Eastman A-2 Monarch 23378 Flight Jacket

Standardized for issue on the 9^th May 1931 the A-2 flight jacket was issued to every AAF airman and produced by many different manufacturers with variations to each contact

The Monarch Mfg Co. only had one relatively small contract for A-2’s producing 12,000 in 1941, but they produced a distinctive clean cut jacket with a slim but comfortable fit; the shoulders sit squarely giving a smart shape and rotated inset sleeve construction makes it comfortable and easy to wear, choosing the simpler non-collar-stand construction, the long rounded points of the collar lie flatter against the chest then other contracts allowing you to 'keep your head on a swivel' in the cockpit unhindered. Chuck Yeager was wearing his WW2 issued Monarch when he broke the sound barrier on the 14^th October 1947 in the Bell X-1.

Eastman has produced the Russet shade of 100% veg-tanned Italian Horse hide known as War Horse correct for this contract; the jacket is stitched together using the correct OD green thread colour as per the originals and finished with the period correct hardware and inspectors stamps. Monarch as a standard had its own particular style of seam construction allowing for quicker construction a detail you wont notice but Eastman has gone to extent of mimicking to ensure authenticity. In a side by side comparison to an original you be hard pressed to tell them apart.

Key features:

• Italian Veg tanned ‘War Horse’ leather
• Correct cotton Olive Drab thread colour
• 100% wool knit components
• 100% cotton correct shade lining
• Perfectly reproduced woven spec. label
• Reproduction M42 ‘Talon’ Zipper
• Correct ‘Ball Stud’ press studs for pocket and collar.
• Non-Collar-stand construction
• Rotated in-set sleeve construction

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