Chugalug,
I am not surprised that the 1951 New Pattern SD jacket has been forgotten, for it was so eminently forgettable. Those stupid enough to have bought one (like me) dare not wear it and concealed the fact, so as not to become the butts of vulgar jest.
I don't think even the most ingenious dherzi would be able to do much with it (the wings would go back in stock, of course, for had not old Abdul on the next stall once sold such a pair to a gullible Navigator-Sahib long ago, and dined out on the story ever since ?)
I'm not quite sure of the official status of the Barathea Battledress. I (and many others) bought one, for it was immensely smarter (and less scratchy) than the stores-issue blue serge. It must have had some official stamp of approval, or Monty Burton wouldn't have had in the catalogue around ' 53 - '54. As a matter of record, they would do you a barathea battledress then for £12/15, a No.1 SD for £13/15, and a Crombie (yes, really) Greatcoat for £15/15. (the inflation factor was 26 approx). At the time, I'd be getting about £45 a month as a Flt/Lt (including 3/- or 3/6? a day Flying Pay).
I must admit that the old Full Dress headgear was rather a figure of fun, but even so the King did at least get married in the uniform in which he had been proud to serve (as had done his father, his son-in-law and his grandson). It seems a pity that the tradition seems to have been been abandoned......D.
Kookabat,
I've absolutely no experience or specialist knowledge of night bombing in Europe, but I suppose that it was a choice between flying alone (and almost certainly being picked off by a night fighter) or in the "safety" of a crowd. Essentially, it was the wildebeest's solution to the lion problem (but then, do wildebeests collide ?)......D.
Cheers to you both, Danny.
EDIT: If you haven't read it already click on "Flt/Lt. William J. Corbin DFC"
(on Military Aircrew). Marvellous stuff (and the old boys are good value, too).......D.
Last edited by Danny42C; 14th Dec 2012 at 00:30.
Reason: Add Material.