Our Original-Maker A-2 Flight Jackets are, by far, the most popular A-2 Flight Jackets we offer, with each passing year yielding hundreds of requests to produce more “original-maker” A-2 Flight Jackets.  This Werber Leather Coat Co. A-2 Flight Jacket is another addition to our Original-Maker collection.

The first task is always to obtain original examples in order to make a thorough examination of the construction and detailing; since any A-2 from this contract is over 80 years old, and considering they were made only in hundreds (as opposed to thousands, as with the later wartime contracts), being able to obtain original examples that have all of their original components intact is next to impossible. Nevertheless, perseverance has prevailed and we are proud to offer a reproduction of one of the earliest A-2 contracts the U. S. Air Corps ever awarded to a manufacturer.

The Werber 1729 A-2 Flight Jacket is now available in Eastman Leather's Vintage War Horse® horse hide leather, which is imported from a top Italian tannery that specializes in vegetable tanning horse hide - this leather is just superb!

About Vintage War Horse®:  Some A-2 Jackets, particularly those produced under earlier contracts from the 1930s and including some of those produced up to the early days of 1942, were finished in a rudimentary, pure aniline dye that gave the leather a very clear, almost-raw appearance that showed every detail of the underlying skin; the overall look can be somewhat mottled, revealing all of the rich character of the leather much in the same way a clear stain would reveal all of the depth and grain of a piece of wood.  And although the hides used in making this A-2 Jacket are top-quality in grade, you will also see every range mark or insect bite in the horsehide if such natural occurrences are present, and more than any other A-2 Flight Jacket Eastman offers in different aniline or other dye finishes, this A-2 Flight Jacket's dye finish will wear and gain that cherished vintage character more quickly - you won't look like some FNG  in this A-2 Jacket for very long!  This A-2 Flight Jacket is for the purest who appreciates all of the natural characteristics found in horsehide and in those early A-2 Flight Jackets, which includes deep grain leaping out in rivulets and valleys throughout the garment's hide.  Make no mistake - this is the Army, Mr. Jones!

One of the glowing features we have managed to reproduce for this garment is the early-production Hookless zipper. Although a Talon-branded zip was the most prevalently used maker in the early-contract jackets, we felt it would be a little bit more special to go the extra mile and bring you a true icon of the past – Hookless Fastener! Hookless was the former brand name of Talon, and from 1913 to the early 1930's, Hookless zips were produced and supplied to many of the companies producing military clothing, not least, of course, to the manufacturers of the A-2 Jacket, such as Werber. The name on the puller portion of the zipper changed from Hookless to Talon at some time after the company decided to change its name, though the zip design was exactly the same as it had been under the Hookless brand. Since then, Hookless has become extinct, but we are producing the Hookless zipper again, and doing it to an incredible level of authenticity: from the gauge of the teeth, to the unique box-less, open-end linking design, this is an exact facsimile of the original Hookless zipper.

Please take note of these authentic details found only on an original Werber Leather Coat Co. A-2 of this contract and our copy:

• Exact copy of the original maker’s label produced on a vintage shuttle loom

• All-cotton thread construction as found on all original A-2 Flying jackets of the 1930—'40s

• Collar assembly featuring a leather collar ring, exactly as found on all vintage A-2s originally produced by Werber

• 3-ounce weight, fully vegetable-tanned Italian horse hide outer shell dyed in a gorgeous full-aniline finish of a caramel-like brown color

• Single-piece back construction

• Custom manufacturing of the correct weight and weave all-cotton inner-lining fabric to precisely match 1930s Air Corps specs. and dyed in the rust-brown shade found on vintage Werber A-2s of this contract

• Metal collar clip custom manufactured to the original early spec., finished in correct semi-matte nickel plating and hand sewn into the collar; an attaching feature found only on the A-2s of early vintage before riveted clips were employed

• Custom manufacture of correct ball-and-socket-style press studs located on pockets and collar ends, exactly duplicating the unusual arrangement found on the original Werber copied here, whereby larger (pocket-size) press studs are found on both pocket and collar

• Shoulder straps exactly matching the shape, size and stitch style found on original Werber A-2s of this contract, with only one row of stitching to outside edge – a unique feature to only this contract

• Leather strip interfacing to left lining panel where it joins to the zipper - another feature found only on the earliest contracts

• Top-stitched thumb seam on sleeve, as well as on bottom hem and cuff - found only on early-contract A-2s

• Incredibly authentic reproduction of the early Hookless zipper with all-metal base riveted at zipper bottom for extra strength at this area of great stress

• Two snap-down exterior pockets with stitching and pocket-flap configuration exactly matching the style found on original Werber A-2s of this contract

• Snap-down collar exactly matching the shape, size and stitch style found on original Werber A-2s of this contract

• Custom manufacturing of the correct two-ply all-wool knit cuffs and waist skirt in caramel brown, with cuffs correctly graduating from a wider weave into a more narrow weave, exactly matching those found on original Werber A-2s of this contract

• Heavy leather hanging loop correctly sewn directly through the jacket lining and outer leather shell using a box stitch

• Label (with printed size and individual jacket number) located in pocket, exactly matching those found on original Werber A-2s

Sizes available: 36-48 regular. Long and extra-long fittings available at no additional cost on custom order only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

This is the 3rd incarnation of this jacket style, now featuring Havana Brown sleeve reinforcements and trim, and without vintage TimeWear.

