The U.S. Army Air Forces A-2 Flight Jacket is a classic example of a World War II-era flight jacket. It features hand-painted designs, which are believed to have been added after the war.
While the A-2 is special in its own right, this particular jacket exudes an overwhelming presence thanks to the large hand-painted designs on the chest, both shoulders, and the back.
The A-2 was adopted by the U.S. Army Air Forces as a flight jacket in the early 1930s and was worn by countless aircrews—whether in fighters or bombers—during World War II.Its exceptionally well-crafted design—featuring brown leather, a shirt-style collar, flap patch pockets, and knit ribbing—has had an immense influence on subsequent flight jackets and modern vintage apparel.
Since the contract label is missing from this item, we cannot identify the manufacturer or contract number. However, the jacket itself is judged to be an authentic A-2 from the World War II era, and the front features a CROWN zipper—one of the most sought-after details on vintage A-2s. The zipper is still functional today.
What makes this piece truly special, however, is the paintwork.
On the left chest is a large “UNITED STATES AIR-CORPS” star and roundel; both shoulders feature insignia evoking the Air Corps; and on the back is a large pin-up motif depicting a woman and a black cat, with the name written above it in Gothic script:
Researching this name leads to the B-17G Flying Fortress, Serial No. 43-37706, “Satan’s Chille’n,” which actually existed during World War II.This aircraft was assigned in June 1944 to the 401st Bomb Group / 613th Bomb Squadron, based at Deenethorpe, England, with the airframe code IN-U. Records confirm that it was a B-17 that flew numerous combat missions.
What is even more interesting is that records in the 401st Bomb Group’s archives indicate the existence of an A-2 flight jacket bearing the “Satan’s Chille’n” nose art itself.It is reported that an A-2 jacket bearing the same name was featured in the 401st Bomb Group’s postwar publication, “Blue Book,” and records confirm that a veteran associated with this aircraft still owned the original A-2 jacket featuring the nose art many years later.
There are also records indicating that the artwork depicted on jackets from that era was used as reference material when researching the nose art of that aircraft. In other words, while the combination of the name “Satan’s Chille’n” and the A-2 jacket itself has a clear historical context from World War II, this item is likely a reproduction of that combination.
However, this is a very important point to note regarding the sale of this item.
We cannot definitively state that the paint currently applied to this item is the original paint from the World War II era. While the jacket itself is an authentic wartime piece, based on a comprehensive assessment of the brushwork, condition, and provenance of the item, we believe the paint was applied after the war using “Satan’s Chille’n” as a motif.
Therefore, we are not selling this item as “a jacket actually worn by a ‘Satan’s Chille’n’ crew member during the war.”
However, even taking that into account, it is a very interesting piece.
As expected, the jacket shows signs of wear consistent with its age; the leather exhibits scuffs, wrinkles, uneven coloring, and surface wear.Differences in color and condition can also be seen in the left and right knit panels, suggesting that repairs or replacements may have been made over the years. The paintwork also shows scuffs and peeling. The ribbing has faded, and one side has discolored to white.
This is a truly striking collector’s piece where historical context and postwar custom culture intersect in a single garment. As this is a used item, returns are not accepted. Please be aware of this.
Size (measured flat)
Shoulder width: 38 cm; Chest
width: 48 cm;
Length: 56 cm;
Sleeve length: 62 cm
