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Fake/replica A2 painted patches

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
Quite a common item these days with so many new jackets out there, but be aware that not all is what it may appear, especially if you wish to attach an old, maybe original painted patch to a well worn replica jacket.
I had quite a few of these during the replica A2 craze during the late 1980s, made for myself they were just surplus with not enough jackets to put them all on, then selling on at a good price as replica patches were almost unheard of in the UK. Whether the customer thought they were real of fake I did not know as no one ever asked.
Here we have an original breast patch with a replica shoulder patch.
The shoulder patch on my Lucky 7 Seven jacket was a repaint due to the original becoming un stitched and lost due to wearing it. This is a replica of the original, made with a piece of an old leather car seat and enamels.

P3160117.jpg

One reason cloth patches are preferred over paint is that the painted are reasonably easy to fake, but to make them look and feel correct is quite a task. Should you spot what you think is a fake try this simple test. Hold it to your nose and sniff gently, anything that smalls like paint at least be wary of.
Mine were made over 25 years ago, so the aroma of enamel paint and varnish has disappeared though I do not claim them to be original.

PB100015_zpsha2icegl.jpg


Bellow.
An A2 of mine from around 1984
It is not always the case that these patches are fake as I had the A2 pictured below touched up as the image was heavily flaking. The head had almost completely gone while the body was still in good shape. This jacket was an original wearer in those days, but looked rather silly to be honest with the headless girl. I had a friend touch it up a little in a sympathetic style.

meanmuvver4_zps51ee69e3.jpg

(Anyone ever seen this jacket? I would be interested, not in buying it but just where is it now :) )
Traditionally the squadron patches may have been made using horse or goat usually painted on an officially supplied 5" horse hide disc, but I have seen both larger and smaller versions, though I have seen a few originals made from various materials including paint on canvas.

Just a little info carried over from another recent post. It would be interesting to see more artificially aged patches, paintings or just how modern equivalents have worn over time.
Cheers, J.
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
I had a few of your old patches sold them year ago as originals original John's let say,ha,ha,you alright mate?

Bit naughty that mate. Maybe you didn't ask me the right questions eh! Though some were originals bought from reliable sources, I probably never sewed them on either.
I still have a few half finished painted ones from the 80s and stacks of old bits of leather, mainly calf and goat, I may finish them one day.
Oils can look great especially when chipped but take years to harden and smell for years too. I think I have an 8th AAF patch someplace in oils, If I find it I shall post it here.
 

simon jacket man

Familiar Face
Messages
95
Location
essex
Bit naughty that mate. Maybe you didn't ask me the right questions eh! Though some were originals bought from reliable sources, I probably never sewed them on either.
I still have a few half finished painted ones from the 80s and stacks of old bits of leather, mainly calf and goat, I may finish them one day.
Oils can look great especially when chipped but take years to harden and smell for years too. I think I have an 8th AAF patch someplace in oils, If I find it I shall post it here.
Well I liked your ex work
Bit naughty that mate. Maybe you didn't ask me the right questions eh! Though some were originals bought from reliable sources, I probably never sewed them on either.
I still have a few half finished painted ones from the 80s and stacks of old bits of leather, mainly calf and goat, I may finish them one day.
Oils can look great especially when chipped but take years to harden and smell for years too. I think I have an 8th AAF patch someplace in oils, If I find it I shall post it here.
 

After the Fox

New in Town
Messages
27
Location
London U.K
A2frontpatch.jpg
bduckback1.jpg

I have been collecting of flight jackets & memorabilia over the past 40 years and obtained this “Bronco” A2 about 30 years or more ago from a reputable dealer in flight memorabilia here in the UK. I had purchased a few A2s, B3s etc from him in the past.

It was stated that this had been given to a “sweetheart” of the returning airman, kept in attic for many years (the handknitted cuffs and an inch or 2 of the leather sleeve had been eaten by mice, and repaired by the dealer. He stated that the paint had been tested and found to contain lead, so an older type paint than in use at time, so was possibly genuine but he didn't guarantee it and I purchased for not a lot more than an ordinary A2 as I liked the look of it.

Back then there wasn’t much available data to research on, have only ever come across a photo of the nose art for "Better Duck" which looks very similar to that on jacket. So, could this be one of yours , or anyone know anything ?
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
View attachment 67685 View attachment 67686
I have been collecting of flight jackets & memorabilia over the past 40 years and obtained this “Bronco” A2 about 30 years or more ago from a reputable dealer in flight memorabilia here in the UK. I had purchased a few A2s, B3s etc from him in the past.

