To tell the truth, the main reason I wouldn't wear one of the classic American leather flight jackets is that I'd be afraid of someone like OCD seeing me in it and thinking "There goes another tragic wanker trying to look like a pilot..." This would probably not be the case if I had any sort of military or related background, but I don't. Rather pointedly the opposite, in fact. As it is, though, wearing an A2 would make me feel like Walter Mitty. Or rather, feel that I looked like Walter Mitty -- because I'm quite happy, delighted even, to walk around wearing what may well have been a British UDT diver's watch. But all anyone will ever say about that is "Gee, that watch looks old," or "That's a big old watch with sort of dirty brown numbers on it, isn't it?"
The A2 and similar are a sticking point in the way that cowboy boots have been, for me. If I knew how to ride a horse, I'd wear them, but I don't, so I don't.
Fortunately this doesn't apply to the majority of military outerwear, though I'd feel uncomfortable wearing more than one piece at a time. BDU trou and civilian shirt, okay; BDU trou and military shirt not okay. Jeans and milstyle shirt, okay; etc. So I can wear N-3B's, MA-1's (more danger of being mistaken for skinhead sympathies, there, than for a desire to be associated with military aviation)...
If I were OCD, or Bob, I'd wear 'em, and if I rode horses at all I'd have a pair of cowboy boots, because they look good.
Anybody else feel this way?
Posted on Nov 23, 2001, 5:10 PM from IP address 24.80.4.208