STH
An excellent idea which I think deserves to be developed a little more. Underneath your name badge we could have stars just like they do in Mc Donalds.
Perhaps badges on your sleeve like boy scouts...

A camping badge
An AFT pass badge
First in each morning badge
Tea bar monitor badge

etc

The new name badge is going to be a bit busy, isn't it? Union flag, RAF logo, name and wings?

My understanding is that you will only have an RAF logo on your name badge if you don't have a brevet of some description to go on there.

I concur...

DPM skirts for the girlies and the chaps in Scottish Regiments?

Dont laugh; the central american armies give the girlies dpm skirts.

And the further you get up the food chain the more it is ignored:ugh:

The over 55 cardigan has been withdrawn as continuance is no longer an option. Shame as they had just perfected the faint smell of wee wee and pipe smoke.

Wearing of Brevets on combats, leather jackets for all, new pullovers, tailored trousers. This is the stuff of a 21st Century fighting force alright. Let's scrap some more front line rubbish so that we can keep the dressing up box nice and full.

Come to think of it, I have not recieved a pamphlet this week telling me how to wipe my a*se. Get a grip.:ugh:

With ref. to the wee wee bit shouldn't that be incontinence not continuance ? If you get a knee length cardie that should cover everything it could also double as a frock for the girlies .
Grandfer :ok::ok:

So where and when exactly do we get the new name/brevet badge?

Wyler

The brevets are already on issue for combats - so they cost nothing (maybe the tailor for sewing on for those that can be bothered). Leather jackets at personal expense and not from public monies. The new pullovers are a renewed contract not another contract - so the costs are the same. Tailored trousers? The only thing I saw about tailoring was adjusting the contract to give the blue shirts a more tailored fit - ie. so the shirt isn't all baggy around the waist. The only spend is the name badge that, in my opinion, is well overdue. The other is the "issue" stable-belt that will come out of PR12 money - assuming there's 35-40,000 of us left then that's about £350k (peanuts in the grand scheme of things, and I'd rather see all those senseless AP3000s not in print to pay for them).

So where's the mahoosive spending that's going to scrap all the front-line equipment? :confused::confused:

In my opinion, these are great, cheap wins. The only one I disagree with is the return of the ghastly V-neck, but hey, you can't expect to like it all.

LJ :ok:

A little bird tell me that the jacket is about £30-40 cheaper for Service personnel than indicated in the letter and that "en-masse" orders should attract a possible discount for those intereted.

Also, having seen both Pop's Leather alongside Aviation Leathercraft's Jackets - the UK jacket is most definately worth the extra 20 quid (thanks to the exchange rate!!!). That said, if you are swinging by Incerlik, the saving would be significantly more and then the reduction in quality would be worth it.

The B Word

I've got a Pop's jacket and have done for about 10 years. It is still going strong and is a good quality jacket....... not not as good as the Aviaition Leathercraft one (then again, mine is an early model from Pop's but I can't imagine they have changed much!):}

Keep on trucking!

T Handle:cool:

My Aviation Leathercraft RAF Jacket is around 15 yrs old. Now to the naked eye it looks almost brand new but the leather seems to have slowly shrunk around the waist over the years.

I think it must be a quality issue, perhaps something wrong with the cow.

As of tuesday I shall be the proud owner of a 'Pops' Jacket...have compared it to the Aviation Leathercraft version and nowadays there's little difference in build or quality...and less than 1/2 the current £364 they want for it...complete with 'goolie' chit in all mid-eastern languages (in case I get turned over in Aylesbury) $235...about £155....nice little pressie to self for my impending big four ohhh.:ok::}

Huey

The Pop's Leather website quotes $360 (Bucks) which at the current exchange rate is £255 (Quid). The chaps at Thruxton are quoting £225ish + VAT (Quid) wich is £264 (Quid).

Sorry, pal, but your maths seems a bit off??!! Unless you're picking up in person at Incirlik?

But, I hear you on Aylesbury!

LJ :ok:

PS. You need to tell those nice Thruxton people that you are in the military (they do need proof) to get the cheaper price - did you do that? They'll even sew in "stuff" like chits for you if you ask.

Concur with LJ about the price, just make sure you let Aviaton Leathercraft know you are Service. They are always very helpful when you go to Thruxton or on the phone. I got my first jacket from them in 94 and had a new lining put in about 3 years ago, still a fantastic jacket and the leather is just wearing in. Personally, I prefer them to the Pops copies as I reckon they are a far better quality, you can definitely tell the difference.

That was the 'walkout of their door price'....:ok:

When I first decided to play the game back in 1989 we ran a competition and invited prospective suppliers to a beauty contest at 229 OCU at Coningsby. The clear winners were Aviation Leathercraft and Simon Green. Initially this was just for 25(F) Sqn and we accepted this was merely social discriminator which was unlikely to be acceptable away from home base. The initial deal was that any aircrew on 25(F) Sqn could purchase a jacket for £70 until such time as I relinquished command. Unfortunately for Simon but great for me I ended up doing nearly 4 years in command so lots of guys benefitted from the £70 deal. If I remember correctly 5 Sqn were the next to join the deal; same jacket but claret lining. Chivenor then followed, all clearly unofficial. Then OC Valley decided to involve himself because we were about to go on MPC and he raised the issue of leather jackets with CinC Support Command. Bad influence on students, not uniform, bad example, won't have it.
The whole saga bounced up to the Air Force Board and back down through the Strike Command chain and they were officially banned. 21 years later they are accepted as uniform. Perhaps when we are looking for savings in public budgets we could just get rid of the wa***rs who interfere without contributing.

Got it thanx Pops...It's fab...but as my erudite and eccentric captain today pointed out, ':}shame it's now summer'...might just wear it and sweat anyway!:ok:

It doesn't feel like Summer yet.... Keep that sexy sheepskin liner zipped in.