Flavorwire

During World War II, the A-2 leather flight jacket was standard issue for pilots, bombadiers, and others, who often decorated them with squadron patches, rank marks, or elaborate artwork celebrating their plane, their girl, or whatever they liked. Now, the jackets are rare to find, but the style is a classic, and so we were excited to see these great vintage photos of original flight jackets, still on the backs of their aircrewmen, over at the Retronaut. We love the way that, even in the regimented world of the Air Force, each man’s personality shines through from their chosen design — though we have to admit, there are a few omnipresent themes. Click through to see a few of our favorites, and then if you haven’t had enough, head over here to check out even more.