Warbird Information Exchange

I'm with Randy and Brad. Brad, I must've walked into Pop's as you were walking out (in 92-93), as my A-2 is also an issue Saddlery jacket with the Pop's mods and it appears identical to yours. After seeing the care those guys went through to totally dismantle my A-2, install the improvements, and re-stitch it in almost the exact same needle holes, I'm sold on Pop's. I even had them custom make one for my Dad - he didn't care for knit cuffs or waist so they made them all leather with snaps. Very nice. The salesman even took me back in the sewing shop so I ould see the work going on. Impressive.

Like Randy, the A-2 is my jacket of choice if I know it's going to rain or otherwise get wadded up. Truth be told, I can't get by without my CWU-36/P. Even got a spare for civil flying, I enjoy it so much - but that's another thread entirely ...

Brad, I can't believe you haven't boxed up the one with the bad zipper and let Pop's fix it - you know they'd do a bang-up job.

Unless Pop's has gone soft, they're my choice.

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

If your looking for a B-10 I would highly recommend Buzz Rickson. An extremely well made and accurate jacket. Its hard wearing and WARM. Eastman Leather clothings US distributor sells Buzz products, you can get the Roughwear B-10 for 490.00 (cheap compared to most other places that sell BR stuff). Im 6'2 myself and the size 44 fits great (although if i were any taller or the jacket any shorter i might start having problems)

Lots of good info here. I want an A-2 and plan to do my research first and get one that my grandson will inherit. Cheapo jackets are not for me. I share Mudge's experiences with difficult fit being tall ( but not as tall as Mudge the Tall) and long of arm. I've had too many garments in my life with insufficient sleeve length. Motorcycle jackets were a source of frustration too, getting sleeve length but not gorilla size torso.
I want an A-2 simply because I think it looks cool.

Doug.

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."

Good looking B10 indeed.

Here's the Pop's Leather website if anybody is interested.
http://www.popsleather.com/new_catalog.php3?tp=53&hs=\\\\\\

Ya know Ken, I wish I had a dollar for everytime I roamed out of Mujdat's restaraunt and said "dang I wish I had brought that jacket to get fixed" because I'd be rich! Truth is, it has been stuffed in the back of a closet for the last several years and I just never thought about it. I need to get it taken care of though, my daughter wants it someday.

It's on the list of stuff I need to do, such as fix the handle on my pubs bag that I've been using since my very first flight...



and get my lucky flight boots resoled for about the 16th time! I started wearing these when I started flying and wore them up until very recently. They are in temporary retirement right now. The holes in the sole didn't bother me but the heels have worn down so far that everytime I stepped on the anti-skid strips in the cargo compartment, sparks flew up.

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Brad

I'd definately go with Goodwear as they will adjust the 'stock' pattern of which ever type they do to fit your measurements from what I've seen on their website.

Thanks Firebird. That's exactly the kind of comment and info that I'm looking for. Keep y'all posted.

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."

Brad -

How do you find new speed laces for those Addison flight boots? I have a pair like that which I'm about to retire because:

a) The worn-flat soles have been responsible for me ending up on my butt in icy weather more than once

b) The shoestring has broken in multiple places, and with the knots in the lace it doesn't function as a "speed lace" anymore.

Brad,

1- I'm with Randy - any advice on getting new soles for the 8/P boots? Mine don't look as broken in as yours (but close).

2- Randy, the Addison company was in Arkansas and I had seen on their website some time ago replacement laces for something like $12. Sounded high and I balked. My mistake. I know what you mean, those are special laces and hard to come by. I did opt for a new pair of 8/P boots that I'm enjoying now despite convincing myself that no new pair could ever replace the originals. Having said all that, I was just looking for the link and see where Addison closed its plant in 07. Supposedly Munroshoe.com is the parent company. Try them - or the other possibility is to see if the IEU folks can provide another manufacturer name - surely Addison wasn't a monopoly?

There was always a running joke that to get new laces, you just had to get issued another new pair of boots. There may be something to that ...

That is exactly how I got every spare lace I've ever had. I've probably been issued 10 pairs of boots and just threw them out. I kind of remember finding a pair of laces that would work at Wal-Mart once but I don't think I bought them.

As for getting them resoled, I just take them to an old retired cowboy that fixes boots and saddles. Any good saddle maker should be able to fix them.

Hacker, PM me your mailing address and I'll send you some laces!

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Brad

Brad, thanks for the Pop's address as I need a new zipper on my Cooper A2. I want to add the pen pocket and ohh that concealed handgun option.....Sweet

Lynn

if you get art on it make sure it's hand painted & not airbrushed, all ww2 jackets were hand painted, air brush stands out like a sore thumb of recently done. you can't believe the comments i get on my hand painted jacket!!

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I've heard several people mention using Testor's model airplane enamel paint. Do you need to do any prep to the jacket before painting it?

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"I love the smell of 100LL in the morning."

As a follow on to that question...do you need to thin the paint?

i'm no artist but a childhood friend / aviation artist did mine in oil based epoxy paint & it's held up for years.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!