View Full Version : Leather Jackets, which one?
LuckyBreak
12th Oct 2008, 19:53
I'm looking to get a leather jacket with the onset of another chilly Scottish winter, does anyone know if the Aviation Leathercraft ones are better than the ones from Popsleather (www.popsleather.com)? The popsleather ones seem identical but around half the price.....
Cheers!
:cool:
Spit the Dog
12th Oct 2008, 19:59
Pops without a doubt! Having been in the shop and seen the whole set up and the quality, save your money.
Lord Harry Flashman
13th Oct 2008, 08:23
I have a pops leather jacket and it is excellent. Aviation leathercraft who make the more expensive jackets don't seem to have cottoned on that they don't own the manopoly any more. The service is fine, you use their website and as long as you follow their instructions for measuring yourself to the letter you will end up with a great jacket. I particularly enjoy the leather lable insiude that says Custom made for "your name".
GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU
13th Oct 2008, 08:47
Hmm; no Irvin jacket.
I must say, though, Americans think of everything! Pop's Leather Online Store | Fanny Packs (http://www.popsleather.com/new_catalog.php3?tp=49)
5 Forward 6 Back
13th Oct 2008, 11:25
Don't discount eBay! I picked up a perfect, barely-used Aviation Leathercraft one a few years back, and paid probably about half the cost of a new Pop's Leather one.
All I needed was a letter on squadron headed paper, or an email from a work address to the company to order a new £22 name badge.
StopStart
13th Oct 2008, 12:01
Pops will do the name badges too (or at least they did 10 years ago - god I'm old :{ ). I got a spare made there - their's are/were silver rather than the pewter uk ones. Cost next to nothing.
unkind43
13th Oct 2008, 19:48
Thing about leather jackets is they are like girlfriends, you love the one you have until your mate gets a better one :}
GeeRam
13th Oct 2008, 20:43
There's always the 'retro' look from Eastman Leather.....;);)
http://www.eastmanleather.com/images/RAF40BoBmont.jpg
NutLoose
13th Oct 2008, 21:25
Don't get me wrong or take any offence, but when ever I see someone other than a horny chick turn up in a WW2 RAF flying jacket the words "what a dick" instantly flash across my mind..............:hmm:
Tonkenna
14th Oct 2008, 12:26
LB, Ordered a Pops Leather RAF flying jacket on a Friday and it arrived on the following Tues and it is excellent!! Came with a very nice free wallet as well... outstanding service and fits perfectly... just follow the online instructions.
Nutloose... no offence taken, I'll just choose to ignore it now. Mine was a present from Mrs T and I love it... your opinion of me then is just irrelevant :rolleyes:
Tonks :cool:
As long as you don't wear it with blues!:8
Yeah, right. It's just the right colour for blues and if it's good enough for 32 Sqn......!
Evalu8ter
15th Oct 2008, 18:14
MG,
Wouldn't catch me wearing mine with blues....
...But if I did, it would look really smart...
Now, SD hat at Jaunty angle and hum the "Aces High March" all the way in to work...
GeeRam
15th Oct 2008, 20:29
...But if I did, it would look really smart...
Now, SD hat at Jaunty angle and hum the "Aces High March" all the way in to work...
:D
If you really want to that properly you want to buy one of these.....:ok:
http://www.eastmanleather.com/images/LuftWW2mont.jpg
glad rag
15th Oct 2008, 20:50
What a bunch of losers!!
At least the ORIGINAL jackets were worn by those who earned the right to wear them!!!
And that is where they should stay.
IN THE PAST.
:(:(:(:(:(:(
maximo ping
15th Oct 2008, 22:47
glad rag, you may wish to both a) read and understand the original post, and b) understand that anything appearing to be at variance with it is in the realm of banter...
":(:(:(:(:(:(" I believe is the quote...
Dan Winterland
16th Oct 2008, 02:33
Quote Tonkenna "Came with a very nice free wallet as well..."
They used to come with a free glass of apple tea when we could visit the store in person!
Rgds to Mrs T.
Glad Rag,
I suppose I have to bite......
What makes you think that those who wear the current leather jacket haven't earned the right? And what is 'the right' anyway?
glad rag
16th Oct 2008, 20:47
"What makes you think that those who wear the current leather jacket haven't earned the right? "
You made the mistake in your reply above,
Hint..Ersatz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ersatz)
But I don't suppose any amount of "banter" will lead to any level of enlightenment.
OK, I'll take the point that your post was aimed only at those wearing replica WW2 jackets. Soz!
GeeRam
17th Oct 2008, 13:03
What a bunch of losers!!
At least the ORIGINAL jackets were worn by those who earned the right to wear them!!!
And that is where they should stay.
IN THE PAST.
