WWI Aviator Look

[MudInYerEye]

It's not actually that easy-

Short leather jackets were not common at this time but later became popular between the Wars- the Barnstorming, private aviation and Mail Pilot thing.
The A-1 type jacket was a post-WW1 style -around mid '20s up to the beginning of WW2.
It was a military version of a civilian sporting jacket.

Actually Martin the basic design of the A-1 jacket became popular with American aviators and motorcyclists alike (often the same folks, riding their bikes to the airfield) in the mid to late teens. Rin Tanake's first jacket book reprints a page from the 1918 Harley Davidson catalog with an A-1 style jacket for sale. Thus when the USAAC offically adapted the pattern in 1927 they were incorporating a design long-loved by aviators.

 

[BellyTank]

...that's kinda what I said almost- I don't disagree-

I bow to Rin Tanakakakakaka..ka...

Oh- and your Avatar as early Aviator reference by the way!

Here's an 'A-1'- one of the many variations of regulation or commercial...

B
T

 

[Zemke Fan]

But unfortunately, Eastman's RAF sweater is nothing like what the RAF used... it's more like a RN Submariner's sweater.

B
T

Gee, for $145.00 bucks you'd think they could get it right... Well, at least J. Peterman's $90.00 RAF scarf is accurate... RIGHT?

 

[BellyTank]

...I guess...

B
T

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Or you could wear monogrammed gray silk pajamas under your flight suit like Manfred Von Richthofen did when he was shot down April 21, 1918.
Of course he had a bit more latitude with flight gear than the average line pilot did.

A couple of interesting shots of his flight gear at this site:


http://www.ctie.monash.edu/hargrave/duigan_3squadron_06.html

 

[WetDog]

Yeah ... bundle up. Its darn cold in those cockpits from what I've read.

Oh ... and a plane. The look isn't complete without a plane.

Richard

 

[Baggers]

Gee, for $145.00 bucks you'd think they could get it right... Well, at least J. Peterman's $90.00 RAF scarf is accurate... RIGHT?

Greetings, this is my first post on the forum and I had to jump in. As a matter of fact, the J. Peterman scarf is not quite right. I just got one last week and the polka dot pattern looks a bit too widely spaced when compared to a picture of Douglas Bader wearing his. That's the problem when you use color drawings of your offerings as opposed to photographs -- too much room for "artistic license." Beyond that, it seems to be a nice scarf.

Jerry Lee at What Price Glory just got in a shipment of RN/RAF white roll neck sweaters and I got mine today. At $68, it's a nice bargain compared to the Eastman version. The sleeves could be longer for my build, but I'm hoping it will stretch out.

Cheers!

 

[PADDY]

Don't get too hung up on details...

I really wouldn't get 'too hung up' on details (ie) is the dot spacing exactly the same as Bader's cravat or scarf. You just start making life overly difficult for yourselves, and at the end of the day, are you really trying to be exactly like someone else? Because these original guys weren't! They were expressing themselves, but also just being practical when flying (often open cockpit, if thinking of WW1) an aircraft.
As far as white turtle neck sweaters. Well, I've seen them in all shapes, sizes and colours guys. Seen them in greens and browns..etc. Someone mentioned Manfred's (Red Baron) silk PJs under his flight suit. Good example of practicality overcoming fashion!!
Personally, I'd recommend you go for 'a look' that captures that era, but tailor it around yourself. So if you want a red silk scarf with blue tassles, then go for it! Surely you have noticed already how aviators seem to get away with more personal expression in both wars than the grunts on the ground! So have fun experimenting :cheers1:

(some great examples and suggestions coming out of this thread to help all you guys on your way to that early to mid 20th C. military aviator look!)

 

[Rigby Reardon]

Gosh, this is the closest I ever got to looking like a WWI flying ace...


Seriously, though, I have always wanted to do this as a costume, but never knew where to find the information. This forum just keeps on surprising me - this is a WEALTH of information! Thank you!

J

(P.S. On a serious note about the silliness, there is a great article here: ( http://www.maaa.org/exhi_usa/exhibitions/snoopy/snoopy.html ), at MAAA/EUSA, about an exhibit tour focusing solely on Shultz' portrayal of Snoopy portraying a WWI Flying Ace, and it's an interesting (but short) article. Exhibit tour through the midwest and NY,NY, mid 2006-2008. )

 

[Zemke Fan]

I really wouldn't get 'too hung up' on details... You just start making life overly difficult for yourselves, and at the end of the day, are you really trying to be exactly like someone else? Because these original guys weren't! They were expressing themselves... Personally, I'd recommend you go for 'a look' that captures that era, but tailor it around yourself... Surely you have noticed already how aviators seem to get away with more personal expression in both wars than the grunts on the ground! So have fun experimenting.

