S. Wings still carries a few of the real Avirex jackets, the older styles that are A2s.
And I think they will still make a few under the name, "The Cockpit".

 

[Doctor Strange]

The old Avirex outfit still makes nearly their full product line as The Cockpit - I recently received their brand-new catalog (about 24 pages), and it's all there: lots of A-2s, G-1s, tankers, B-15s, WEPs, etc.

They're sold online by sites like Legendary USA, US Wings, etc., but only as "Cockpit" brand - "Avixex" is just for that godawful street stuff now...

With Cooper seemingly out of biz, I'd say that they're poised (along with the house brands from Legendary and Wings [if they're not all made in the same NJ factory, which is my theory]) to fill the vacuum.

 

[Feraud]

The old Avirex had a showroom on Broadway called TheCockpit.
I've been dropping by there since the `80s.
WWII decore w/ partof a cockpit & of course many styles of WWII jkts.

I dropped by a couple years ago & they had switched to a PDiddy style or urbanwear....incongrous to the decore. And the WWII jkts in the back of the shop.

The Cockpit. Nice place, a lot of air force/military gear. I remember them having a wall full of patches.

 

[Diamondback]

Before the FUBAR sellout to some hip-hop thugwear-maker, I had been looking at Avirex's "Famous MacArthur Jacket"--apparently they decided that the General's peculiar mods to his particular A-2 warranted a repro. Anyone seen the same style in the Cockpit A-2 line?

 

[Jacob Dubow]

I remember back in the early '90s they had a store in an old building in downtown Seattle. It was kind of an interesting place.

I also remember in about 1979 purchasing a "Army Air Force Cadet" ring out of the Cockpit catalog. It was solid silver and had the AAF wing and prop logo on the face of it. The ring was supposedly an exact copy of the ring that many graduating Air Cadets received.

It was pretty cool, but was about a size too small for me so they said to send it back and they would exchange it for the next size up. After several months of waiting they sent me a refund check and said they had discontinued the rings.

It kind of pisses me off that I sent it back. I wish I would have kept it and had it resized. Oh well!!:eusa_doh:

 

[Raymundo]

The older Avirex jackets definitely had better materials and workmanship. I think they discontinued the MacArthur jacket when they officially became the Cockpit. With patience, one may show up on Ebay eventually. The lamb versions of their A-2's had wide shoulders (droopers) but the goatskin versions were more military fit and were decent repos.

Ray

 

[Atticus Finch]

Hi Folks,

As many of you have already noted, the people who used to produce Avirex flight jackets are now producing under the name The Cockpit. Since 1998, Avirex/Cockpit has been producing A-2s for the United States Air Force. The earlier Avirex USAF A-2s are very nice jackets---in my opinion, almost as good as were the Saddlerys. I don't know much about the more recent Cockpit A-2s. I've heard that there has been an amendment to the A-2 specs that allows for handwarmer and inside pockets. Perhaps that's a bit sad, if true.

I may have posted this photo on FL before, but this is an Avirex USAF A-2 that was issued in 1998. It is one of my most-worn A-2s.

Atticus

 

[fedoralover]

The hide and finish on mine is really nice. I get numerous compliments on it, one believe it or not, from a guy wearing an Eastman, before he knew it was an Avirex. I like it much better than one I bought recently for a lot more money and ended up sending back.

fedoralover

 

[Feraud]

The hide and finish on mine is really nice. I get numerous compliments on it, one believe it or not, from a guy wearing an Eastman, before he knew it was an Avirex.

I have to ask.. how did he react after he knew it was an Avirex?

 

[fedoralover]

It didn't bother him a bit, he said "I don't care, that's a nice looking Jacket". I know the jacket is not goat, and it really resembles horsehide, but I know that over time cowhide can also look similar. Either way it has some nice graining on it. Not WW2 accurate to be sure, but nice looking non the less.

fedoralover

 

[Atticus Finch]

Hi Folks,

I took some time this morning to see if there really is a new A-2 being issued to USAF aircrew. It appears there is---one with handwarmer pockets and a roomier fit. I'll bet this new issued A-2's lining is imprinted with a 1943 escape map and a Vargas Girl, too!

http://cockpitusa.com/store/product.php?productid=17347&cat=303&page=2

Atticus