Showing 11 results

Archival description
2019.208.1 · Item · undated [1954-1972]
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive
Peaked cap made of blue-grey wool and black woven mohair band around the crown. It has the emblems of the Royal Air Force at the front: a gold coloured metal eagle over a goldwork embroidery wreath, surmounted by a red velvet and gold wire embroidered St Edward's Crown emblem. Around the front of the hat crown across the peak is the chinstrap - two thin bands of patent leather that cross over each other and are kept in place with loops of the same material. The top part of the crown of the cap has a piped edge and there are two black metal eyelet holes on the left side. The inside hat band is tan coloured leather and the top of the crown is lined in brown semi-transparent plastic. Royal Air Force
2019.208.10 · Item · 1973
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive
Royal Air Force No. 1 Service Dress Officer's blue grey wool tailored trousers to go with jacket 2019.208.6. They have a narrow waist band with hook and bar fastening tab and centre front fly fastening with a LIGHTENING metal zip. On each side of the waist band are waist adjusting tabs with buckle fastenings. The front of the trousers features two small pleats, one on each side of the centre, two vertical pockets and narrowly cut trouser legs. The waistband lining and pocket bags are pale grey synthetic - possibly nylon. Tailors label in the back right side of inside waistband. Royal Air Force
2019.208.2 · Item · 1972
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive
Blue grey short Royal Air Force 1972 pattern No. 2 Service Working Dress jacket with centre front zip fastening. It has a turn down collar and lapels with two angled pockets at the chest, each fastening with a zip. There are tabs with buckles and sliders at each side seam near the hem to draw the waist in. The shoulder epaulettes have three lines of black and pale blue braid signifying the rank of Wing Commander. Over the left chest pocket is the RAF Flight Engineers half brevet badge - embroidered in gold and cream thread on a black background the design is of two bronze laurel branches encircling the capital letter 'E' with a single wing, extending to the right as viewed. Below the badge are medal ribbons for the Second World War (1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945). Royal Air Force
2019.208.3 · Item · 1972
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive
Blue grey short Royal Air Force 1972 pattern No. 2 Service Working Dress jacket with centre front zip fastening. It has a turn down collar and lapels with two angled pockets at the chest, each fastening with a zip. There are epaulettes on each shoulder and tabs with buckles and sliders at each side seam near the hem to draw the waist in. No rank insignia. Royal Air Force
2019.208.4 · Item · 1961
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive

Blue grey wool short Royal Air Force No. 5 Mess Dress uniform tailored jacket to go with trousers 2019.208.9. The jacket is waist length with a turn down collar and wide pointed lapels in grey grosgrain silk. On the left lapel is the RAF Flight Engineers half brevet badge - embroidered in gold thread on a blue grey background the design is of two bronze laurel branches encircling the capital letter 'E' with a single wing in gold wire, extending to the right as viewed. The cuffs are embellished with three rows of gold braid - the insignia of a Wing Commander.

The front of the jacket has six gold coloured brass buttons on the front embossed with the RAF emblem, three on each side. The buttons are narrowly spaced at the waist and widen to the chest. There are four buttonholes , two on each side. At the back the bottom of the jacket is cut in two curves over the hips meeting at a point in the centre waist. The back is cut in three curved panels. It is lined in cream rayon with lines of machine quilting under the arms and across the front sides. There is a hanging loop in the back of the neck and tailors label on the inside of a pocket in the lining on the right side.

Royal Air Force
2019.208.5 · Item · nd [1951-1972]
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive

Blue grey Royal Air Force No. 1 Service Dress officer's uniform jacket. Single-breasted with four pockets, it has an open notched collar, four button fastening (the bottom of which is concealed by the waist belt), pleated breast pockets with scalloped button flaps, bellows skirt pockets with rectangular button flaps and right waist ticket pocket. It has a detachable waist belt of matching cloth secured at the front by a double-pronged brass buckle and black metal press studs. There are two lengths of grey cotton tape sewn to the inside of the belt and secured with black metal press studs to thread through the small grey rayon belt loops at each side waist.

