1950's British Army AOP pilots

[paul_c]

i'm just in the process of building Airfix's little Auster to help reduce some of my stash before i deploy and im doing it in the 1952 AAC colours. as this kit has no cockpit detail atall, i'm just going to use the pilot figure to help fill the void. how should he be painted? did the AOP pilots wear the same as pilots of faster aircraft or did they just wear the issue army uniform with a headset?

Edited September 2, 2008 by paul_c

[Dave Fleming]

Army uniform and variations on it! - was about to give you a link to a really useful site, but can't find the link and the recent 'disorganisation' of the www.army.mod site means the link from there have gone (No individual AAC squadron pages anymore - just looks like a recruiting site now)

I'll see if I can find it.

EDIT: hey, my google skills are better than I thought!!

http://www.656squadron.org/

Just have your sound turned down!!

Edited September 2, 2008 by Dave Fleming

[The original Kit Builder]

Actually, RAF Battle Dress and KD uniform, dependant on the theatre and time of year. In the tropics, it is most likely that aircrew would have flown in KD, often wearing shorts, with the 1940's pattern leather flying helmet and goggles.

Officially, they would have been required to wear cotton flying overalls, with boots and gloves. These overalls were a Khaki or buff colour when new, but I don't think I've ever seen a pair outside the RAF museum.

Edited to say: Sorry. I've just re-read the opening post and spotted the AAC bit, in which case Dave Fleming is right about Army Battle Dress. I'm too used to thinking of Austers in Army Co-operation Flights.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Kit builder