Buzz Rickson's BR80355 chaqueta de vuelo Type A-2 de piel de caballo, arte pin-up trasero “Knock Out Dropper”, sin usar, talla 38

Japanese military reproduction rigor meets painted aviation glamour in this unused Buzz Rickson's BR80355. A pin-up on a green disc, sweeping “Knock Out Dropper” script and a bomb tally ride across dark brown horsehide framed by red knits: a jacket sharp on the body, dramatic on a hanger and persuasive on a wall.

The Piece

This A-2 flight jacket by Buzz Rickson's, model BR80355, is executed in horsehide and offered unused, its rear artwork presenting the “Knock Out Dropper” pin-up figure with a bomb tally motif. It combines the structural confidence of a proper Army Air Forces reproduction with the theatrical energy of morale-art customization, and its dark brown body, warm red knit contrast and preserved clarity give it uncommon display presence.

The silhouette is unmistakably A-2: broad enough in the chest to carry weight, compact at the waist, finished with the military collar line and grounded by richly colored knit cuffs and waistband. Then the back turns. The title sweeps across a green circular field that acts like a spotlight or target disk; the pin-up is poised between flirtation and tension, glamour and danger, in the grammar of wartime aviation art, where the idealized figure served as morale emblem, luck symbol and fragment of civilian life carried into combat. Below, the bomb tally introduces the colder note of sorties, targets and memory. The figure and lettering are scaled to the leather panel, and the composition reads as resolved rather than decorated.

The base garment is credible enough to carry the art. The horsehide gives the torso structure, crispness at the pocket line and a glossy tension across shoulders and back; the jacket carries an “Imported from Italy” leather notation, and the cotton lining and wool ribbing complete it. Red-brown knits against dark brown horsehide create one of the warmest contrasts in flight-jacket culture, the waistband framing the artwork from behind. Pocket geometry, collar spread, shoulder line and body length are all disciplined.

The A-2 occupies a mythic position in American military clothing, and its true voltage often appears when the jacket is painted and personalized, turned from regulation into biography, omen and signal. Japanese reproduction at its highest level reconstructs that atmosphere as well as the form, and Buzz Rickson's has been one of its great custodians. The “Knock Out Dropper” program continues the older tradition through Japanese archival craftsmanship.

An unused example allows the original intent to be seen with minimal interruption: crisper art, truer leather tension, proportions closer to the maker's first statement. With the Buzz Rickson's name, legible back art and a flexible size 38, the jacket appeals across military reproduction collectors, archive-fashion collectors, stylists, Americana enthusiasts and display-led interiors.

Details

• Maker: Buzz Rickson's
• Model: BR80355
• Line: Type A-2 / Army Air Forces flight jacket pattern
• Label: A.C. Contract / Order No. 42-18775-P style labeling
• Material: Horsehide shell; cotton lining; 100% wool ribbing; “Imported from Italy” leather notation
• Color: Deep seal / dark brown body with red-brown knit ribs
• Size: 38 (tag)
• Measurements: Shoulder 44 cm · Chest 52 cm · Length 62 cm · Sleeve 63 cm
• Artwork: “Knock Out Dropper” pin-up composition on a green circular field with bomb tally motif

Condition

Japonista grade S · Unworn or as new, complete with original packaging.

• Unused, with deadstock-level presentation; a top-tier preserved example.
• Excellent overall shape retention, attractive shine and body in the horsehide, intact waistband and cuffs, clean contract-label presentation and back artwork of strong readability.
• As with any stored leather, storage traces, minor rubs, handling marks or environmental aging may exist, and areas not pictured should be assumed to carry ordinary age and storage realities unless confirmed.
• Painted surfaces should always be handled with care over time.

Documentation Notes

Confirmed from the piece: Buzz Rickson's BR80355, Type A-2, horsehide shell, cotton lining, wool ribbing, tagged size 38, unused condition, the back “Knock Out Dropper” pin-up motif and the Italian leather notation. The following remain open unless independently documented:

• Whether the artwork reproduces a single known wartime original or functions as a tribute or archival interpretation.
• The exact tannery behind the leather beyond the visible “Imported from Italy” notation.
• Whether the artwork is hand-painted, transfer-based or another specialty process, absent factory documentation.

Authenticity & Care

Buzz Rickson's BR80355 Type A-2 with tag size 38, contract-style labeling and a visible “Imported from Italy” leather notation. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

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