RAF Officer WWII

The WRAF cap you can see on my ex is one I made using some old jeans, but it worked out really well (2012).

It’s a smart comfortable uniform (2015).

With the Churchills at Brighouse (2018).

Why

My grandad had been in the RAF (as ground crew) in the second world war and I’d recently watched a documentary about a contemporary RAF crew trying to recreate the Dambusters raid. I was quite newly acquainted with the wonders of eBay so I bought some uniform stuff.

My paternal grandad was an instruments repairer in the RAF.

A still from rare colour WWII footage. This is the RCAF, (Royal Canadian Air Force) rather than RAF, but same uniform.

When

April 2003.

Elements

Cap, tunic, trousers. era appropriate badges. Pipe for an accessory.

Amount of Work

A bit of sewing of WWII bits onto the cap and tunic.

Level of use

A good number of times.

Notes

It’s great when you’re at a 1940s weekend, but travelling to and from gets some funny looks as people don’t see really uniformed military types in public. I don’t want to come across as a fraud, so it can be a little uneasy and I’m always keen to advise people I’m not genuine if I get the impression that they think I am.

Future use

Probably for Haworth or Brighouse 1940s weekends again some time.