About Us

Good Wear Leather Coat Company is a new addition to the reproduction Type A-2 market. We want to make excellent reproductions of A-2 jackets. We want our jackets to look as close as possible to those issued in the Army Air Forces, which were mass produced in factories in the thousands, and which had such unique character in leather, pattern and fit.

Our three goals are these:

I) pattern: we choose to make jackets that are truly based on original jackets (not the whole of one contract, but rather several great examples from one contract). We carefully observe the fit and look of a small number of examples and use them to ensure a pattern has a clean, excellent shape. Not all original Rough Wears look great, but some certainly do, also the case with Aero originals. We keep the tolerances of each part from one size to another. When comparing images of originals to our jackets, one can see that the panel shapes are true to a maker's original design. To get the right fit for a customer, we will only increase or decrease the length of the body and sleeves—the integrity of the body shape, shoulders, and collar remain intact.

II) leather: we strongly believe that a reproduction of any WWII A-2 would have to have leather that looks like the leather used in WWII. This kind of leather has natural grain, in uneven areas all over the hides. This kind of leather has so much character, and looks like it was made in a bygone era. Our leather has 100% natural grain, and is not pressed to get this character—what you see is what the animal provided. We offer goatskin, horsehide, and cowhide. Each should exude the same character that leather from the 1940s would have had.

III) stitching: original A-2s were mady by hand, in a hurry, by professionals. The stitching wasn't laser straight—it was done solidly, but the human element of imperfection between two points is often seen. We emulate this in our A-2 jackets. We don't have sloppy stitching, but rather a similar style of stitching that one can tell, on close inspection, would be seen in an original A-2. This, along with the pattern and leather, make Good Wear Leather A-2s a fun, guiltless choice when someone desires to wear an A-2 just as they were worn in the Army Air Forces. 1942 in a box.

We have had the good fortune of observing many original Type A-2 jackets, especially the models we offer. With artistic forethought, we'll strive to make each of our A-2 jackets of the same essence that the original A-2s, in shape, details, construction, material, and overall look.

We believe that a jacket should have an excellent fit. This was not always the case in WWII, but today, the fit is important. A-2s are no longer a single piece of a full combat aviation uniform, but instead a classic and practical garment that looks just as cool now as they did in WWII. Getting the fit right, rather than just offering stock sizing, provides the customer with the best possible experience. No one wants short sleeves or a body that's too long, or shoulders that are too tight (all problems that it would seem WWII airmen dealt with)...instead, a customized jacket works with almost all occasions and styles.

This is no easy task, and we ask that you contact us to initiate a purchase. We're eager to make a great jacket that you'll enjoy for years to come.