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Item: US Army AAF WW2 Pilot Eastman \"Seal\" Brown A-2 Horsehide Leather Flight Jacket
Markings:Boaststhe classic \"TYPE A-2 / CONT. NO. W 535 / EASTMAN LEATHER CLO.\" replica AAF nomenclature label at the inside neck. The contract number distinguishes this as Eastman\'s \"house\" pattern A-2.
Size/Measurements:Tagged a Size \"42\"at the inside neck, andmeasures 21.5\" from underarm to underarm across the chest, 18.5\" from shoulder to shoulder across the back, 25.5\" from the collar/body seam to the bottom of the knit waistband down the back, and with a 25 1/4\" sleeve from the shoulder to the end of the knit cuff.
Condition:This jacket is in Excellent Condition. Some light scattered scratching and natural wear throughout. Crafted ofrich, lustrous \"seal\" brown horsehide leather. Features a snap down collar, metal \"hook and eye\" neck closure, \"box and X\" stitched leather shoulder straps, one way entry snap flap closure lower front pockets, a fully functional \"TALON\" metal front zipper, brown knit cuffs and waistband, a spun brown cotton lining, and brown finished metal ventilation grommets at the underarms. A gorgeous example of a modern reproduction horsehide A-2 by Eastman.
Historical Background:US Army Air Forces pilots early in WW2 were issued the classic A-2 flight jacket. Crafted of rugged horsehide leather, the A-2 soon became the most iconic flight jacket in aviation history. Highly prized and heavily used, the A-2 was more than just a flight jacket, it was a status symbol. By 1943, the A-2 was being replaced by less expensive cotton and alpaca garments, but those who already had an A-2 could continue to don the old warhorse. The A-2 separated the men from the boys, the hardened veterans from the green rookies, and quickly became symbolic of the daring AAF flyboy of WW2. Original A-2 flight jackets are quite rare today, so over the last 40 years, the famous Eastman Leather Clothing Company of Devon, England has produced some exacting recreations, and in many ways, their version exceeds the original.
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