Basic duty uniform ETO

[priestyboy]

Looking to put together a basic AAC officer/pilot uniform that would
have been worn on a normal ETO day around the English airbase. Maybe
on a dreary and misty "off-day" from flying a mission.

Would it have been a "pink/chocolate" shirt and say a pair of "pink"
pants with an A-2 or M-41 jacket or could a pilot get away with the
mustard top and bottom? Not looking for the flight suit look.
Something that a gent could "step out" into town in.

How about the shoes? Roughouts, russet low quarters or garrison shoes?

I'm familiar with the PTO uniforms (khakis) but AAC ETO is new to me
and I want to get it right.

As the weather gets cooler I'm falling prey to the lure of a cool English
morn and the warmth of the woolen and darker colors. Hot tea, the
smell of wood burning and the scent of a good pipe tobacco build the
anticipation of the Fall and set into motion visions of all those 8th
AF "Masters of the Air" .

 

[Dixon Cannon]

If Hollywood got it right, Lt. David Halloran dressed like this when he went
'down the smoke' and met nurse Margaret Sellinger in Hanover Street.
It seemed to work for him - until the final scene anyway.

Me? I hang around like this and let the nurses find me!

-Dixon Cannon

...and yes that is a 'ciggie' pocket on the sleeve,
just like Gen. Frank Savage had (TOCH c.'65)

 

[Dixon Cannon]

As the weather gets cooler I'm falling prey to the lure of a cool English
morn and the warmth of the woolen and darker colors. Hot tea, the
smell of wood burning and the scent of a good pipe tobacco build the
anticipation of the Fall and set into motion visions of all those 8th AF "Masters of the Air" .

You and me both, brother! You and me both.

-dixon cannon

 

[MPicciotto]

In the Army documentary film on the real Memphis Belle at the briefing it seemed every officer was wearing a DIFFERENT variation of the "uniform". Seemed like every conceivable variation of khaki, chocolate and different shades of leather jackets. There is a really low resolution copy on Youtube but if you have access to a nice one it's a good view to give you ideas of what uniforms they really wore and the variations.

Matt

 

[Fletch]

"Walking out"

Headgear: Crush cap or garrison cap, dark OD, elastique (or felt for some crushers).

Top layer: A-2 flight jacket, Class A dark OD blouse, or "Ike" (typically cut down from a blouse; there was also the rare B-13, an Ike with slash hand pockets).

Shirt: Dark OD or pinks wool gabardine, or khaki tropical.
Tie: any of those colors (the OD shirt always called for a lighter tie).

Bottom layer: Pinks or dark OD elastique trouser, khaki web or self belt (custom made of the trou material).

Low quarter russet laceups or monkstraps, or rarely, "officer last" ankle boots (built like the low quarters).

Somehow I don't recall pix of AAF officers in mustard woolens. There must have been a few, but the elastiques and gabs were very much part of air officers' style.

If Lieut. Halloran had been in my outfit he would have found his bed pillow soaked in hair tonic by person or persons unknown.

 

[MPicciotto]

Actually winter/ETO uniforms for my impression are next on my agenda. As I don't have any wools yet at all. Right now I'm sort of limited to portraying a Chaplain with the AAF to areas of tropical persuasion and loose uniform regulations.

Matt