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Post by shorty on Oct 7, 2010 18:43:14 GMT 12
Looking through photos of RNZAF aircraft and their crews raised a few questions regarding the uniforms being worn.
Some of these questions are:
When was battledress uniform introduced for groundcrew?
When were the "button to the kneck" battledress blouses replaced by the "open neck" variety?
When were SD (i.e peaked) caps introduced for wear with SD uniforms?
When was the requirement to wear F/S caps on servicing duties (e.g. on the tarmac) rescinded?
When were the post war ski caps introduced?
Were tropical weight F/S caps issued to all ranks during the war years?
Some of this information could be useful when dating photos
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 7, 2010 19:01:46 GMT 12
The SD caps were worn by all ranks before the war, I think they were not so common among airmen during the war as they were more costly to mass produce.
I know when the ski caps were canned by the army and they went back to berets again if that helps. I can get the date. Maybe the RNZAF ditched them at the same time, they are nearly identical (look like something from Thunderbirds!). I assume Hills Hats made them. I have never seen one in either the RNZAF or Army museums, they must not have been too proud of them.
Did the groundcrew in NZ actually get issued battledress? I can't think of seeing any shots of groundcrew in the RNZAF in battledress, within NZ at least.
Open neck battedress was only for officers, wasn't it? Designed so the shirt and tie could be seen. I'm no expert so could be wide of the mark.
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Post by shorty on Oct 7, 2010 19:06:48 GMT 12
May be I should have included post war in this as well but I couldn't find a board for just RNZAF in general.
My dad was wearing a ski cap in the early 60s and we were issued with the open neck battledress when I joined up.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 7, 2010 20:53:28 GMT 12
Ah right, I'm witrh you on the open neck battledress now. I think that may have come in in the 1950's CMT days, didn't it?
The Army ski caps were done away with just after the No. 1 RNZIR had moved from Malaya into Borneo in 1965. My mate Peter was in the regiment and had to come home for his brother's funeral. When he reported to camp to get back to Malaya he was issues a beret and when he arrived on the Hercules back in Malaya a Warrant Officer accosted him, asking what the 'ell he thought he was wearing on his head. He explained he was given it at Burnham, and when the WO told him he had to wear what everyone else was wearing, Peter said he couldn't wear the ski cap as he'd binned it. "YOU WHAT???" But Peter was lucky, he'd been ordered to bin it. The WO was fuming and as they had no ski caps to give him he let Peter go. Peter said the next day the rest of the regiment was issued with berets that had also come in on the Hercules and all told to bin their skicaps much to the chagrin of the WO who'd been trying to work out how he could charge Peter. So he was the first member of the Regt with a beret. I could find out the month if it matters, but it was 1965.
I'm glad they went back to the beret, the skicaps looked so silly.
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Post by shorty on Oct 8, 2010 6:43:19 GMT 12
My old man reckoned the ski caps were better than the F/S hats, at least they stayed on your head and the peak kept the sun out of your eyes, also kept the rain off, good if you wear glasses. He said the only downside was you couldn't stuff then in your pocket.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 8, 2010 18:29:28 GMT 12
Yes, I can see all those points. A pity they looked like Hitler Youth hats
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Post by oggie2620 on Oct 9, 2010 21:54:43 GMT 12
Would the Air Force Museum be able to answer these timeline queries?
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