Leather A2 Flight Jacket

[Hotel 179]

Good Morning, All.

Based upon a recommendation I ordered the black A2 from Pop's Leather (www.popsleather.com).  The order hit the web site on 15 December and the jacket was on my doorstep in the afternoon of 20 December.

The ordering was simple, but you'll need someone to assist you with the measuring process.  I chose the goatskin leather from a traditional standpoint.  Several options are available on the jacket, i.e. inside pockets, velcro for patches, original style neck closure hook, etc..

A nice leather patch inside the jacket reads, "Custom made for _________".  The quality and fit is very high.  I'm a leather jacket junkie and this one is very nice.  Base price was $180, options add a few dollars and shipping from Turkey via DHL was $32.

Fly safe,

Stephen

[Psicorp]

Congrats, Sir!

From everything I've heard, Pops Leather does great work.

[mikeylikey]

It realy is not that bad of a jacket, and the fit is great!

[Joe Baker]

Cool!  [My budget only allowed my to get a used A2 on Ebay, but its still awesome]

[bosshawk]

Somewhere: either on this blog or on the Portal, we beat this subject to death.  But, here goes my $.02 worth.  I have one of the black leather A-2s from Airborne Leathers, which I got for $109 plus shipping.  I see them advertised now for $118 plus shipping.  I wear mine every week and it is a great jacket.  Several of the guys from my previous Sq have them and like them equally well.

[Psicorp]

Cool!  [My budget only allowed my to get a used A2 on Ebay, but its still awesome]

Don't diss the Ebay.  I picked up a black leather A-2 for $40 (including shipping) on Ebay last year and then picked up a practically new Mess Dress for about the same amount.  When you start to tally up all the expenses incurred for CAP membership, being frugal where you can only makes sense.

[O-Rex]

There's a gal who is former USAF who works with me in my "day job" who was stationed Incirlik.  She had a leather trenchcoat from Pop's Leather, and the quality was impressive.

It's funny that over there, Goat is cheaper than Cow: it's just the opposite here.

I've asked the whole family to chip in for one single gift for next b-day/christmas: as usual, I expect the after-shave and socks, and I'll go buy it myself with stashed "mad-money."  (Doesn't everyone have a secret CAP-fund?? )

Hotel 179: I went to Pop's website, and the details of ordering the jacket with velcro for the MACOM patch was unclear: please specify size (?)

Please be so kind as to walk us through the 'options' part of the ordering process so that we can slap on patches the day it arrives....

Thanks!

[Major_Chuck]

I picked up a brown A2 Leather jacket on clearance at Target a couple of years ago for about $50.00, marked down from $120.00.

For the record I don't wear it with the TPU or AF style uniforms.  I do however wear it with the White/Grey aviator combo.

[Major_Chuck]

Somewhere: either on this blog or on the Portal, we beat this subject to death.  But, here goes my $.02 worth.  I have one of the black leather A-2s from Airborne Leathers, which I got for $109 plus shipping.  I see them advertised now for $118 plus shipping.  I wear mine every week and it is a great jacket.  Several of the guys from my previous Sq have them and like them equally well.

What are you talking about Colonel...we beat every subject to death around here.   

[bosshawk]

Roger that, Chuck.  I usually stay out of the uniform discussions, but slip once in awhile.  34 years of Army uniforms of one sort or another has made me slightly jaded about the subject.

[ColonelJack]

So, Colonel, what's your opinion of the Army's decision to do away with the service green uniform entirely and go back to blues?

Jack

[AlphaSigOU]

Hotel 179: I went to Pop's website, and the details of ordering the jacket with velcro for the MACOM patch was unclear: please specify size (?)

The CAP MAJCOM-style patch is 3" top to tip. However, the patches for the leather jacket also include a leather border. Which is not available - yet. (You gotta be current or former Army... only they use the 'MACOM' acronym.  )

[bosshawk]

Colonel Jack: can't say that I really care for it.  I had blues, wore them when I had to and quickly put them away for another special occasion.  To wear them every day would not be my cup of tea: too much like John Wayne in the Cavalry movies.  I always liked the greens: in fact, was commissioned the year that the greens replaced the pinks and greens.  Old phyart, right?

[ColonelJack]

Oh, I don't know.  Old is a state of mind.

As for the blues/greens, I see your point ... but I understand the blue blouse is going to be somewhat retailored to have officer rank on epaulets rather than shoulder straps.  (I may be wrong about that.)

It also calls for doing away with the beret and going back to (what we call) the service cap.  Right?

