Italian flight jackets

[Italian-wiseguy]

Some time ago, in a far far away thread

someone asked what kind of jackets did italian pilots wore in WWII.

So I come up now (better late than never) with these pictures, hoping to be useful.

The jacket was called "Marus" or "Giusti", the name of the main two firms committed to produce the garments;
they were basically cloth jackets with removable liner and removable mouton (fake mouton) collar, knitted cuffs and waistband;

there were numerous versions, seemingly issued without too much logic, differences laying mainly in the pockets (two, three, side entry o reverse entry, zippered or not).

as you can see italian pilots tended to prefer a confortable or forgiving fit, I'd say an abundant one:

(that's why I'm prone to the disbelieve the idea of A2s being tightly fitted due to cramped cockpit spaces... besides, also Irvins and B2s seem quite generous in their proportions)

italian pilots working with germans, or operating german planes, received sometime german equipments as well:

well, I hope this was of some interest for someone.

Ciao!!

 

[Spitfire]

Not exactly high end fashion as one could expect from Italy - but pretty cool anyway. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

You're pretty right, Spitfire

Actually as Italy was still a kind of poor country, at least compared with other european States, italian government should have stayed away from stupid colonial wars, and even more stupid alliances with other dictatorships...
nonetheless, they sent soldiers in war with basically all they can easily put their hands on. Which resulted in the very low quality of italian equipment.

One aviation ace living here, Luigi Gorrini, remembered how he was completely re-equipped and re-fitted by the Germans at the moment of his arrival in Belgium (if I remember correctly). He was astonished observing how they looked advanced and rich in materials compared with italian military.

Well, I myself have heard a lot of former italian POWs telling me how they admired british or american organization and equipment. while they had to rely basically on "arte di arrangiarsi" (spirit of adaption and "do it by yourself" ).

On the other hand, I always thought that italian flight jacket design (that dates back to the '30s) somehow predated the B-10.

Ciao!

 

[Phantomfixer]

My first thought is that it looks like a tanker jacket with a collar. I like it. Thanks for doing the legwork.

 

[Widebrim]

Yeah, I would have expected better-looking jackets from the Italians, but as you said, that wasn't the best time period for fashion in the Italian military...

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

Another one:

cloth, knit cuffs, slash (zippered) hand warmers pockets... definitely pre-B15

 

[Widebrim]

Boy, the Royal Air Force was certainly into those wide, thick collars.

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

It looks so indeed... I'm just wondering why. Probably it had something to do with the preference of italian pilots for open cockpits: as they were used to old antiquated biplanes fighters (CR 32 and 42), I've read that when they finally got new planes they somehow regret the lack of visual in closed cockpits, so the FIAT e.g. modified the G50 doing an open cockpit version...
this turned to be very unfavorable during Battle of Britain, when italian pilots suffered enormously for the cold...

ciao!

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

I've been asked by PM about italian ground crews, so I began to do my better to find about their uniforms.

As in every thing italian, turns out it's a big casino (mess, to use an euphemism)

It looks that ground crews (specialisti) were issued a "combination" or in colloquial italian a "tuta" (the word herself has an interesting origin) as a working uniform:

pilots' "tuta" or flight suit was, in summer, a white one very similar to the above ones, but (sometimes) zippered instead of buttoned; then again, period photographs I've found show a great variety of uniforms and flight/working suits, which leads me to things that fliyng and working personel sometimes mixed or switched things.

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

Some other just to show the many different variations and improvisations "on the field":

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

Finally some other pilots:

a (private purchase?) leather flight jacket:

and two guys sporting their new "german style" haircut:

 

[cco23i]

OUTSTANDING!! THANKS!! Now to build ANOTHER uniform


Scott

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

Some other ground crew for you!

the photo is marked as "specialisti (ground crew) during a pause, 194?"

northern Africa, guard duty

 

[cco23i]

OUTSTANDING as usual!!! THANKS!!

Scott

 

[dr greg]

This is possibly relevant here
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?52815-Opinions-gentlemen-please&highlight=

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

I've answered there
ciao!

 

[Bonneville]

Interesting pictures, thank you. It never occurred to me that Italian pilots participated in the Battle of Britain. Am I correct in assuming they flew German planes?

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

Mussolini's policy was to achieve “visibility” even at the cost of real effectiveness; that's why he sent submarines in huge numbers to the Atlantic instead of concentrating to the vital (for Italy) mediterranean routes etc.

During Battle of Britain, italians flew BR20 bombers and C42 (biplanes!) and G50 fighters; and other planes obviously, but I don't know for sure if they had german planes. They received technical and material support nonetheless.

Italian aircraft industry was actually quite advanced in theory, and perfectly capable of create very good planes
(Macchi C202 and 205, FIAT G50 and 55, Reggian Re 2005);
it came form a tradition of transatlantic flights, speed trophies etc.

The regime took great pride in these things and had a preference for Air Force, cause Fascim, contrary to popular perception, was all about “modernity”, “fast”, “rationalism” and the like. Great influence from italian Futurism.

But the industry was hampered by the lack of a serious and logical guide (incapability to chose between similar projects , which lead to disperse the efforts in prodcution of similar planes in limited numbers) and growing lack of resources.
And also by the stupid Mussolini's perception of being always “ahead” in things, which prevented italian Air Force to modernize their lines (which they coudl have done quite easily).

So at least for the first part of the war, and in secondary theatre, italian piltos flew antiquated planes.
I know for sure that they received Messerschmitts and Stukas by thegermans; also, I know of german pilots flying Macchis.

After 1943, the legimitate air force fighting alongside the Aliies continued using italian planes but flew also Sptifires, Airacobras and Baltimores...