WWI Aviators Clothing and Uniforms

[MicroSculpt]

French uniforms. A bewildering subject indeed!

Sorry, I can't offer any insight. I'd be interested in a good reference source on the subject myself. The Osprey book seems somewhat basic.

For instance, there were at least three different uniform colors: horizon blue, blue black and a variety of tan I believe. And sometimes the red pants. What dictated what they wore? When were they issued?

Heck, this could be a whole thread of its own!

Good luck. Hopefully there is someone with a wellspring of information reading this now.

Cheers!

Tom

["Junior"]

Originally Posted by Matt Witt

By the way, thanks to Junior and MicroSculpt for the info on "Pukka". I had never heard the term. Now I'm trying to unobtrusively work it into conversations. I just hope I'm not mispronouncing it: Puke-a, Pook-a, Puck-a. I'll figure this out sooner or later.

Hi Matt,

You pronounce it "puck-a". Not a horrendously rare word in Britain and her younger former colonies, especially with the older generation. Unfortunately that "Naked Chef" fellow has hijacked it and "pukka tucker" is all the rage.

Cheers,

Junior.

[AAC Cadet Leader]

I have a black and white photo of Guynemer and am referencing it to make a small painting. If anyone can give me details of the colors of his uniform, overcoat and the cowling of his Spad XIII (not his Spad VII), I'd be very grateful. Thanks in advance!

Hi Cadet Leader,

Do you have the photo you are working from? The French had half a dozen different uniform colors, nearly any of which could be worn by anybody at any given point in time. It also makes a difference if he's in a uniform versus a flight suit, the type and cut of flying coat, etc.

Always glad to see and hear from you.

Matt

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Thanks Matt! I also need assistance with the colors of Albert Ball's RAF uniform and his aeroplane as well as its ID.

Great to hear from you, too!


(photos scanned from book, Chronicle of Aviation, 1992, publishers Chronicle Communications)

[gilles]

I'm not a specialist but here are some infos on french uniforms:

There was no independant french air force, it was an army service. Pilots and observers were skilled soldiers "on loan" from their regiments. Most of them came from cavalry (bored by life and death in the trenches) and so were very proud to sport exotic uniforms (dragoons, hussards, spahis...) when horizon blue was the norm.
Officers had gold winged star on collar and everyone should have a winged prop on the sleeve (gold for pilot) but i have not seen too many.

About Guynemer, he enlisted as an aviation mechanic trainee, so his uniform was a,er..., aviation one : very dark blue, so dark that some witnesses refer to it as black.

I don't know about his overcoat but guess it's the best leather/fur quality because at this time Guynemer was a popstar much photographed.

All his Spads were in beige/yellow factory colors (like the one on top of this page).

gilles

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Thank you for your input Gilles! What other blues are comparable to "horizon blue"?

The overcoat pictured above appears to me to be made of cloth, not leather, but maybe it is leather. Any other opinions out there?

At least I can get started on painting the Spad a beigeish yellow. Is that Guynemer's Spad on the Forum masthead?

[WarrenD]

Cadet Leader,
Yes, that is Guynemer's Spad on the masthead. His flying coat *could* be cloth instead of leather, as it could be a more lightweight coat for summer. Who knows?
As for Ball's uniform, AFAIK it is the standard OD/Khaki wool. Which a/c of Ball's are you enquiring about?

Warren

[WarrenD]

Cadet Leader,
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this, the "Horizon Blue" is very comparable to "sky blue" but a little darker IMHO. For another look, go to:

http://www.schipperfabrik.com/

Go to "French Products", then to "French Uniforms" and scroll through the different products. IMHO this gent is offering much more accurate repros than Great War Militaria ever did. The wool seems more correct to me. (I spent no small amount of time in years past figuring out wool used in 19th c.a dn early 20th c. uniforms, LOL!) I have no connection to this business, I just thought his repros looked pretty decent.

Warren

[AAC Cadet Leader]

WarrenD,
Much thanks for your assistance! Did they ever put fur collars on cloth coats?

As for my question about Ball's aircraft, it is the one pictured above behind him that I'm wondering about.