Warms are also usually cream.
Note my comments above. If you are looking to buy an Offr’s pattern greatcoat, DON’T buy a ‘British Warm’, as shown in AP1358C, buy a proper full-length Crombie one, as shown in AP1358. Avoid accidently buying an old-pattern one (the one you buy should have turned cuffs and fitted epaulettes). The old pre-1947 pattern ones have buttons on the cuffs, full belts, and detatchable epaulettes: AVOID.
The OR versions are totally-standard, and seem quite readily-available. Made from a darker/ much-rougher material than Offrs’, they are unlined. And remember…FS Crowns on greatcoats are worn in Cloth, not metal. Same with NCA eagles, cloth, not metal
[Quote=“Baldrick”]
Warms are also usually cream [/Quote]
Hmm…Army ones genuinely are cream
RAF ones are cream-y, because they’re cut-down paler Crombie cloth.
Brand-new greatcoats can be bought, but I heard rumoured costs of £750
Give a link to a Capt Jack cosplay copy example
In what way is that a problem? Surely there are masses of unservicable No1 jackets across the country, which could donate their buttons
Main thing the manufacturers might forget, I suppose. Or the main thing I thought of. Take your pick.
And I don’t think a link matters anyway, because it just occurred to me that they’re the pre-‘47 pattern.
If you search “Captain Jack coat” on eBay you find quite a few.
So they have heard of him…
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In fact, both the Capt Harkness (Air Force) and Cap’n Sparrow (…‘naval’) varieties!!
But seriously: the answer’s ‘No’. The cosplay Torchwood ones would never pass current inspection, as they’re based upon the obsolete pattern. And wrong colour…
However…there is perhaps an alternative practical route for people to consider trying, in respect of trying to buy new greatcoats versus the unpredictable varibilities of individual Ebay sellers (and I don’t mean a £750+ private purchase from a high-end official UK supplier either).
If anyone’s interested (and might be willing to do an investment experiment) I could post details of my idea.
Go on…?
Do tell
The what… with the what?
He was a Doctor Who character who wore a Group Captain’s greatcoat.
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Thanks. Google has prevailed also.
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The company ‘Replicaters’ (run by Sanjay Sury, see https://www.replicaters.com/world-war-two-ww2-wwii-british-raf-uniforms-gear/ ) provides uniform items for re-enactor groups and tv/film.
Plus his company even kits-out whole RAF pipe bands, such is its high quality.
He already offers copies of the pre-1947 pattern greatcoat for around £120. As long as he could source the Crombie cloth (or weave it) I’m convinced he’d be able to produce the goods
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I’ve never been convinced by the quality of Sanjay’s stuff. My dad had an army SD cap off him and it wasn’t great…
In fairness, he does say he makes his uniforms to the requested/required standards (and that can go all the way from a high-quality set of ceremonial kit right through to a film extra that’s about to be eaten by Godzilla during the first take). It’s all down to cloth weights, bartack stitches and double-seams
There are a few for sale on Ceto Militaria.
My reading of AP1358C is that officers should wear normal rank braid on the epaulettes, and RAFAC pins on the collar (see page 79 - comment directly above the chap in the British Warm). Is that correct?
It may have been stated somewhere, but if so that’s clearly-impractical, and incorrect as to tradition.
RAFAC gilt titles may ONLY be worn on No1s or No5s, NOT on any form of outerwear. According to current regulations.
The only appropriate way for Offrs’ greatcoats to be branch-titled is to use tailored rank-slides with fully-embroidered “RAF AIR CADETS” titles (black thread, full height lettering, onto crombie cloth boards). I haven’t had a set made-up for my greatcoat (yet), but will do…before I hang it up for the last time.
Mrs Miggins at the Station Tailors should be able to make them up a pair before Xmas, if she wants any more than 7’/6d for doing it, tough (joking apart, I know exactly how it needs to be done)
EDIT
Whilst I think the authors of AP1358C have done (and continue to do) a good job under challenging circumstances, they really failed on the Offrs greatcoat module. Our well-known skilled model is photographed wearing the wrong pattern of coat, with nearly the correct ‘wrong’ buttons…and…NO rank-braid or shoulder-boards on the epaulettes…
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Fancy making me a pair? Looks awful with my jersey blue ones.
I have a Great Coat I can use, but it’s incorrectly ranked. I’d be interested in a set of slides as well…