wdbikemad

Incredibly, I have an identical pair of these, sealed pattern et-all..... Interesting to see the small "swatch" of blue-grey drill attached to the label which my pair also have, suggesting that these were made in RAF colours too..... "GDS" on the label is "Garment Development Section" that were at Woolwich, with other sites at Branston, etc, that evolved into the "Stores Clothing Research and Development Establishment" (SCRDE, latterly at Colchester) and then in April 1994 this in turn became "Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency" (DCTA)............

Worth noting that there are variations of the G3L tank, including the tank profile and cutaways underneath. The former necessitated different-shaped wooden support blocks when mounting the tank-top Vokes air cleaner...... Early (1941 - 43 ish) tanks have screwed-on metal "M" badges but no knee grip plate screw holes...........later tanks lack the holes for the "M" badges as these were replaced by transfers, but the knee grip holes were reintroduced but now to hold the Vokes air cleaner side mounts !!! Some G3L's can also be found with pre-41 G3 tanks fitted......these have the badge holes, knee grip holes and 3 holes at the rear where the saddle nose goes to hold a thin shaped metal "water deflector".......

I've only just picked myself up off the floor..........:undecided:

Excuse my confused mind then Harry !!!! I'm after an old (numbered) size DPM parka with the partial nylon lining and "square" pocket flaps...........trades/cash available....... (all for the book !!!!)

That's the one !

Posted before, but a rare (cheap) acquisition from "Hogspear" via Ebay.........1966 dated trial DPM smock..........styled on a 59 pattern Denison, but no crutch flap, side adjusters or flannel-lined collar...........fully lined in poplin, no internal pockets, waist drawcord that can be accessed from the front inner or outer, and a built-in double-thickness hood secured behind the collar when not in use by a stud-fastened strap.....all fasteners are brass "Newey" as per the Denison.....note the early DPM cammo print, this garment made 4 years before DPM clothing (1960 pattern) appeared on issue during early 1970...............

Oddly, I got my rare 66 dated trial DPM smock from Hogspear only last year for a reasonable £150-ish....(I'd have paid double as I knew exactly what it was)..........

I may have got this wrong, but an early DPM Size 6 by Cooksons...????!!! lol

No, the sizing range didn't change Pete, but the FITTING was improved upon, particularly around the upper arm and chest........this was brought about because the 60 pattern gear was intended for all arms service and intended to replace the airborne Denison too (it didn't - eventually), but trials (between 1958 and 1959) had shown the smock in the original design was too constrictive for airborne troops when raising the arms to operate the 'chute harness lift webs !!! Up to at least 1968 most smocks and trousers carried US and Canadian comparative sizing on the labels, thereafter NSN sizing......... From my own experience (with 68 pattern combat gear) you went into the QM store and tried-on various sizes...........90% of my unit ended with Size 1 & 2's.........tall, lanky buggers like me got a size 4..........but no one got anything larger despite the official sizing charts...........nowadays, approaching 50, I comfortably take a size 8 !!!!

Looks to have the correct 3HW forks tho !!!!:-D

Bloody hell ! The world has gone mad Harry !!!! Not even wartime either (1954)........... I have my unusual denim cammo smock recently posted now on Ebay......as wartime, it doesn't fit within my current collecting interests........here's hoping !!!! (it has a shed load of watchers and finishes tomorrow).....:-D PS - shame you sold that DPM parka !!! I'd have paid or swapped well for that item for the book.......:-(

A further clue is that 3SW/5SW frames have the "TL" number duplicated on the front downtube and on the rear just below the saddle, whereas 3HW's have only the TL number at the front and a production date below the saddle.......... There are exceptions of course.......a good friend has a 3HW with the frame marked accordingly, but it also has a small brass plate just below the saddle stating "(month) & 1940" so a possible reusing later of earlier frames.......? :-D

It's a good point about the BD, the wartime patterns continued in use for several years after WW2 despite modified blouses coming into production (1946 and 1947 patterns) prior to the 1949 pattern. The other interesting thing is some of the men shown are certainly not too youthful :-D ! Thus possibly not trainees. But if so, there does seem to be a distinct lack of any NCO ranking and any wartime medal ribbons being worn......unless we are looking at, say a late-45 onwards "intake" and as mentioned up to at least the end of the 40s.......interestingly Gaylor's informative book on British cap badges states that the RAC "mailed fist" badge was introduced in 1941 and worn "at recruit training depots and in the wartime numbered regiments of the corps"........

RAC "Mailed Fist" cap badge only generally worn by depot and training units on the black beret........"WW1 tank" arm badge most definitely only worn by RTR personnel...........the battledress worn is the post-42 "utility" pattern but still high-neck so not later than 45-46 when newer patterns were introduced with tailored open collars........shirt and tie also indicates post-44-45 when this privilege was granted to O/Rs when not on duty..........and some also wear shoes, also permitted by this time with this dress combination.........so I would agree possibly officer cadets or a training unit prior to posting to RTR and RAC formations.........date between (earliest) '44 and up to (I think) '46........? Can't see any medal ribbons worn so possibly a training unit or officer cadets......?

Thanks Ron ! No rush - definite order from me !:-D Ps - hope all's well with you. Looking forward to catching up later this year and really looking forward to Goodwood in September !! Should be fun. Mrs M has assured me she will try her hardest not to wind you up too much with her planned regular costume changes.......although she may occasionally need the assistance of the official holder of the Royal garter of assistance......lol :red:

I think the confusion regarding gold / white transfers is the simple fact that in many wartime non-colour images gold can look "white".........I've only ever found gold on original Triumph oil tanks in the past....... Put me down for one of those Vokes elbows Ron, when they eventually turn up........