Paddy, I have distilled your advice down to the essentials and I would only add that I agree with you 110%. In the next couple of days I plan to start a thread showing the WIDE range of colors in the dress shirts (mostly original) that I have assembled for my WWII kit. For those of us who buy this stuff to wear (thankfully there aren't TOO many mannequins here on the FL) it IS (or should be) all about the look!

 

[Mojave Jack]

I really wouldn't get 'too hung up' on details (ie) is the dot spacing exactly the same as Bader's cravat or scarf. You just start making life overly difficult for yourselves, and at the end of the day, are you really trying to be exactly like someone else? Because these original guys weren't! They were expressing themselves, but also just being practical when flying (often open cockpit, if thinking of WW1) an aircraft.
As far as white turtle neck sweaters. Well, I've seen them in all shapes, sizes and colours guys. Seen them in greens and browns..etc. Someone mentioned Manfred's (Red Baron) silk PJs under his flight suit. Good example of practicality overcoming fashion!!
Personally, I'd recommend you go for 'a look' that captures that era, but tailor it around yourself. So if you want a red silk scarf with blue tassles, then go for it! Surely you have noticed already how aviators seem to get away with more personal expression in both wars than the grunts on the ground! So have fun experimenting :cheers1:

(some great examples and suggestions coming out of this thread to help all you guys on your way to that early to mid 20th C. military aviator look!)

Well put, Paddy. :cheers1:

 

[PADDY]

WW1 aviator look

I understand that the thread is about getting a WW1 aviator 'look' for one of the boys here. Be interesting to hear how useful MyCroft has found the focused input so far to achieving 'that look!', as quite a few ideas and interpretations have been shared

I'd just like to thank all of you with the way you've helped, directed, suggested and advised to early aviator style looks, types of garments to think about, and places that one might consider looking at for getting some items.
And all in a gentlemanly & focused (home in time for tea and medals) fashion too!:cheers1:

You do make a great team guys, and I for one always find these threads educational and inspiring. I hope the rest of you are getting some new & fresh things from these discussions too!
So much so, I'm off to get a set of Von Richthoften silk jammies now to fly my Fokker tri-plane bed in, as winter is well and truely set in on the Scottish border.

 

[Biggles]

Pyjamas were quite common for the Dawn Patrol...If you want more "Uniform" styles,,any Officer's kit can have "Wings" added..as the RFC was part of the Army,transfers were common(or go RNAS with a Reefer jacket....)

 

[Wild Root]

A WWI look I like!

Eddie Rickenbacker sure looked tough! Then again, flying one of them early birds would do it to a guy I'm sure! The WWI class A look is hard to do right because the originals are always so small in size!

=WR=

Another shot I like of him.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I understand that the thread is about getting a WW1 aviator 'look' for one of the boys here. Be interesting to hear how useful MyCroft has found the focused input so far to achieving 'that look!', as quite a few ideas and interpretations have been shared

I'd just like to thank all of you with the way you've helped, directed, suggested and advised to early aviator style looks, types of garments to think about, and places that one might consider looking at for getting some items.
And all in a gentlemanly & focused (home in time for tea and medals) fashion too!:cheers1:

You do make a great team guys, and I for one always find these threads educational and inspiring. I hope the rest of you are getting some new & fresh things from these discussions too!
So much so, I'm off to get a set of Von Richthoften silk jammies now to fly my Fokker tri-plane bed in, as winter is well and truely set in on the Scottish border.

Whoof!

 

[BellyTank]

...OK, here's another with Clara for Scott...

B
T

 

[Baron Kurtz]

So much so, I'm off to get a set of Von Richthoften silk jammies now to fly my Fokker tri-plane bed in, as winter is well and truely set in on the Scottish border.

Where on the Scottish border would that be? I'm from the Borders myself (Kelso). There is at least one WWII airbase near Kelso - now used as a grain plant.

bk

 

[Wild Root]

Great photos BT!:clap

=WR=

 

[Matt Deckard]

By the by... if you have not yet seen Wings, rent it now!

 

[scotrace]

Yes.

By the by... if you have not yet seen Wings, rent it now!

If only for Clara Bow.