Jack

[bosshawk]

I hadn't heard about the beret going away.  I am so removed from anything Army that I wouldn't likely hear it.  In July, I will have been retired 20 years: but, I do enjoy the retirement checks.

[Major_Chuck]

Oh, I don't know.  Old is a state of mind.

As for the blues/greens, I see your point ... but I understand the blue blouse is going to be somewhat retailored to have officer rank on epaulets rather than shoulder straps.  (I may be wrong about that.)

It also calls for doing away with the beret and going back to (what we call) the service cap.  Right?

Jack

I haven't heard that about the beret.  Phase in for everyone of us to wear the blues is not for a few more years.  Things can change though.  Just what I need to have in my closet, another version of a uniform....

[O-Rex]

Getting back to the subject at-hand: AlphaSigOU, you got me! Acronyms give it away, don't they?

Bosshawk- I just can't believe you can get a quality A-2 fora hundred bucks!
The pix on Airborne Leather's website wasn't very detailed.  How's the feel of the Leather, what's the lining like?

For those of you who bought A-2's without velcro, who do you get to sew it on?  Will your avg. neighborhood Dry Cleaner/Alteration shop do it??

As for Army uniforms, "business casual" has also hit the military: Pentagon personnel and recruiters are sporting ACU's as daily wear.  The need for Army "office-wear" is going away.  The only real changes in store for the Dress Blues are beefing-up material weight and quality so they'll stand up to being worn more than once or twice a year.

Also, If you're looking for a "blue bag" that won't leave your wallet too light, I found a company that sells NOMEX navy-blue fightsuits for about $190 (as opposed to $260 at Vanguard, or $240 at Flightsuits/Gibson & Barnes)  Its 'Aureus International.'  You have to specify "no epaulets" when ordering.  The quality is mil-spec.

[AlphaSigOU]

Getting back to the subject at-hand: AlphaSigOU, you got me! Acronyms give it away, don't they?

Bosshawk- I just can't believe you can get a quality A-2 fora hundred bucks!
The pix on Airborne Leather's website wasn't very detailed.  How's the feel of the Leather, what's the lining like?

For those of you who bought A-2's without velcro, who do you get to sew it on?  Will your avg. neighborhood Dry Cleaner/Alteration shop do it??

Any good tailor with experience in leather alterations and cleaning should be able to do it. Ask first before committing your pride and joy A-2 to the butcher shop - ahem, tailor! If there are tailors near military installations, they're probably experienced in working with uniforms. If they're not familiar with placing patches, you may need to place the patches in the location you want (they'll pin it on before sewing). This is how I did with my local tailor/drycleaner when I had velcro put on my flight suits. I gotta get 'em to place the silver sleeve braid on my new TPU service dress coat... when it arrives! (It's being held up at Vanguard because the CAP-style buttons are ordered separately and they were outta stock.)

[O-Rex]

The nearest AFB is about an hour's drive, and five bucks in tolls.  When the time comes, I'll just find me a good tailor.

You mean you have to purchase the buttons separately? 

What about the screw-on button for the service cap?  They were supposed to come out with those too.

I've seen a few folks sporting the Corporate Uniform with service cap w/silver braid.  It really isn't a bad-looking uniform.  Folks either really like it, or really hate it.  I think that once you get over the 'I-really-want-to-look-like-an-Air-Force-Officer' syndrome, what you do in CAP becomes more important than what you wear.

Most of the ardent of the TPU are probably afraid the one day USAF is going to say "Okay, you made up your own uniform, you can wear that instead of the Air Force blues." -I don't think that will happen.

[Hotel 179]

Hotel 179: I went to Pop's website, and the details of ordering the jacket with velcro for the MACOM patch was unclear: please specify size (?)

Please be so kind as to walk us through the 'options' part of the ordering process so that we can slap on patches the day it arrives....

Thanks!

Hello All,

I measured the patch and added a bit for good measure...The name tag is a standard 2"x4" BUT, the brown name tag with the black border is LARGER...it is 2.5" x 4.5" so in the remarks section you can specify the larger numbers.

I opted for all of the pockets...left sleeve, all inside pockets. 

Base price for the goat was 180, pockets and stuff brought the total to 230, shipping was an addition 34 dollars...the fit and finish is really good.  All of the measurements really make a difference in how the jacket wears.  I didn't realize just how much until I put on my other A2 style off the rack jacket.

There are some great websites that talk about the history and heritage of the A2. I didn't realize that there are some real A2 Nazis out there....just show up with an A2 that doesn't have a single piece back, 2 piece arms, and the correct collar hook.  They'll look at you with "that look"....you know the one

Semper vi,