It's the standard "GS" smock introduced in 1984 (no specific pattern/year designation) as a replacement for the 1968 pattern........the label is typical/standard for this garment and had featured on later issues of the previous pattern...... These smocks were disliked by many as they were, in many cases, poorly designed and with hard usage the seams split and the pockets fell off........however, the pattern continued in production until 1993 when replaced by a new pattern........:-D

I will be covering this in my forthcoming book Pete...... But basically, the 60 pattern smock commenced issue in 1961 and was a development of the earlier 1950s pattern......in brief, it was slightly longer in length and the inner lining was reduced to finish at waist-level (earler versions were fully lined as per the 1968 pattern).......... Around 1964 an improved version was introduced that featured a redesigned sleeve and method of attachment. This had been proposed/trialed in the late 1950s but didn't enter production for a number of years. The older design had been criticised for the tightness and restrictive cut of the sleeves, particularly around the shoulder and armpit........the newer design has the "oval" elbow patches on the sleeve, a fuller cut and different method of attachment. The earlier version has the wide rectangular elbow patches and "vents" (slits) under the armpit........around the same time the lining material was changed from lightweight cotton-gabardine to a (cheaper) cotton poplin....... Around 1968 NSN's began to appear on the labels and the date of manufacture (and comparative US/Canadian sizing) disappeared......... As with everything however, stocks of the older patterns continued to be issued as long as they were available...... If seeking a green 60 pattern smock for personal use, get the modified (post-64) version as it will fit far more comfortably.... Last green MoD-issue smocks were made in mid-1970, the DPM version having entered production at this point (until March 1971 when the 1968 version was introduced).......:-D

Bit of a rarity here....the first pattern WW2 windproof smock as introduced in 1941, made in drab heavy denim until 1942, lightweight sand colour cotton from 42-43, lightweight cammo cotton from 43 onwards plus heavy white cotton (for snow) also from '43.........why is this one unusual...? Well, it's the ONLY cammo denim version I have ever seen, and it's dated quite late too (1943). Cammo print is the early 1942-era hand-applied "splodge" brushed pattern, but this one looks to also incorporate some parts in a different print/colour (typical of bulk factory production and also found on some DPM garments).......these were originally introduced in denim in 1941 for "cold, snowless" conditions as part of the mountain troops kit, but I've only seen plain drab examples before, never a cammo version........annoyingly, part of the label has been blanked-out and crossed with a red "X" that I've also seen on a number of ex-WD Denisons (indicating disposal...??).........almost new, little used condition, VERY heavy and a huge (chest) size........had this one for years......

'bars vary as stated above, in thickness, length (width) and shape, particularly in the first half of WW2 (and add to this Ariel W/NG 'bars that were thicker in the middle than at either end !).........add to this the fact that many restored WD machinery today may not have the original 'bars still fitted as they were prone to damage and/or bending............I have only had about two WD machines that didn't require new or replacement items fitted.......and watch out for some repro 'bars today......not all are the right shape/length and some use a different thickness tubing to the originals which can sometimes mean that fittings such as end-plugs won't always go in........:-D

Later evolved into the "Girls Venture Corps" (GVC) who used similar WRAF uniform, all since absorbed into the Air Training Corps (ATC)............ That's a big old size though, and appears to be a male blouse....? The "NP" referring to "New Pattern" (that replaced the button-up wartime version)......I wonder if the buttons are original to the blouse ? Not sure if males (as instructors or staff) served in the WJAC or GVC.............?? The original RAF issue had black plastic eagle & crown buttons on the breast pockets, as did the same blouses worn by ATC cadets in the 60s-70s if my memory serves correctly............GVC at this time wore the equivalent WRAF blouse with small silvered "GVC" buttons on the pocket flaps.........

The French received large quantities of wartime British cammo windproof smocks and trousers post-war, and they were used extensively.......many were commonly modified by re-tailoring such as altering the cut of the trousers and removing the hood from the smock and adding a full-zip front.......caps were also made from scrap fabric...... The full-zip in British cammo smocks was a local or unit modification until the early 1960s.....the pattern remained the same as the wartime style up to then.......during 1964-65 the official "1963 pattern" smock and trousers were introduced, identical to the wartime pattern but the smock now featuring a factory-fitted full-length front zip with a wind-baffle behind...........during 1965 a plain olive green version was introduced to replace the cammo version, and from 1971 the green version was replaced by one in the new DPM camouflage but now in a heavyweight satin-backed cotton-drill cloth as used for standard combat smock production......this lasted until 1975 when the classic modern "SAS" DPM windproof appeared, reverting though to lightweight cotton-gabardine fabric as previously used up to 1965........:-D

It's also worth noting that the MK14 series of flying suits did not appear until around 1980-81 and were in almost universal use by 1983......colour was olive drab, earlier models of flying suit from the 70s being a much more olive or dark green in colour with nickel-plated zips.......

I would date this as 90s up to early '00s......clues are the zip tags (!!) and made by ML Lifeguard........from the early '00s onward nearly all aircrew clothing has been made by "Cosalt Ballyclare" rather than Lifeguard and Beaufort (the earlier "traditional" manufacturers of this kit)..........most are dated on the label (ink stamp) but this one may be washed out..... MK14A has leg (map) writing pockets, MK14B lacks these as intended for fast-jet crews wearing anti-G trousers over the top so no pockets needed......

Very nice !!! Correct Miller blackout mask too........plus I note you also have the (later) modified plate on the points cover (the "banana" shaped bar) to protect the HT cable housing from ammo boots !!!!!).......this is a rare item in itself........the last one I restored fortunately had this still in place....... I still have a lot of mechanical Flea parts in storage, including a few of the impossible-to-find Miller points assemblies and carb parts........all of this is becoming increasingly difficult to source.......