Nobody thought of trying either Ebay or Kit2X.com??:rolleyes: ;)

Dear Beags,

As a former Wupert of a dung eating mob (which wegwettably has since been disolved after 300 years of glowious histowy) I can wecommend our Wegimental Hatters, Herbert Johnson, for pwoper orficers headgear. That is, if you chaps have any pwoper orficers! Of course it will cost a couple of hours flying pay, but qwality doesn't come cheap. At least it didn't when I was still in the saddle, Haw Haw!

As for the Eagle versus Albatwos debate, shouldn't it be a penguin? After all, there seem to be millions of you birdmen but we don't see many of you in the air these days?

By the way, despite being a dung-eater, I am not anti-Air Farce: I married one and sired another! Very proud of 'em too.

PS. What are chips?

Sorry, Clockwork Mouse, but I feel compelled to trump you with the old ‘Royal Air Force not old enough to have traditions, merely habits’ card.

The forage cap was issued to mounted troops as a sack to collect fodder for feeding their mounts, subsequently being adapted as headwear in the form of the balaclava helmet, hence the drop-down hood and chin flap.

The forage cap is still an issued item, although these days it has assumed a more ceremonial function in the Army. It was certainly referred to as a ‘tw*t-hat' by Other Ranks during my association with a Cavalry regiment, perhaps because, when opened up in the ‘chip-bag’ mode it displayed a more than passing resemblance to that part of the female anatomy, especially if fitted with a red silk liner.

So the spectre of BEagle skipping about Mount Pleasant Camp wearing his DPM and forage cap would not have been quite so eyebrow-raising as he might have hoped.
:ok:

...and a ping pong ball


:}

Try EBAY, theres a guy who custom makes them for you and they are pretty good ive spoke to a few officers who have them and not as dear as from cranwell either

Great tailors in Singapore

Measured, 2 fittings and ready in 24 hours

In 72 it was 12 dollar (£1.50) - probably more now, but no more than the rip-off prices charged by the thieves at Cranditz and elsewhere, who leech themselves to the exact penny of the uniform allowance

Have a look on the Net

By the way, I have an excellent, original, Crombie Long Greatcoat for sale at an amazing low price of £200 ono to fit a 5'8"- 6' chap or chapess, with a chest size 38-42" and a brand new No1 SD hat (never worn) size 7+3/8" for £25

For us non-Commissioned scum the chip hat is usually seen as the mark of a career man or as they are affectionately known, a back stabbing ladder climber.

Its usually worn as part of the 'full ish'. A chip hat, stable belt with large loops on No. 2 trouser to accommodate it (an unauthorised modification to the uniform), 'clip clop' shoes, RAF cuff links and a Tornado or RAF roundel tie pin.

To be honest I reckon it should be re-introduced as standard head dress and to accompany it we could all wear No.1 uniform to work. Also we could use Lee Endfield rifles for guarding pilots dressed in Irvin flying jackets sitting in the sun, waiting for the bell to ring so that they can scramble to their Spitfires and Hurricanes.;)

A total waste of mullah....they look crap and suit no one. Buy a decent beret or an SD cap!!

The Germans have a DPM version to wear with combat kit, and look smart with it. How it looks is down to the design.

Why don't the crabs design a green one in flame retardent material for wearing with grow-bags? Perhaps a zip on the side? Orange lining for high vis if you get shot down?

At last. Someone with my size head.


...too bad I don't wear hats :(

Au Wai Lam tailors in Hong Kong

not sure if they are still there , they useds to do mail order

phone 3-7111768

117.ma tau chung road
Kowloon
Hong Kong

Bates of Jermyn Street used to do the best SD caps and forage hats, and I still have one of each in v good nick. Their website seems to indicate that they don't military business anymore anymore. Sad, because a visit there was well worthwhile.

STH,

I believe your answer may be closer to home.
I know the wife of a certain Mr 'Peperoni' was a seamstress and I remember her dismantling a 'chip bag' to get the patern.
Of course, now he's promoted this sort of thing may be beneath her but worth an ask??

Regards

Huge

I went for a cheapie, unlined, model from one of the Tailors at Cranditz.

My reasoning is that the lined one would take up too much room in my flying suit pocket. My cheapie still looks fine and takes up precious little room.

Cost-no idea but cheap!

If you had it lined with plastic and kept it in the pocket with the hole in the bottom, it could serve an ancilliary function for when you had drunk too much tea..

STH,

A gentleman by the name of Jason who tailors at Wittering does excellent quality chip hats for a mere £39! Excellent qualilty faux-satin lined and come with a velvet trim inside to ensure less slippage!


Mr B