Rainbow Country × Kumamoto Bespoke Horsehide A-2 Jacket, Hand-Painted Sky Fighters Cat Corsair, Size 42

A bespoke Japanese interpretation of the U.S. Army Air Forces Type A-2 by Rainbow Country, cut in premium horsehide and hand-painted with “Sky Fighters: The Cat Corsair,” a cartoon cat pilot banking a Corsair through a painted sky. It carries the playful aggression of wartime nose art, filtered through Japanese reproduction discipline.

The Piece

This bespoke Japanese reproduction of the U.S. Army Air Forces Type A-2 flight jacket was made by Rainbow Country, among the most respected Japanese makers in the field, as a Kumamoto bespoke commission rather than a production piece. It is executed in premium horsehide with period-correct construction, a Rough Wear contract-style label and a fully hand-painted cartoon aviation motif titled “Sky Fighters: The Cat Corsair.” The surface shows only a light patina of wear.

The back panel carries “Sky Fighters” in bold, comic-book typography with “The Cat Corsair” as a nameplate beneath. At the center, a stylized cartoon cat pilot, goggles on and teeth clenched, rides a fighter aircraft as if it were barely under control. The image recalls Disney-era wartime animation, U.S. squadron humor and 1940s morale art, and it departs from the pin-up and kill-mark compositions that dominate A-2 art in favor of character-driven narrative.

The A-2 was issued to U.S. Army Air Forces pilots and over time became a canvas, personalized with squadron identity, humor, superstition and defiance; cartoon nose art in particular was a way of coping with fear through humor. Rather than replicating a specific historical jacket, this piece extends that tradition into an alternate timeline.

The horsehide is tight-grained and beginning to show natural roll patterns, with a slight sheen from oil-rich tanning and panel tension that promises a structured wear-in. The Rough Wear-specification label is matched by accurate contract reference, correct stitch density and faithful pocket geometry: engineered nostalgia rather than costume. The jacket speaks equally to vintage fashion collectors, illustration and animation enthusiasts, and admirers of high-end Japanese reproduction.

Details

• Maker: Rainbow Country (Japan), Kumamoto bespoke commission
• Model: Type A-2 flight jacket reproduction
• Origin: Japan
• Material: Premium horsehide
• Label: Rough Wear contract-style label
• Size: 42
• Artwork: Fully hand-painted back: “Sky Fighters” lettering, “The Cat Corsair” nameplate and a cartoon cat pilot riding a fighter aircraft

Condition

• Lightly worn, with minimal wear and strong structural integrity; no heavy degradation.
• Horsehide beginning to show natural roll patterns and a slight sheen, with wear-in still ahead.

Authenticity & Care

A Japanese reproduction by Rainbow Country, not a wartime original; the Rough Wear label is a contract-style reproduction label, and the hand-painted artwork was a bespoke Kumamoto commission. 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.

Collectors also search: rainbow country a-2 jacket · rainbow country horsehide flight jacket · hand painted a-2 jacket cartoon cat · cat corsair flight jacket · japanese reproduction a-2 jacket size 42 · painted horsehide flight jacket · rough wear reproduction a-2