Aero's Barnstormer

Baggers · Post by **Baggers** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:14 pm

I've just received the Barnstormer jacket by Aero that I wrote about in the Wested A2 thread and thought I'd share a few pictures. As I may have already mentioned, the jacket is made out of their "jerky" front quarter horsehide although in a slightly lighter weight and more mismatched hide than what they usually use in their "Real Deal" A2s. I'm really quite pleased with item and am looking forward to getting a lot of use out of it this winter.

Enjoy.

Okay, I'm ready for the Dawn Patrol!

Cheers!

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:16 pm

Beautiful jacket, Baggers!
But, if you're going to post pictures, it should be with you wearing it!

You can't get off that easy.
It looks awesome; everything I imagined it to be.
Congratulations on a fine acquisition!
-HJ

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:29 pm

Wow that is a great looking jacket!

I'd love to have a Trail Rider in cordovan horsehide.

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 8:14 pm

That is a beauty. If only Aero weren't so darn expensive!

Baggers · Post by **Baggers** » Sun Nov 27, 2005 10:20 pm

Kt Templar wrote:That is a beauty. If only Aero weren't so darn expensive!

Ah, but it's not all that expensive actually. This one is made from a different grade of hide than what they use for their standard Barnstormer. It's only 275 UKP and it's listed on their sale pages.

I'll try to get a picture or two outside with me wearing it tomorrow.

Cheers!

Baggers · Post by **Baggers** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:24 pm

And finally, here's a couple of pictures while I'm wearing it. Rather dashing, eh?

For those of you interested, I'm also wearing a repro RN/RAF rollneck sweater that I just got from What Price Glory along with my Wested Indy trousers. All I need is my basque beret and and I'm ready to go blow up a bridge with the partisans. Very "For Whom the Bell Tolls," if you know what I mean!

Cheers!

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:57 pm

Great jacket Baggers! How does if fit? How does it feel to wear? Tell us more...

I love their jackets. They have so many terrific styles.

By the way, there is something about your face that is very Steven Spielberg-ish. I mean that in a nice way

Edited by Rick5150. Was not trying to hijack.

Kt Templar · Post by **Kt Templar** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:07 pm

rick5150 wrote:
By the way, there is something about your face that is very Steven Spielberg-ish. I mean that in a nice way

Sort of a mix between Spielberg and John Williams

You look very pleased! And so you should be.... suits you SIR!

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:54 pm

Baggers,
That jacket is beautiful and looks much better on than lying on the carpet. Incredible jacket.

Farnham54 · Post by **Farnham54** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:48 pm

That is a phenomenal looking jacket, Baggers! It definatley suits you!

Regards,
Craig

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:20 pm

That did it, you just pushed me over the edge! Well, I guess I'm off to rob a bank.

Baggers · Post by **Baggers** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:55 pm

Thanks everyone. I'm really happy with it.

As for how it feels while I'm wearing it -- it's horsehide, it's stiff as a board right now and will take some breaking in. But of course, it will last forever so I'm not overly concerned. It'll get where I want it. One thing i did notice today is that I can feel the back seam on the yoke across my back slightly when I slouch or cross my arms, so I will definitely will have to be aware of my posture for a while. But that's a good thing!

It'll soften and mold to my body eventually, it's probably just the sweater. The armholes might be a bit large, but Michael said that it was designed for layering so the shoulders fill up a bit more with the sweater under it as opposed to just a thin shirt. It also has knit windcuffs inside the sleeves that ride up past my wrists when I extend my arms, but I'm hoping that the knits will loosen, again with time. This very much a jacket for the long haul, not something that already feels broken in, so it should last me the rest of my natual life -- and then some -- if properly cared for.

Rick, that Highwayman looks great, and I'm sure you'll be very happy with it. I can't wait to see pictures after you get it.

And as far the Speilberg and Williams comments, I do take them as a compliment. A few years back, everyone thought I looked like Richard Dreyfuss, but lately he's aged less gracefully than I have.

Cheers!

Baggers · Post by **Baggers** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 8:01 pm

J_Weaver wrote:That did it, you just pushed me over the edge! Well, I guess I'm off to rob a bank.

Remember though, if you buy one like mine off the sale page, you won't have to rob quite as big a bank!

