Knit waistband on flight jackets....lots of "pucker", or not so much?

[ron521]

Looking at A2 and G1 style flight jackets, some (many A2) appear to have a waistband significantly smaller than the body of the jacket (or perhaps a fuller cut in the body) and a lot of "puckering" of the leather just above the waistband, while others look to have essentially the same size in body and waistband (many G1) and no "puckering" in the leather.

Is this just due to the difference in fit between A2 and G1 styles, trim fit vs fuller fit or something else? I find that I generally like the look of the G1 fit better, with no "pucker", as well as the G1 back construction.

 

[ButteMT61]

It all depends on the make/model/maker. G1's tend to be cut slimmer, or more "military", hence, less of the pucker. modern A2's accommodate the larger-gutted as is pointed out here. You can get either in a trim-fitting model. It comes down to preference, model, maker, contract, budget.
As an example, Good Wear A2's lack pucker for almost all I've seen. OTOH, look at Avirex (The Cockpit) or GIbson & Barnes - you'll see that full-cut that accommodates a larger cross-section of larger folks.
G1's for some reason seem to be trim even in consumer lines. But check out many threads here with pics - you'll see A2's that look properly trim. I'm guessing that in WWII era, there weren't a lot of fat military personnel. Now, it's a fashion statement, so they cut to attract as many buyers as possible while spending less on patterns and effort.
All custom makers can do you right with a trim-fitting A2/G1.

Good luck!