The famous B-3 “bomber jacket” of WWII USAAF fame began service life in 1934 looking very much differently from the typical B-3 Flight Jackets seen in service after 1941.

The very first B-3 Flight Jackets introduced in 1934 had the outer surfaces left in the natural, untreated, raw state, thus they were off-white in color and the outer skin had a somewhat-rough texture as found on leather garments similar to suede.  These early B-3 Flight Jackets also were much more similar in appearance to the RAF Aircrew Jacket designed by Leslie Irvin and showing the B-3 Jacket’s lineage to the earlier B-1 and B-2 Jackets.  The 1934 B-3 Flight Jacket included zippers on the sleeves, an absence of pockets, a belt at the jacket bottom, single strap on the collar, and no leather reinforcements on the sleeves.  By 1935, the B-3 Jacket was modified, now being closer in overall appearance to the B-3 Flight Jackets that would become famous in WWII, though the outside skin surface was still left in the natural, raw state in an off-white color.

The B-3 Flight Jackets were largely produced under contract with civilian manufacturers, but select Air Corps Air Depots did produce various items themselves and some of these items included garments such as the B-3 Flying Jacket and its corresponding A-3 Trousers.

Air Depots were huge facilities of the U.S. Army Air Corps, where training or personnel and maintenance and storage of aircraft and materiel was undertaken prior to deployment to the various Air Bases.  Depots were further sub-divided into sub-depots, all of which performed various specialty work within the USAC.  The Depots and their affiliates formed the backbone of the U.S. air arm's continental defense mission, and Scott Field, located in Illinois, was one such Air Depot whose specialty in the mid-1930's was Lighter-Than-Air Ships, otherwise known as blimps, balloons or dirigibles.

This B-3 Flight Jacket is copied from a vintage example produced at Scott Field Air Depot (S. F. A. D.) in 1937, which represents a rarity among rare B-3's, as these 1930's B-3 Jackets in the natural sheepskin are extremely scarce, and one made by an Air Depot is that much more scarce.

Although these Depot-made B-3 Jackets conformed, more or less, to the basic B-3 spec. at the time, there were some subtle differences vs. those B-3 Jackets made by civilian contractors for the Air Corps, the most noticeable being the absence of a buckle tab on the left chest near the zipper, the presence of a four-piece back vs. a two-piece back, and the nomenclature and contract data normally located on a woven label in the neck area was instead embossed into the leather strap behind the collar.

These early B-3 Jackets have been the subject of great interest for Eastman Leather Clothing, but finding a supplier who could produce the sheepskin material exactly as it should be proved to be extremely difficult.  Not only did the color and texture of fleece have to be matched precisely, but also the very fine finish of the suede, which is achieved by a skilled, manual process known as “fine wheeling.”  Perseverance has paid off, and Eastman is proud to be able to offer another top-tier product as part of their “Original-Maker” range of garments.

The super high-quality, supple Merino pelts are absolutely sumptuous and decadently plush, perfectly dye-matched to the “ivory-white” vintage shade of the outer suede and a deep-hued, golden-brown on the soft wool. Trimmed with stunning WarHorse® horsehide and outfitted with a superb copy of the early, riveted-base Hookless zipper, this exact reproduction of a desirable B-3 Jacket style is not only completely authentic, but its pleasing retro design makes it distinctively stylish and ruggedly handsome.  And the ultimate in vintage character and appearance has been added via Eastman's hand-applied Time-Worn process, so this jacket looks vintage right out of the box, which is really the most attractive form for this B-3 vs. a boldly new-looking, off-white jacket.  Interestingly, the combination of the unique jacket style and the vintage Time Wear, it has been said, gives the jacket more of a western look than a military aviation appearance. 

Please note:  Availability of material for this product is limited; accordingly, there may be times when it is either unavailable or subject to long delivery times. We appreciate your kind understanding if this is the case if/when you decide to order.

Available in sizes: 36 – 48 regular.  Long and extra-long fittings are available at no extra cost on custom order.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.

Imported from England

The first major conflict involving aircraft was the First World War, where the military pilot gained his glamorous image. Depicted as chivalric knights of the sky, fame was to be their destiny, perhaps none so much as Imperial Germany’s infamous Baron von Richthofen (Red Baron). The nature of open-cockpit flying demanded leather coats be worn over the uniform, most of which were three-quarter length and double-breasted. These coats were commercially obtained, thus all were slightly different in design and features. Our coat typifies the basic design, made of premium, aniline-dyed, vegetable-tanned, supple horsehide in black. Features include: interior and lower pockets lined in warm, all-cotton moleskin in Imperial Air Force blue; real horn buttons; detachable belt with stitched, leather-covered buckle; functional cuff and collar straps; double-pleated back with yoke and a hidden interior pocket.

Fit for an Ace, this flying coat absolutely exudes quality! Its classic and thoughtful design combines sophistication with utility that it is perfectly at home in everyday walks of modern life - a garment of truly exceptional quality!  

Sizes available: 36-48 regular only.  Please see our SIZING TIPS for advice on how to get the correct fit.  

Imported from England