NI Flack Jackets

[tinweasle]

I have just picked up one of the old type flack jackets as used in NI, as you do I had to have a little play with it and putting it on I started to wonder just how populer these would have been with the soldiers that had to use them?

 

Now anything that may save your life is something your probably going to want to use, but I found that with it on movment was much more difficault and using a gun must have been really difficault as I found eye alinment a real problem with my scoped air rifle, it must be easyer with open sights but still........ And I cant see them being very comfy after you have had one on for any amount of time, let alone in the summer!

 

So did anybody use them, if so what were did you make of them?

 

Cheers

 

Shaun

[blue red blue]

crap things to wear, we binned them and went out without them in the end

[LoggyDriver]

Have you any pictures? Does it have the velcro on the sides and large chest and back plates?

[blue red blue]

velco on the sides and plates , that would be on the ineba vests would it not?

[tinweasle]

Mine is states 1979 patten on the lable, and has velcro down the frount and lacing down the sides. I will try and post a piccy when I find my camera.

 

Cheers shaun

[AlienFTM]

I have just picked up one of the old type flack jackets as used in NI, as you do I had to have a little play with it and putting it on I started to wonder just how populer these would have been with the soldiers that had to use them?

 

Now anything that may save your life is something your probably going to want to use, but I found that with it on movment was much more difficault and using a gun must have been really difficault as I found eye alinment a real problem with my scoped air rifle, it must be easyer with open sights but still........ And I cant see them being very comfy after you have had one on for any amount of time, let alone in the summer!

 

So did anybody use them, if so what were did you make of them?

 

Cheers

 

Shaun

 

I wore one day, day out during late winter - spring of 1976. It was issued to me for good reason; everybody around me (who had been on the tour since late 74) was quite happy to wear his; I assumed there was an order somewhere which meant I had to wear it. I never for one moment considered going without it and it never caused me a second's discomfort. It was just a piece of kit. The instructions on mine said to wear it under the combat jacket, but since everybody else in NI wore it over the top, why make a target of myself by being non-uniform?

 

I haven't seen the modern equipment but when I see how the modern squaddy runs like a pregnant duck (no offence - merely an observation), I assume he is far more heavily laden than we were.

 

I cannot speak for discomfort in summer. Summer of 76 was, as we all know, hot and dry, but spring in NI was pleasantly balmy. For a place with a reputation of cold and wet, I don't remember any rain during the period Feb - May and thoroughly enjoyed my tour, flak jacket or not.

[LoggyDriver]

velco on the sides and plates , that would be on the ineba vests would it not?

 

 

 

That must be the one. The ones we had to wear had velcro sides and like I said two big heavy plates front and rear that you could take out. I didn't find them a problem and we had to wear ours under our Soldier 95 jackets.

[martin parke]

Anyone know where i could get a couple of these jackets please

[DWB]

Anyone know where i could get a couple of these jackets please

 

Last time I was a Sabre sales Southsea/Portsmouth they had quite a few

 

Dan