WWI RFC jacket

[Greg Gale]

Not that I would like to buy one, I wouldn't be able to pull this one off, but there is something beautiful about this jacket. So simple. Must have, if you fly an SE5a! I just found it over at the "other" place, so I thought I'd share.

https://historybunker.com/product/ww1-british-royal-flying-corps-rfc-leather-coat-short-version/

 

[B-Man2]

I like it but I think it might be a little over the top for everyday wear, not that some of the other jackets we own aren't.
But with all those side buttons it looks like it would be a pain to get in and out of unless your SE5a came with a flight mechanic

 

[John Lever]

Wow ! I love it. How much ?

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

The jacket above appears to be a design dreamed up, History Bunker do, however, make a fairly accurate version of the coat worn by The Royal Flying Corps.
Lot of work, lot of leather, we got as far as having a pattern replicated from an original many years ago, we've still got it but I doubt we'll ever make one. The originals are IMO going far too cheaply at present, certainly to cheap for it to be worth anyone making a repro and the shoulders are very narrow, too narrow for modern tastes

Here's few pics... I'd say only the first two are 100% kosher

The one stamped with an auction has an extra pocket,
The last one is described as "RFC" I'd go for an early motoring coat, hence the lap pocket, but inspired by the RFC coat

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Maybe the jacket at the start of this thread was worn by the RFC but only in cloth?
https://tommyswar.co.uk/product/tw32018-sergeant-pilot-flying-uniform-4-sqn-rfc-belgium-1915/
That said I've had a good trawl through RFC pics and I can't find a single example, maybe the model maker copied History Bunker or maybe vica versa?

 

[Smithy]

No, the jacket in the first photo that Greg posted is a repro of the improved version of the first pattern jacket introduced by the RFC. The first pattern being introduced in 1912, this improved version with the larger, unflapped map pocket was introduced in September 1913.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

No, the jacket in the first photo that Greg posted is a repro of the improved version of the first pattern jacket introduced by the RFC. The first pattern being introduced in 1912, this improved version with the larger, unflapped map pocket was introduced in September 1913.

I continue to learn something new every day, thanks Smithy

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

From The Imperial War Museum

 

[John Lever]

Notice blanket lining. The white fleece looks wrong imo

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

This is easily my favourite...........

 

[Greg Gale]

These are so cool, but I can't imagine wearing them. That would be way too "steampunk"

 

[Smithy]

The long full length leather flying coats used in the RFC were all private purchase items, the most common makers were Burberry, Dunhill's, Robinson and Cleaver and the like.

The leather coats began to quickly fall out of favour with the arrival of the "Coats, Waterproof, Pilot" (a fabric coat of a raincoat design and lined with thibet or slink). Although it was really the adoption by the War Office of Pattern 9686 (the first iteration of the Sidcot suit) which really finished off the full length leather flying coat. The Sidcot was so good that the directive AM Order 235 was issued in May 1918 which required all aircrew posted abroad from training units in the UK had to be equipped with Sidcots and not leather coats.

 

[Roughwear]

All true Tim and the 1930 pattern Sidcot was pretty much standard issue to pilots training in the 1930s.

 

[Smithy]

All true Tim and the 1930 pattern Sidcot was pretty much standard issue to pilots training in the 1930s.

It's a testament to Cotton's design that apart from what are minor revisions the first pattern and the last were essentially the same garment. WWI aircrew absolutely adored them, it was a revelation after earlier flying kit.

 

[CBI]

I own(ed) two leathern jackets from the History Bunker, the one still for sale (WW1 German long coat) and their Hartman jacket. Both where made to my specific measurements at no extra cost. The workmanship on both was superb, really hard to do any better in re whoever was actually making the jackets.

Materials ............ not so much. Mid-range quality hardware, plastic buttons, etc.. The leather is heavily tanned with little potential for undertones showing through with wear.

One the other hand, from 10 feet away, awesome jackets and for the money - super!!!!!

I have almost pulled the trigger on the OP jacket about a dozen times, its inexpensive enough.

Takes them about 2 months from time of order to jacket in hand. Great comms, easy to work with Mark at the HB.

Excellent in many respects however, I sold the Hartman and hope to sell the long coat so neither "made it" to my keeper rack. For the price, can't complain.

 

[ausreenactor]

What a website.. Just took a peek at other stuff. Charlton Heston's 55 Days at Peking 'look' is now officially sorted.

Thanks for the link!!

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Smithy..........you seem to be "the man" re the RFC coats, all the one's I've ever handled as far as I'm aware are the exact coat in post #10 but I don't recall ever seeing a label in any, have you any idea who made this particular model?
I believe there are the remains of the coat we took the pattern from still in storage somewhere at the factory
Maybe Gamages also supplied PPs that passed through The Thrift Shop which we treated at Motoring Coats at the time

 

[Smithy]

The full length leather flying coats used in the RFC (I'm leaving the RNAS out here because although there are instances of them using similar private purchase flying coats as the RFC, they tended usually to not) can be seen to fall roughly into two main types of pattern. That as in post #10 was probably the most common type of pattern by 1917 fastening across the chest and with a large map pocket, the most famous and most sought after was arguably Burberry's Burfron. The other was a more conventional double breasted configuration but also usually with the large left lapel fastening across the chest to the right to cover the neck. There were numerous different configurations of buttoning arrangements, pockets, linings, etc but virtually all full length leather flying coats used by RFC will fall into one of those two broad categories above.

 

[Pilot]

Even the friends of the Red Baron had good taste regarding British made coats...
The Pilot in the right documents it.

 

[B-Man2]

The jacket above appears to be a design dreamed up, History Bunker do, however, make a fairly accurate version of the coat worn by The Royal Flying Corps.
Lot of work, lot of leather, we got as far as having a pattern replicated from an original many years ago, we've still got it but I doubt we'll ever make one. The originals are IMO going far too cheaply at present, certainly to cheap for it to be worth anyone making a repro and the shoulders are very narrow, too narrow for modern tastes

Here's few pics... I'd say only the first two are 100% kosher

The one stamped with an auction has an extra pocket,
The last one is described as "RFC" I'd go for an early motoring coat, hence the lap pocket, but inspired by the RFC coat
View attachment 8266
View attachment 8267 View attachment 8268 View attachment 8269

Wow!
Looks a little like stuff out of a "Mad Max" movie