Royal Air Force Uniform Caps, Hats and Helmets

**Michael Ryan** · 02-16-2017, 07:42 PM

Board 5/54 Cont.

2. Standard pattern embroidered private purchase Officer's beret Badge.
3. Brass backing plate for the FSC badge when secured by bolts and nuts.
4. Two part standard pattern FSC badge in anodised aluminium (AA) with loop and split pin reverse fittings. This badge was worn by all Officers up to Group Captain inclusive and Warrant Officers as both a beret and FSC badge. Warrant Officers now wear the WO beret badge on both the beret and FSC. Group Captains now wear the beret badge on the FSD cap rather than the RAF Eagle and Crown badge.
5. Unfinished Embroidered badge.
6. Ditto.
7. FSC badge in AA but with bolts and nuts reverse fitments
8. Officers Beret badge in finished condition.
9. Ditto. Of interest with these private purchase badges is the number of variations not seen with official issu items. variations include alignment, badge fiels shape and embroidery.
10. FSC badge in AA with loop and split pin reverse fittings.The variation in finsh colours is also very noticeable when the FSC badges are compared.

**Michael Ryan** · 02-16-2017, 08:13 PM

Board 5/54 Cont.

11. Brass backing plate for the loops and split pin fittings on the revers of the FSC badge.
12. Poorly executed very narrow beret badge
13. unfinished embroidered beret badge
14. Ditto.
15. Issue pattern all metal beret badge.
16. Small embroidered beret badge.
17. Issue pattern all metal beret badge.
18. Ditto. The metal badges can be found as either sew on, loop and split pin or fold over lugs

**Michael Ryan** · 02-26-2017, 04:10 PM

Three RAF caps and one to beware of!!

JO 678 Private purchase Officers FS cap manufactured in Kowloon whilst the British still controlled Hong Kong.

JO 681 Heap of junk perporting to be an RAF FS cap. The cap is actually a Bundes Luftwaffe OR cap with the yellow piping folded in on itself. This item turned up with two correct RAF hats but who made it up and why, is open to speculation. I keep it in my collection as a rarity, sorry oddity.

OR 680 Private purchase ORs FS cap manufactured in Kowloon whilst the British still controlled Hong Kong. Although obtained from two entirely different sources, roughly three weeks apart, this cap and that shown at JO 678 are from the same manufacturer, Au Wai Lam Tailor Ltd of Kowloon. Coincidence or what? Unfortunately niether of the caps is named or dated.

AO 398 Standard current pattern RCAF issue Air Officer's visor cap.

**Michael Ryan** · 02-26-2017, 04:30 PM

Hi Again, Some variation current pattern QC cap badges. Some of the variations and sizes are quite noticeable.

Board 5 50

Board 5 50 Cont.

**Mgn040** · 05-29-2017, 04:02 PM

Hi all. Haven't posted for awhile so here you are. 2 nice caps i have acquired for my collection - Very pleased with them.

1. WW2 period Air rank side cap named to J.E.A.Baldwin

Royal Air Force Uniform Caps, Hats and Helmets

2. WW2 period Air rank side cap - note the difference in badge size and piping width compared to the other cap.

**Michael Ryan** · 05-30-2017, 12:12 PM

Hi Mike, A very nice pair of caps. I particularly like the second item. I have never seen a badge positioned at an angle like yours on an RAF cap before although it is quite a common feature on Army officer's caps. I would suggest that as the cap was sold by "Bates" who would have known better, the badge positioning was a requirement of the purchaser?? A nice personal touch perhaps by an ex Army transer officer. Nice!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers Michael