WWI Aviators Clothing and Uniforms

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Originally Posted by Matt Witt

Hi Cadet Leader,

The first time I walked in with one of the figures in the room I nearly had a heart attack. I knew he was going to be in there, but you just don't think about it as you walk into a room and suddenly someone (naked at that!) is standing there with his hands on his hips.

Supposedly, it is our guest room, but when we have guests we give them our room and we move upstairs. My wife is worried someone would wake up in the middle of the night and have a heart attack.

I think I would have one, too. Hey, do you ever position them to peek out of the curtains when you go away on vacation? They'd probably make great low maintenance security guards.

You are right about Lt. Ball only having one stripe around his arm. Lts had one, Capts. two, Majors three. If you want to paint Ball as a Captain, he will need three pips and two stripes. In your picture he is a 2d Lt.--one pip and one stripe. I can scan a page showing the spacing for the pips if you want to change his rank.

If I change his rank, I'd probably have to change his aeroplane too. BTW, anyone know what aeroplane and what radial engine that is behind him in the photo?

As to the coat, it may have been a darker brown, but very unlikely black. RNAS used black, but not the RFC. When they were new these coats probably were shiny. Actually my pictures show two different flying coats. One is much darker than the other. If you oil them (and the pilots oiled them) they get darker still.

In that case, I'll paint them a burnt umber with white highlights for the shiny look.

Man, those are gorgeous outfits and coats you've got! Thanks again for your help Matt!

[greatwarpilot]

I've seen brass Canada shoulder flashes from the First World War. Were these worn by both officers and other ranks?

Also were they worn very often in the RFC? I've never seen a good picture of an RFC Officer wearing a set of these, and if they were worn in the flying services this seems strange since there were a good number of Canadian flyers.

[insignia]

Officers of the RFC certainly wore the CANADA title on their epaulets. I have seen contemporary photographs showing the use of metal ones, and also in bullion embroidery. There is a wonderful example of such insignia at “The Aero Conservancy” website, see http://aeroconservancy.com/mitchell.htm .

Best Wishes,
Insignia

[Jim Bruton]

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