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Decorated RAAF flight helmet

dinomartino1

Well-Known Member
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Type D flying helmet : Flying Officer O J C Tomlinson, RAAF

The RAF Type D unwired flying helmet was based on the design for the leather C type helmet. It was first introduced in 1942 for use in tropical and desert conditions by RAF and RAAF airmen. This example was used by Flying Officer Oswald James Cadogan Tomlinson, RAAF. He was born in August 1918 and enlisted in the Air Force in Perth, Western Australia on 9 December 1940. He saw service in the New Guinea and Pacific campaigns before returning to Australia to work with 5 Service Flying Training School. He was discharged on 16 November 1945.





 

Lebensgefahr

Active Member
That's pretty rare, personalised equipment in the RAF/RAAF is seldom seen. I have a D type helmet which has been personalised.
 

Smithy

Well-Known Member
That's pretty rare, personalised equipment in the RAF/RAAF is seldom seen. I have a D type helmet which has been personalised.

Rare in the RAF, not to the same degree in the RAAF and RNZAF, especially in the Pacific. Even in the RAF you see instances of personalising flying kit but it was more common with allied air forces squadrons serving under RAF administration, eg the Norwegians, where personalising Mae Wests and even the odd Irvin wasn't unheard of.
 

dinomartino1

Well-Known Member
Rare in the RAF, not to the same degree in the RAAF and RNZAF, especially in the Pacific. Even in the RAF you see instances of personalising flying kit but it was more common with allied air forces squadrons serving under RAF administration, eg the Norwegians, where personalising Mae Wests and even the odd Irvin wasn't unheard of.
Like you say, the RAAF powers that be like their counterparts in the USAAF realised that though it was against regulations personalising gear and aircraft boosted morale and gave crews cohesion and so was worth turning a blind eye to, unlike their more conservative colleagues in the RAF.
 

Smithy

Well-Known Member
Like you say, the RAAF powers that be like their counterparts in the USAAF realised that though it was against regulations personalising gear and aircraft boosted morale and gave crews cohesion and so was worth turning a blind eye to, unlike their more conservative colleagues in the RAF.

Exactly Dino. It's even apparent on aircraft. Look at the level of nose art and naming that occurred with RAAF and RNZAF units in the Pacific compared to those flown by their countrymen with Aussie and Kiwi units based in the UK. It's not backed up by documentation but I personally believe it's because of the proximity that Kiwi and Aussie squadrons in the Pacific were serving to US units and were influenced by them. There was also a laxity of regulations that occurred due to the remoteness and conditions on the aerodromes that they were operating from which no doubt contributed too.
 
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