The Few J.A. Dubow Type A-2 Horsehide Flight Jacket, Drawing No. 30-1415, Custom Chest Patch, Size 40

The Few’s horsehide Type A-2 pays homage to the J.A. Dubow contract, and its strength is discipline. A leather name strip and one round chest patch are the only personal notes, the back is left plain, and the jacket earns its place through faithful proportion and the quality of its hide.

The Piece

This horsehide A-2 by The Few is produced in homage to the J.A. Dubow contract lineage and cut in the classic short-waist military aviation silhouette, with snap-down collar, front patch pockets with scalloped flaps, zip front and wool knit cuffs and waistband. A restrained leather name strip at the upper chest and a round squadron-style cartoon patch at the left chest add measured service character without overwhelming the formal clarity of the pattern. It is best understood as a serious, contract-minded reproduction whose appeal lies in fidelity of form, quality of material and controlled customization.

The order of priorities is the key to reading the jacket. Many modern custom A-2s begin with graphics and only secondarily care about contract discipline; here silhouette, hide and the Dubow reference do the foundational work first, and only then does a restrained layer of personalization arrive. Invoking Dubow, with its Drawing No. 30-1415 and W33-038 contract language, places the jacket in a more serious historical conversation, since collectors know that contractor identity carries its own silhouette implications. The Few is respected because it understands that reproduction quality is a matter of hide character, stance, seam discipline, correct proportion and how a jacket occupies the air when worn.

The dark brown horsehide shell reads controlled, even and relatively clean, with good tonal consistency and enough depth to feel substantial without over-distressed theatrics; the body line remains strong and the pockets hold their shape. The rust-brown, brick-toned cotton lining reinforces traditional A-2 visual language, and the reproduction contract labeling completes the program.

Restraint is the virtue of the custom work: one circular patch, one name strip, no body clutter and a plain back. Where many custom jackets turn the back into a billboard, this one keeps it clear, staying within the A-2 tradition and letting the shell do its work. The result is a jacket for The Few collectors, A-2 purists who welcome restrained personalization and wearer-collectors who value silhouette discipline, one that functions convincingly in daily wear rather than as occasion-only outerwear.

Details

• Maker: The Few
• Model: Type A-2 after J.A. Dubow Mfg. Co., Drawing No. 30-1415, W33-038 contract reproduction labeling
• Era: Modern heritage reproduction period
• Material: Horsehide shell; wool rib knit cuffs and waistband; cotton lining in rust-brown / brick tone
• Color: Dark brown
• Size: 40
• Measurements: Shoulder 43 cm · Length 60 cm · Chest 53 cm · Sleeve 68 cm
• Pattern: WWII U.S. Army Air Forces A-2: snap-down collar, front patch pockets with scalloped flaps, zip front, short-waist silhouette, knit cuffs and waistband
• Customization: Leather name strip at upper chest; round squadron / cartoon-style patch at left chest; plain back
• Classification: Not original wartime issue; a contract-minded A-2 reproduction with controlled custom character

Condition

Japonista grade B · Good, with visible wear consistent with use; fully functional.

• Outer B rank, inner B rank: general light, use-consistent handling, with no notable heavy wear from actual use stated.
• The principal flaw is localized moth damage (insect bite trace) to the rear waistband knit, a genuine deduction because the waistband is one of the lines that gives an A-2 its authority, though it does not compromise the shell, maker or pattern.
• Cuffs appear generally sound.
• Horsehide shell clean, controlled and structurally stable; collar and pocket lines crisp, with no heavy collapse or over-softening.
• Interior material label absent; the lining presents attractively and the interior is structurally sound.

Authenticity & Care

The Few A-2 carrying J.A. Dubow Mfg. Co. Type A-2, Drawing No. 30-1415 and W33-038 reproduction contract labeling; the interior material label is absent. 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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