Chaqueta de vuelo A-2 de la USAAF de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, parte posterior pintada a mano del 345.º Grupo de Bombardeo Air Apaches, piel de cabra del Pacífico, talla 40

Heavy goatskin, chino lining, absent grommets and a snap neck closure mark this A-2 as a product of the Pacific supply network, most likely built in Australia. Its boldly hand-painted back carries the “Air Apaches” insignia of the 5th Air Force’s 345th Bomb Group, to which the jacket is attributed.

The Piece

This WWII A-2 flight jacket is attributed to the 345th Bomb Group of the 5th Air Force, the “Air Apaches,” one of the most active bombardment groups of the Pacific Theater. It is distinguished by a striking hand-painted back insignia and by construction characteristics consistent with non-standard wartime production. Most A-2 jackets speak of factories; this one speaks of supply strain, improvisation and distance from command infrastructure.

Executed in heavyweight goatskin with a cotton chino lining, the jacket departs from conventional U.S.-issued A-2 specifications. It has no underarm ventilation grommets and no collar stand snap, its neck closes with a snap rather than a hook-and-eye, and its lining is a dense chino cloth rather than the usual texture. These deviations strongly suggest manufacture within the Pacific supply network, probably Australia, where localized production supplemented strained U.S. logistics. Australian production of this kind is not a mere variant but a symptom of wartime pressure: the construction carries its geography within it.

The leather is notably thicker than U.S. contract goatskin. American A-2s were balanced for mobility and durability, while Pacific-adapted builds often skew heavier because tanning sources differed, processing standards varied and durability took precedence over comfort. A Talon zipper confirms that American-supplied hardware was integrated into this non-U.S. assembly, and the denser, more rigid chino lining points the same way, toward durability before comfort.

The painted back is boldly rendered and compositionally centered, an artistic and historical marker of the group’s identity and esprit de corps. Hand-painted backs served to declare unit identity across fragmented deployment zones, to reinforce morale in high-loss groups and to stake a personal claim over issued property. A handwritten name and identification beneath the size tag reinforce the jacket’s status as a personally issued garment, and ghosting at the left chest marks where a squadron patch was once worn.

Details

• Object: WWII USAAF A-2 flight jacket
• Era: Circa 1940s
• Origin: Probable Australian wartime production (Pacific supply-chain adaptation)
• Unit Attribution: Pacific Theater; 5th Air Force, 345th Bomb Group “Air Apaches”
• Material: Heavyweight goatskin (notably thicker than standard U.S. contract specification); dense cotton chino cloth lining
• Hardware: Talon zipper (U.S.-supplied component); snap neck closure
• Construction Deviations: No underarm ventilation grommets · No collar stand snap (U.S. spec deviation) · Neck closure via snap, not hook-and-eye · Dense chino cloth lining (non-standard issue texture)
• Artwork: Original period hand-painted back motif: 345th Bomb Group “Air Apaches” insignia
• Size: US 40
• Measurements: Shoulder 46 cm · Chest 52 cm · Sleeve 61 cm (shoulder) / 48 cm (pit) · Length 63 cm
• Provenance Marks: Handwritten name and ID beneath the size tag

Condition

• Structurally strong wartime survivor with expected age wear; remains structurally sound and visually commanding.
• Knits show minor holes, the expected degradation pattern for wartime originals, with no catastrophic failure.
• Shallow, non-structural leather surface crack at the upper right back, consistent with age rather than misuse; light surface cracking elsewhere.
• Patch ghosting at the front left chest, evidence of a removed squadron patch.

Authenticity & Care

Unit and maker are attributions: the 345th Bomb Group link rests on the original hand-painted “Air Apaches” back, and Australian manufacture is probable from the goatskin weight, chino lining, absent grommets and snap neck closure. The Talon zipper and the handwritten name and ID beneath the size tag are the documentary anchors. 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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