Just look for "Brown (or black or cordovan) Jerky Horsehide Barnstormers. All Sizes" These aren't jackets that were made up for customers who changed their minds or were samples. These will be made up to your order as long as you take it with whatever the lining is that's specified for that particular color.

Cheers!

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 8:11 pm

Baggers wrote:Remember though, if you buy one like mine off the sale page, you won't have to rob quite as big a bank!

Thats a good point!

The Trail Rider really caught my eye. One in cordovan would be magnificent! Now its just a matter of finding one on sale and a small bank.

duc · Post by **duc** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 10:53 am

A spectacular jacket. I must say I've never seen such good looking leather.

I wonder if Wested will do a ToD with horeshide?

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 12:39 pm

Baggers, I just saw this thread! That jacket is incredible! It looks quite good on you, too.If I ever get another leather jacket, it's definitely going to be in horsehide!

bink

Walker · Post by **Walker** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 1:28 pm

Hey Duc,

Wested will do a ToD in horsehide. Mines coming shortly... although it feels like forever

duc · Post by **duc** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:03 pm

Thanks Walker,

Would you mind posting a picture when it arrives. My order is not going out until shortly after Christmas (when the $ flow returns to normal), so I have time to wait and get excited....

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:18 pm

duc, do a search for horsehide. There have been 3 or 4 members get horsehide jackets.

duc · Post by **duc** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 3:20 pm

JW, You're not kidding. Tons of useful info. Thanks.

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:12 pm

duc wrote:JW, You're not kidding. Tons of useful info. Thanks.

No problem man!

The search button is one of the most useful, yet unused features on the forum.

nicktheguy · Post by **nicktheguy** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 3:09 am

I just want to say that I had to......had to order one of those bad boys after seeing Baggers wearing his. Now I will be joining the Dawn Patrol as well. A #### fine jaclket I daresay.

I have a vintage bmw with sidecar and I think this jacket will go smashing with the bike.....so thank you for letting us know about your find - I will post pics with the jacket, the bike and I when it arrives.

Indiana_Zach · Post by **Indiana_Zach** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:47 am

Great Jacket and I agree you do look like Steven Speilberg

nicktheguy · Post by **nicktheguy** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 10:04 pm

Well - I took the plunge and jumped into the Aero deal for the Barnstormer as well. It is scheduled for delivery in 2-3 weeks and once it arrives I will have to post some pics. It looks like a really great jacket!!

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 10:37 pm

You guys are killing me.

Although I like the Trail Rider, the Mariner has to be my favorite. Its very similar to the WWII leather U-Boat peacoats. I've been after one of those ever since I saw Das Boot for the first time, but I had no Idea there was anything even close out there.

I think I'm addicted to leather jackets.

michaeljcr · Post by **michaeljcr** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:31 pm

I bought a pair of their horsehide gloves a week ago and as an apology for the set postage price being a bit steep they included a free Black Watch scarf.
Well, it would have been rude not to buy a jacket after that...
Sadly I'm not really the Barnstomer build so I went for the Black Jerky Vintage Horsehide Highwayman. Bit naughty as I ordered my first Raiders Wested (delivery due tomorrow) a week and a half ago but hey, it's Christmas.

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 3:54 pm

You will love the Highwayman. It is gorgeous! I just got my FQHH brown Highwayman. Easily the toughest jacket I have owned.

http://www.ricktheriault.com//images/Hi ... 05-006.jpg

Baggers · Post by **Baggers** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 5:49 pm

rick5150 wrote:You will love the Highwayman. It is gorgeous! I just got my FQHH brown Highwayman. Easily the toughest jacket I have owned.

http://www.ricktheriault.com//images/Hi ... 05-006.jpg

Good looking jacket, Rick!

I've had mine almost two weeks, and it's starting to break in nicely. Some nice grain starting to show, making the out of the box "character" of the jerkier sleeves blend in better with the look of the jacket as a whole.

The only thing I might caution you about is that the rather thin dye job that Aero applies will begin to show a little distressing in short order. Far from being a fault, the only negative is that I've had some light scratches go right through the finish. But a little Pecard's rubbed into the spot makes it disappear instantly. It also seems to help control the rapidity of the wear on rub areas like the tops of seams. I'm not saying I don't want the jacket to distress, I just want to be able to control the pace a little bit. But overall, the jacket is really beginning to look nice and broken in.