What gives you the right to dictate what anybody can, can't or should or shouldn't wear.......:ugh:
Get a life.........
LuckyBreak
17th Oct 2008, 14:34
To bring it all back to the original thread..........many thanks to all for the info on the jackets and my order to Popsleather will go in shortly!
Regards
LB
:ok:
Capt HardlyWorthit
31st Oct 2008, 20:10
I remember the days when no one gave a flying Fxxt about what you wore, as long as you could fly! What is this posing and preening, "Oooh hello chaps, does the flying jacket make my bum look big??" get real and learn to fly!
High_Expect
1st Nov 2008, 09:34
Are you confusing this with a wannabes forum.... ( I think you'll find most on here are experienced multi tour frontline CR pilots or Captains) When you're at the sharp end fella you have to think of new ways to spend that Enhanced rate flying pay!
Now get back to your engineering manuals and Learn how to fix stuff!:ok:
Capt HardlyWorthit
1st Nov 2008, 09:46
Sigh! Spoken like a true wannabe! Listen son, I was probably in uniform when you were in liquid form and as for for your enhanced salary, keep dreaming you puerile fool!
Brain Potter
1st Nov 2008, 11:28
I remember the days when no one gave a flying Fxxt about what you wore
Really :rolleyes: There have always been regulations for standards of uniform. Since when was not giving a "Fxxt" about appearance regarded as a positive military attribute.
Plenty of NATO Air Forces also have aircrew leather jackets. I believe that the USAF re-introduced them sometime in the 80's as part of an effort to restore some of the esprit de corps that had been lost in the post-Vietnam era. Sure, there is an element of elitism, but that is equally applicable to the wearing wings, brevets and unit insignia.
The RAF leather jacket was approved as an item of uniform in the early 90's. I don't know the reasoning - but if elitism, esprit de corps and a nod to heritage were all considered to be positive factors then the decision is to be applauded. Fundamentally, these factors are the main drivers behind all quirks of uniform from the Glengarry to the Sam Browne belt. Or should they also be scorned?
Capt HardlyWorthit
1st Nov 2008, 12:02
Brian Potter, far from scorn, I too once wore that uniform of light blue with pride, that was at a time when 10 Sqd pilots were Squadron Leaders and they wore No 1 uniform to fly in. We had a cold war and did not need any epsrit, we flew because we volunteered to. If you had seen the battle dress that we wore ( like a sack of shxtx tied with string) you will realise that we did not need adornments to make us feel good. The sheer privelege of wearing wings was enough. If you need leather jackets etc, perhaps an audition with the Village people is more in line?
The previous person appears to have some serious issue with engineers and I sincerely hope that he is but trying to be humourous. Arrogance toward those who fixit is wrong and I feel a deep shame that a fellow military pilot would be so crass regarding engineers.
High_Expect
1st Nov 2008, 13:48
:ugh:
Perhaps when you left the light blue you left your sense of humour behind???
Incase you were unaware banter is still rife with the 'light blue'.
Lighten up.... you don't see any engineers taking the bait, as they've heard it all before.
Pprune would be a very boring place without the aircrew v's Eng/RockApe/Air Tragic atmosphere.
If you're feeling left out Pop's Leathercraft do a nice line in Civilian jackets.
:ok:
Tiger_mate
1st Nov 2008, 13:52
If he is as old as he claims, then he went to school when they taught people how to spell. Not that it shows! Also read his User CP:
Interests:
Taking the rise out of pompous fools!
For that read "TROLL"
....and probably an engineering troll at that! :E
Brain Potter
1st Nov 2008, 15:02
Yep, 7 posts, mostly aggressive and all virtually illiterate - probably a troll.
However, just to prolong the fun:
Capt NotWithIt recalls:
the battle dress that we wore ( like a sack of shxtx tied with string)
I've seen photos from those times and you (collectively) did look like a "sack of shxtx". Why is that a good thing? Perhaps you derived your unit pride from collective embarrassment?
He also seems to think that the concept of
a time when 10 Sqd pilots were Squadron Leaders and they wore No 1 uniform to fly in.
was a good thing. The pomposity of the system that made VC10 skippers into erstaz-sqn ldrs should not be fondly remembered and is, in fact, laughed at by later generations.
We had a cold war and did not need any epsrit
I do not believe that the V-Force, RAFG etc had no esprit-de-corps, or any requirement for it. It would have been there aplenty. It may have been derived from a collective purpose - but it was reinforced by the same elitism, pride in unit, badges of qualification/insignia etc that is found in all decent military units worldwide. Unfortunately however, the photographic evidence from that era shows a widespread and unhealthy interest in slug-balancing that makes said "balancer" look much more like Freddie Mercury than any modern aircrew leather-jacket wearer gets to being like a Village Person.