Scotch Harry Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 As I have no clue AT ALL regarding RAF stuff does anybody please have any info,pics,links etc with regards to what to look out for as from what I can gather with the 4 Pkt OA Tunics that there were Pre WW2,WW2,50s and of course the later/modern patterns????? Many Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted January 3, 2013 Share Posted January 3, 2013 (edited) As I have no clue AT ALL regarding RAF stuff does anybody please have any info,pics,links etc with regards to what to look out for as from what I can gather with the 4 Pkt OA Tunics that there were Pre WW2,WW2,50s and of course the later/modern patterns????? Many Thanks Osprey book series Harry....."The Royal Air Force 1939 - 40" title is a good start...the author, who also did two titles in the same series for the RFC/RAF in WW1, is the curator of the uniform & kit stuff at the RAF Museum and knows his stuff...... Also, have a gander at "Khaki Drill & Jungle Green" (Brayley/Ingram) by Crowood Press.......another superb title with bags of photos of original kit including tropical...... If it helps, pre-war RAF OA tunics were high-collared (similar to the Army khaki serge type) and these remained in use during early WW2 with some Free European troops serving with the RAF and into the post-war years with Air Cadets......but the regular RAF OA's went into open-neck tunics, I think, around 1937...? Basically an unlined serge jacket, with attachable matching belt, similar to the army type but open-collar.......pre-41 examples have a false "double cuff", post-41 this was deleted........this remained in service right up to the late-50s...... Around 1958-62 the fabric changed to a far smoother material, 'though the style remained the same..... Around 72 the material was changed to a smooth mixed-fibre barathea similar to Army No.2's and the attachable belt deleted along with the support hooks and shoulder eagles for ranks below WO......... During the early-mid 90s, the style was changed again to feature "officer" type barathea (better quality and darker blue), attached belt (again) and the shoulder eagles reintroduced for all ranks below WO........this remains current.........when this revised uniform was introduced, the peaked cap was changed to a stiffer version with an embroidered badge and a new double-breasted flasher mac introduced as well...... Edited January 3, 2013 by wdbikemad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 Many Thanks for the great info. Not into RAF stuff in all honesty(just picked up this tunic)so dont want to go to the expense of books,research etc as doubt very much Ill start collecting the stuff. From your info it sounds like it could well be a Pre 1941 tunic(chuffed if it is) as it has a double cuff of sorts-normal cuff but has 2 rows of stitching sewn around to give the impression of a double type cuff??? Material is quite coarse,KC brass buttons,inside is lined with a sort of french blue denim type material and also has what looks like an FFD pocket at the lower right skirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 Sounds like the pre-41 type.......rough blue-grey serge, "false" cuff, KC buttons and blue drill/denim pocket, lining reinforcement, etc (this can be quite "bright" in some examples)......these were made in a multitude of sizes, and most examples usually have a white cloth label somewhere near the front opening, often with a contract number that gives a clue within it to the year of supply (eg "39") plus the "AM" mark and KC..........these were issued with the light-blue on dark shoulder eagles affixed........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 Sounds like the pre-41 type.......rough blue-grey serge, "false" cuff, KC buttons and blue drill/denim pocket, lining reinforcement, etc (this can be quite "bright" in some examples)......these were made in a multitude of sizes, and most examples usually have a white cloth label somewhere near the front opening, often with a contract number that gives a clue within it to the year of supply (eg "39") plus the "AM" mark and KC..........these were issued with the light-blue on dark shoulder eagles affixed........ Again,thanks for the info. Label still present but totally washed out/faded with nothing at all being visible. Belt still present insignia/patches present are(all hand sewn) pair of eagles on each shoulder,below these pair of patches with a prop on each and on the lower left sleeve just above the false cuff stitching is an upturned l/cpl chevron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAFMT Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 this link :http://www.britairforce.com/imagepages/raf_uniform_fsgt_1936.htm shows the earlier faux-cuff type jacket. You can just about see the line of stitching just below the level of the pocket flaps. Are the Shoulder Eagle and LAC Badge (the propeller) on your example stitched or printed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted January 4, 2013 Author Share Posted January 4, 2013 this link :http://www.britairforce.com/imagepages/raf_uniform_fsgt_1936.htm shows the earlier faux-cuff type jacket. You can just about see the line of stitching just below the level of the pocket flaps.Are the Shoulder Eagle and LAC Badge (the propeller) on your example stitched or printed? Thanks for the link,will check it out now. The eagle and prop appear to be stitched on a wool/felt type base if that makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Nice jacket Harry ! I note it is lined.....later (post-41 issues) lost all lining, retaining just the odd area of reinforcement inside in a similar fashion to the khaki serge Army SD jacket........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 Nice jacket Harry ! I note it is lined.....later (post-41 issues) lost all lining, retaining just the odd area of reinforcement inside in a similar fashion to the khaki serge Army SD jacket........ Thank you very much,thats great news:kiss::kiss: Not into RAF stuff at all and was one of those things,an impulse buy,to maybe keep or probably sell on or trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAFMT Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 couldn't say with 100% certainty without being "face to face" with it, but it appears to be a Canadian manufactured example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted February 11, 2013 Author Share Posted February 11, 2013 Someone else has commented that they thought it could well be a Canadian made tunic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Someone else has commented that they thought it could well be a Canadian made tunic. It may indeed be a Canadian example.....the clue here may be the aforementioned lining (unusual in a RAF O/R's jacket at the time) and the single-pointed breast-pocket flaps.......the RAF issue, including BD, generally always had "3 pointed" breast pocket flaps..............IF Canadian, it would have probably originally had "RCAF" buttons fitted from new (same as RAF but RCAF lettering around the lower edge), subsequently changed for the standard RAF pattern.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 Decided this can go,so if anyone interested open to offers. Great condition just needs a good dry clean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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