No 5 Mess dress

Adult Staff
1

Does anyone know whether it is possible to get no 5 mess dress from RAF Cranwell Stores and how much it would cost for an officer?

Many thanks in advance

2

You would need to get it from one of the Tailors at Cranwell.

Brand new you are looking at £750 and that was a few years ago. eBay generally has some good second hand stuff as do Officers Mess for sale boards. (This depends on your size, if you are off the peg it’s much easier and cheaper).

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3

Contact Turner Virr
http://www.uniforium.co.uk/raf-male-officers-no5-mess-dress.html
they will help you out
Remember the price in the link doesn’t include shoes, shirts and accessories

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4

IIRC you could sometimes pick up PWS No5s from stores at Cranwell, handed in by cadets who didn’t quite make the grade. (However, I also recall hearing that to save money they weren’t issuing No5s so early in the process to prevent this from happening?)

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5

Out of interest I’ve seen some people wearing gilt VRT badges on No5 and others with fabric ones. Which is correct? For now anyway, until the RAFAC change.

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6

According to the latest 1358C, either.

“RAFVR(T) OFFICERS MUST WEAR EITHER THE CLOTH OR ANNODISED VR(T) INSIGNIA”

(shouty capitals copied verbatim from AP)

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7

Thanks.

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8

I’d be wary of Turner Virr.
My experience has shown that have a regular habbit of turning out uniforms that simply don’t fit.
When you’re paying that much money you’d rightly expect results.

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9

Turner Virr are shocking, go to Snaiths

10

Remember, there is always the option of saving your money and not bothering with No5 dress at all!

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11

I agree, I will not get my uniform touched by them. Every alteration I’ve had done to my No1s has been done by an friend in my old Wing. No matter where I’ve been posted, he’s done my uniform since I was an AC. Made it look great for my wedding.

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12

Turner Virr have the current contract to supply uniform.
It is now a regular occurrence that VR(T) officers in my wing receive their initial No 1 and then bring it to me for alteration.
I’ve taken skirts in by as much as 5 inches.
I’m happy to take the work but that’s very poor service from TV.

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13

Other tailors are available :wink:

14

I’m the opposite
found Turner Virr very helpful and good fitting

there is always Mess Dress .com

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15

It’s the option I’ve used for the last 12 years!

16

Try the Halton tailor. Oddly, considering what Halton does, they have quite a few second hand sets on the rack.

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17

What size are you?

18

I’m not denying that they can do the job big_g, however my experience with them has been terrible. It took them 3 attempts to fit my 1s during BRTC, I wasn’t the only one who had that issue.

They also somehow managed to sew my buttons on cack. Which may sound trivial, but coupled with some over zealous DIs during training makes for some rather painful encounters.

Just stating my preference. I’d rather give my friend the business, he’s never let me down. Sorted all the little issues I had with it out perfectly just prior to my wedding.

19

I was measured for No.1’s on my OIC by TV but when they were delivered by the then WWO, they were around 3 sizes too big.

I gave them to another officer in the Wg (whom I advised to remove the mudguards before wearing them). I never did join the ACO to parade around in No.1’s as i’ve always felt that they’re akin to alien skin.

20

If the stores at Cranwell have a set to fit you they’ll be around £150-200.

Turner & Virr charge around the £550 mark plus ranking

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