Wear it proudly, it looks great on you!

marco polo · Post by **marco polo** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 1:09 am

That is one nice looking jacket Baggers!!

SHARPETOYS · Post by **SHARPETOYS** » Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:27 am

Nice jackets both of them!!

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 12:07 am

Thought I would post my aero as well, though it doesn't need a new thread:

Nevermind the serious face I'm making in these, I'm trying to look tough

Its an Aero 30s halfbelt and I love it, Love It, LOVE IT!

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:59 am

IndianaGuyBrush

Is that the brown FQHH? Good stuff. Is that a tough jacket or what?! I was adamant about the Highwayman until I saw all of the jackets that were on the Aero site. Each one has it's own appeal and many are so similar that it is difficult to determine the nuances of each jacket. I still went with the Highwayman in the end, but the urge to buy several jackets and max out my credit cards was strong. What did you get for a lining? Was that a custom job? Sorry for all the questions!

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:07 am

No worries abot the questions, I welcome them.

The hide is a special sale hide they've got working right now. The story goes they got it from a chicago distributor for cheaper than their normal fq HH and they wanted to try it out. When they got it in they saw that it was a bit "jerkier" ie had more creases, than they believe their customers to like. Therefor they decided to offer it as a sale hide. It's the ame weight as their midweight FQ, but with some rougher patches (See my left sleeve for an idea).

Actually, they're not even offering this jacket on the website, I had to call and ask them specifically if they would make it for me, since they had the hide. As you can see they were very accomodating.

The only lining they allow is the Cotton drill cloth. I'm unsure as to why, but I think it has something to do witht his being such a special deal. From what I've heard of Aero I can probably send it to them to have the lining replaced for a fee if I find it inadequate.

The sizing is custom, but other than that the jacket is a standard 30s halfbelt. I'm tall and somewhat thin so I needed a size 40, but with an extra inch on the sleeves and body. The charge for custom sizing was a tad more, I think maybe $20.

I know what you mean about wanting them all Rick, I had the devil's own time trying to decide between this one and the longer 30s halfbelt, then I saw the barnstormer and your highwayman, not to mention the bootlegger! In the end I just went with my first instinct. I can always save up for a few more

Hemingway Jones · Post by **Hemingway Jones** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:51 pm

How did you know they had the hide, GuyBrush?
You know from what I wrote over at TFL that I love this jacket. I love the bright russet color of yours and Bagger's.

Post by **Michaelson** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 2:54 pm

GB, that's ONE gorgous jacket, my friend!

High regards! Michaelson

Indyjim · Post by **Indyjim** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:49 pm

There is just something about the look of horsehide. Very distinctive and
unmistakeable. Very nice jackets all.

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:26 pm

I went on to the website and saw that they had a bunch of other jackets in this sale hide, so I emailed them and asked if they could do the 30s halfbelt in it as well. They said no problemo

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/weba ... 0&ifrom=21

I don't know if that link will work, but it's the sale page with the special jerky hide featured. They've got barnstomrmers and Veste de Raleys and whatnot, so I figured, why not a 30s halfbelt?

Thanks for the compliments... as for tying it all together... I'm sure Indy's jacket would have been made of horsehide, it was a very popular hide at the time, due to both it's durability, and because of war rationing.

Bjones · Post by **Bjones** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:35 pm

Those Aero jackets are really starting to grow on me.....but like someone mentioned, there are so many styles its hard to choose. And the other thing is what lining to get - not sure if I want it for winter wear or more of a 3 season type jacket, but I'm not sure if HFQHH would be all that comfy in the warmer seasons with even the lightest lining. I like the Bootlegger and the long half belt

J_Weaver · Post by **J_Weaver** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:45 pm

Tone, you can chalk my lack of a response up to finals week.

I can't say I've seen that movie though. Speaking of Peter O'Toole, I always liked "Murphy's War."

All of those Aero jackets look great! I would absolutely love to have one.

IndianaGuybrush · Post by **IndianaGuybrush** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 9:46 am

Indiana_Tone wrote:Alright,

We'll chalk the lack of response to, "We really don't give a wrat's ### about your opinion, post, or the movie, Tone."

Fair enough...

Done here.

Bout time he got the hint.... now, where were we?