It was stated that this had been given to a “sweetheart” of the returning airman, kept in attic for many years (the handknitted cuffs and an inch or 2 of the leather sleeve had been eaten by mice, and repaired by the dealer. He stated that the paint had been tested and found to contain lead, so an older type paint than in use at time, so was possibly genuine but he didn't guarantee it and I purchased for not a lot more than an ordinary A2 as I liked the look of it.

Back then there wasn’t much available data to research on, have only ever come across a photo of the nose art for "Better Duck" which looks very similar to that on jacket. So, could this be one of yours , or anyone know anything ?

Certainly not one of mine. I would say genuine simply because the painting is not what I would call a fakers style. By that I mean to get a quick sale back then it would probably be decorated with a pinup style, be 8th AAC or have something like swastikas rather than the Luftwaffe markings. Please don't get me wrong, it is a brilliant painting just like a GI would do and similar to that found in the Mguire books.
I didn't know many dealers apart from Bob Sims, Ken calder and other sellers that just had A2s every now and then rather than a selection. Ken in Battersea usually had a few, he also had a few G1s painted up but admitted it. I also new a guy named Paul ? that painted a few in the 1940s style.
 

After the Fox

New in Town
Messages
27
Location
London U.K
Certainly not one of mine. I would say genuine simply because the painting is not what I would call a fakers style. By that I mean to get a quick sale back then it would probably be decorated with a pinup style, be 8th AAC or have something like swastikas rather than the Luftwaffe markings. Please don't get me wrong, it is a brilliant painting just like a GI would do and similar to that found in the Mguire books.
I didn't know many dealers apart from Bob Sims, Ken calder and other sellers that just had A2s every now and then rather than a selection. Ken in Battersea usually had a few, he also had a few G1s painted up but admitted it. I also new a guy named Paul ? that painted a few in the 1940s style.
Hi Mr Rocketeer,
so sorry not to have replied to you, but I got caught up in new partner, moving house etcetcetc and forgot all about this.... now just retired so finding time to go through and downsize some of the collections (she wants some wardrobe space for herself !), just sold a 1941 Irvin on ebay... and looking at this site and the vintageleatherjackets site. I'm a londoner & remember the shop in Battersea with a couple of painted jackets in the window back in the '80s?, his original A2s were more expensive (London !) than ones I was buying from Hebden Bridge collector/dealer.
don't know of Bob Sims - only person I knew of in London who painted jackets and artwork, can't remember his name, was a friend of Kenny Alton who lived in Clapham, that I knew from teh Indian m/cycle club. I now regret selling a lovely condition Dubow to teh artist guy back then (he thought the painting genuine '40s work) but needed cash to do work on my Willys MB.
anyway for interest , a bit more research shows that the painted patch on breast is from the 442nd BS of the 320 BG, flying B-26s, so nothing to do with the B17 Better Duck plane of the 95th, assume jacket just had a popular saying painted on.
Cheers and apologies again for being so remiss
john
 

rocketeer

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,605
Location
England
Hi Mr Rocketeer,
so sorry not to have replied to you, but I got caught up in new partner, moving house etcetcetc and forgot all about this.... now just retired so finding time to go through and downsize some of the collections (she wants some wardrobe space for herself !), just sold a 1941 Irvin on ebay... and looking at this site and the vintageleatherjackets site. I'm a londoner & remember the shop in Battersea with a couple of painted jackets in the window back in the '80s?, his original A2s were more expensive (London !) than ones I was buying from Hebden Bridge collector/dealer.
don't know of Bob Sims - only person I knew of in London who painted jackets and artwork, can't remember his name, was a friend of Kenny Alton who lived in Clapham, that I knew from teh Indian m/cycle club. I now regret selling a lovely condition Dubow to teh artist guy back then (he thought the painting genuine '40s work) but needed cash to do work on my Willys MB.
anyway for interest , a bit more research shows that the painted patch on breast is from the 442nd BS of the 320 BG, flying B-26s, so nothing to do with the B17 Better Duck plane of the 95th, assume jacket just had a popular saying painted on.
Cheers and apologies again for being so remiss
john

Nice to see old threads resurrected as you don't see much on original old jackets these days :)
 

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