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USAAF Type A-2 Words Chris Sullivan Photograph Ben Harries Biker Jason Buckham
“The A-2 flying jacket works because it’s practical and utilitarian,” enthuses Hardy Blechman, owner of fashion brand Maharishi. “It’s another example of a great military design that, like the trenchcoat and the chino, we take for granted. But they form the basis of modern menswear.” And lest we forget, the A-2 is ingrained in our style subconscious thanks to movies roles by the likes of Steve McQueen (The Great Escape) and Frank Sinatra (Von Ryan’s Express). The jacket was the direct descendant of the USAAF A-1, designed in 1927. The A-1 was the first ever short jacket to incorporate elasticised cuffs and waistband; it became known as the “bomber” or “flying” jacket. Rumour has it that it was initially crafted from a far longer coat, cropped to allow better access to the joystick for the pilots. The idea caught on and the designed refined. In 1931, the A-2 became standard issue for the US Army Air Corps, going through several changes for the next 11 years. Yet almost immediately the garment became the must-have jacket for the US armed services and much cherished by the US army aviator. During the second world war, nonflying personnel would beg, bribe and steal to get their hands on one. Even non-flying senior generals, such as Patton and MacArthur, wore A-2 jackets, while 190
every officer in the elite airborne units cut unofficial deals with the USAAF to obtain this piece of clothing that they had no right to have. Such iconoclasm did not go unnoticed by the airmen themselves. The jacket, that was originally awarded to an airman upon completion of basic flight training, was so coveted that ordinary GIs stationed in the UK created a cottage industry by commissioning local tailors to copy it. Leading menswear stylist William Gilchrist explains it thus: “Iconic menswear garments are borne from times of hardship or war. The US Airforce and Navy flying jackets typify this and timelessly frame the wearer instead of leaving him anchored into a specific era as fashion clothing does. Designers of such garments in wartime didn’t have the time to mess about with inconsequential details and design frivolity so they unknowingly created classics that have stood the test of time. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.” During the 1980s, the garment was redesigned by brands such as Schott, who added side pockets underneath the breast pockets so one might nestle one’s hands comfortably. But, however convenient for Joe Bloggs, this was plain wrong – in 1942 the military brass banned such pockets, as they didn’t want their men slouching with their hands in their
pockets. Therefore, an authentic A-2 only ever has the two breast pockets. The passage of time and the increased popularity in authentic vintage men’s clothing means it is becoming ever harder to track down an original A-2. This has given rise to companies like Aero Leathers and Eastman Leathers, sourcing authentic raw materials and carefully crafting exact replicas for an adoring public. “Back in the 1980s we started replicating the jackets exactly as they were in the second world war, because people wanted them, and now we are selling more than ever,” explains Aero managing director, William Lauder. “We use the same tanning methods, the same zips, the same everything, and each jacket is made by the same person from start to finish.” Such unerring eye for detail and quality has resulted in a continuous supply of orders. Gary Eastman, director of Eastman Leathers concludes, “The flight jacket has been worn in civvy street by Robert Mitchum, James Dean, the Rolling Stones, the Who, David Bowie, Jack Nicholson and Damon Albarn. It is one of those anti-establishment items that has stood the test of time. And it isn’t going away.” eastmanleather.com aeroleatherclothing.com