All buttons are silver coloured metal Queen's Crown RAF pattern with 'GAUNT LONDON' etched into the back, except for bottom front fastening button which is plain brass. Around each cuff is sewn the RAF rank braid Wing Commander of three rings of a light blue stripe flanked either side by broad black stripes. The back of the jacket has a centre vent.

Over the upper left breast is the RAF Flight Engineers half brevet badge - embroidered in gold and cream thread on a black background the design is of two bronze laurel branches encircling the capital letter 'E' with a single wing, extending to the right as viewed. Below the badge are medal ribbons for the Second World War (1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945). Tailors label in the back of the neck and in the inside right chest pocket. Lined in dark grey twill rayon. Small section of darning below the bottom front button hole on the edge of the jacket.

Royal Air Force
2019.208.6 · Item · 1973
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive

Blue grey Royal Air Force No. 1 Service Dress officer's uniform jacket (no belt) to go with trousers 2019.208.10. Single-breasted with four pockets, it has an open notched collar, four button fastening (the bottom of which is concealed by the waist belt), pleated breast pockets with scalloped button flaps, bellows skirt pockets with rectangular button flaps, and right waist ticket pocket.

All buttons are silver coloured metal Queen's Crown RAF pattern with 'GAUNT LONDON' etched into the back, except for bottom front fastening button which is plain brass. Around each cuff is sewn the RAF rank braid Wing Commander of three rings of a light blue stripe flanked either side by broad black stripes. The back of the jacket has a centre vent with two grey cotton tape loops sewn at waist level.

Over the upper left breast is the RAF Flight Engineers half brevet badge - embroidered in gold and cream thread on a black background the design is of two bronze laurel branches encircling the capital letter 'E' with a single wing, extending to the right as viewed. Below the badge are medal ribbons for the Second World War (1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945). Tailors label the inside lining chest pocket. Lined in dark grey twill rayon with remnants of cut white stitching under each arm in the lining.

Royal Air Force
2019.208.7 · Item · nd [1951-1972]
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive
Royal Air Force uniform calf-length double-breasted greatcoat of blue-grey wool Melton cloth. It features a turn-down convertible collar (worn open or closed) with wide lapels and button-down shoulder epaulettes. The coat is front fastening with five rows of two buttons with a concealed button-tab fastening at knee level. It has an angled slash pocket with rectangular flap to either side of the waist and turn-back sleeve cuffs. The back of the coat has an inverted pleat down the centre back seam and long centre vent. At the waist is a fixed rear half-belt fitted with two buttons. All external buttons are of the silver coloured brass RAF pattern (Queen's Crown) with 'GAUNT LONDON' etched into the back. Internally, the greatcoat is partially lined in blue-grey rayon fabric. Sewn to the base of either shoulder epaulette are three thin rank braids of blue flanked by black, denoting the rank of Wing Commander. Royal Air Force
2019.208.8 · Item · 1952
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive
Royal Air Force blue grey wool gaberdine raincoat or overcoat. It is calf-length and double-breasted with a large turn-down convertible collar (worn open or closed) and wide notched lapels. The coat has button-down shoulder epaulettes and a button-down storm flap to the front-right shoulder. It is front fastening with five rows of two black plastic buttons and has a detachable waist belt of matching fabric with a single-pronged leather-faced buckle and metal eyelets. The belt can be fitted through two belt loops at the rear waist. There are vertical welted slash pockets, with single button closure, to either side of the waist and the sleeve cuffs have button-tab adjusters. At the back is a tail vent fastened by one button. All buttons are of black plastic and are of the four-hole type. Internally, the greatcoat is fully-lined in pale grey twill cotton with a hanging loop (damaged) in the back of the neck. Royal Air Force
2019.208.9 · Item · 1961
Part of Westminster Menswear Archive
Blue grey wool Royal Air Force No. 5 Mess Dress uniform tailored trousers to go with jacket 2019.208.4. They fasten centre front with a four black plastic button fly and have six white plastic buttons sewn into the inside waist to attach braces. The trousers have a high waist and the waist band rises at the back with a V-shaped notch in the centre - there are no belt loops. The trouser legs are narrowly cut. The trouser front features a single pleat on each side of the centre front fly and vertical inset pockets to each side seam. The inside waistband and back facing are made of cream twill rayon and the pocket bags are light grey cotton. Royal Air Force