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RAF Fighter Pilots in white overall flight suit.


YK GOH

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I noticed some pilots in Battle of Britain wear white overall.

Also seen a photo of the pilot with Buffalo W8138 of 488 (NZ) Squadron who was also in white overall.

Is the white overall an indication of rank or just an alternate uniform for fighter pilots?

Look forward to a better understanding of this.

YK

Singapore

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Air Vice Marshal Keith Park (as he was then) was in Command of 11 Group during the Battle of Britain and was well-known for wearing an all-white flight suit when he arrived at RAF stations for any visit.

 

I don't have information about any other wearers of all-white suits, but other contributors may well add their ideas.

 

HTH

 

SD

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The white flight suit was in common use between the wars.  They started to be replaced by darker alternatives but, as noted, some were still in use in 1941.

 

This link may provide more info:

 

https://www.blightymilitaria.com/en-GB/ww2-raf-uniforms/rare-original-late-1930s-raf-white-prestige-flying-suit/prod_52902#.ZBG91XbMJPY

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I think those who had the white suit used them as an unofficial way of demonstrating they were a proper pilot of the world’s best flying club and not some Johnny-come-lately Hostilities only type!  I think Jeffrey Quill mentions keeping his white overalls in his book.  
Bader and the 23 Sqn team wore them to display at Hendon 1931 and 2 members of 242 are wearing them alongside Bader in his buff/brown sidcot in a famous team photo by a hurricane in 1940.  That’s just in one pilot’s biography, plenty more examples in books about interwar RAF.
These pre-war pilots would be officers with a Batman to keep their whites white!

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There is a story that 607 Sq RAAF (County of Durham) wore black overalls to distinguish themselves from lesser squadrons, in reference to derogatory comments about "coal miners".  Sadly the story appears to be untrue, although some black examples can be seen apparently this was part of a general RAF change, or at least alternative, rather than specific to the one unit.

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Hi

    a few of the pre war raf trained pilots i had the chance to talk to wore white in ww2 

   the said it identified them from wartine  trained recruits

    cheers

       jerry 

   

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14 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

There is a story that 607 Sq RAAF (County of Durham) wore black overalls to distinguish themselves from lesser squadrons, in reference to derogatory comments about "coal miners".  Sadly the story appears to be untrue, although some black examples can be seen apparently this was part of a general RAF change, or at least alternative, rather than specific to the one unit.

Aaaww Graham, you've just torpedoed my beliefs and northern pride.😅

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The darker Prestige Suit was very popular with the pilots of 264 Squadron. They can be seen in the image taken at RAF Debden which is part of the life magazine set. The other image is my late friend Bertie Wootten who wore his Prestige into 1942.

 

LQtm2la.jpg

 

p0Ye7iO.jpg

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3 hours ago, YK GOH said:

Found this paper from the Journal of Aeronautical History.

 

https://www.aerosociety.com/media/4847/a-brief-history-of-flying-clothing.pdf

 

The use of the white flight suit is mentioned.

The paper itself is an interesting read.

 

YK

What a fascinating document.

Thank you for posting it.

 

Chris.

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According to Mark Hillier there were many types of suit used in this period, some issued, some privately purchased.  The main ones in use were th Sidcot suit (greenish-fawn cotton, stores ref 22c/54), the White Unlined Flying Suit (stores ref 22c), the privately purchased white "Prestige" suit, a la Keith Park (as seen in the famous photo of Bader and the 242 pilots, although in that one Bader wears the Sidcot suit), and a black version of the "Prestige" suit.

 

The White Unlined Flying Suit had a vertical collar and map pockets situated at mid-thigh and a double row of buckle holes on the belt.  All four pockets were closed with brass RAF buttons.  In contrast, the "Prestige" suit had a V-shaped collar, map pockets low down on the leg (just under the knee), a single row of belt-buckle holes, smaller buttons on the breast pockets and none on the leg pockets.

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On 16/03/2023 at 09:14, AndyL said:

The darker Prestige Suit was very popular with the pilots of 264 Squadron. They can be seen in the image taken at RAF Debden which is part of the life magazine set. The other image is my late friend Bertie Wootten who wore his Prestige into 1942.

 

LQtm2la.jpg

 

p0Ye7iO.jpg

 

A quite excellent photo Andy. Unfortunately it seems you don't accept p.m.'s as I had a question re copyright.

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On 3/18/2023 at 10:40 AM, V Line said:

 

A quite excellent photo Andy. Unfortunately it seems you don't accept p.m.'s as I had a question re copyright.


Apparently my inbox was full, so I had to delete a few old ones. Feel free to drop me a line now, if you so wish.

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