The Type A-2 leather flight jacket is a military flight jacket closely associated with World War II U.S. Army Air Forces pilots, navigators and bombardiers, who often decorated their jackets with squadron patches and elaborate artwork painted on the back. Sometimes casually referred to as a bomber jacket, its original designation was "Jacket, Pilot's (summer)", and its wartime usage was limited neither to pilots nor to bomber crews.

The A-2 jacket was awarded to an Army Air Forces officer upon completion of basic flight training, and always before graduating to advanced training. No standard system of distribution was used, though generally airmen lined up in front of boxes containing jackets of various sizes and given the appropriate size jacket by the base quartermaster. A-2s were exclusive to commissioned officers until early in World War II, when also issued to enlisted aircrews.

The A-2 was a treasured item to the airman and was worn with as much pride as his wings. As airmen progressed through various duty stations they often added and removed squadron patches, rank marks, and occasionally elaborate artwork depicting the type of aircraft they flew or a copy of the artwork painted on their airplane. Bomber crews often added small bombs to the right front of their jackets indicating the number of missions they had flown. As a result, many jackets ended up with numerous stitch marks as patches of various sizes were removed and replaced when the owner changed units. Unlike Navy aviators, who often wore the patches of every squadron they had ever flown with, AAF personnel could only display the patch of their current assignment.

This is a heavily worn wartime example which appears to have had its lining replaced post-war. The original label is intact:

TYPE A-2
DWG. NO. 30-1415
A.C. CONTRACT
ORDER NO. M35-098A.C.-755(1631)
PROPERTY
AIR FORCE U.S. ARMY
WILLIS & GEIGER, INC.
NEW YORK, N.Y.

The front right pocket is missing most of its stitching on the side but will look fine if just displayed. There was once a set of wings on the left breast but they are gone. The knit cuffs shows heavy fraying with minor fraying to the knit waist. The zipper is Scovill marked, a rare maker. The collar hook is retained but worn. 

Approximate Measurements
Collar to shoulder: 11"
Shoulder to sleeve: 26.5”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16.5"
Chest width: 21”
Waist: 18.5"
Hip: 18.5"
Front length: 29"

The leather is in good overall condition. This is a fair service-worn example of a true WWII A-2 jacket, a good restoration project. Ready for further research and display.