Some pictures of the Irvin jackets in my RAF collection

[Peter Graham]

Very nice setup! Thanks for showing!

Indeed, nice setup. I'd love to display my US Army gear like. My wife knows that I'm odd and she'd put up with it but my friends would think I'm a freak. I have one room that would suit a display like that and it's the room that I spin records and hang out on. It just wouldn't work.

 

[Lebensgefahr]

Hi

Thanks for the positive comments. I have two more mannequins that i haven`t posted pictures of and i plan to do one more, hopefully later in the year (i have all the gear ready but i need to buy the mannequin itself) and then that will be it. That would make a total of nine mannequins in all.

I think it`s important that the room is a useable space and somewhere pleasant to hang out. I know people who had superb collection rooms but they never went in them. To that end i have a TV and stereo in mine and there is still a good amount of floor space so it doesn`t feel too cramped.
I have posted a couple of pictures below which show a slightly more panoramic view to give an idea of the space.

LG

 

[Andrew]

LGF you certainly have put together an amazing collection of rare equipment and its great to have a glimpse of it. I can imagine the time and expense in putting it together as I was focused on Vintage flying headgear from the early 2000's then merged to other flying gear to the present and I've tried to limit myself to a few key iconic pieces and thats taken a heap of effort and money ( ). However your collection is really comprehensive- how many Type D masks am I seeing in that cabinet?. It's amazing to see where others interests have taken them. I've probably seen your Ebay name out in the auction world.

I've never had the opportunity to put all my kit together in complete set pieces as like Pete says its just not the type of thing I could pull off either unfortunately but I'm hoping for the opportunity one day. My two boys are showing interest at the ages of 8 and 10 so I'll see how it looks in 10 years or so- at least it'll look good on them.

A question wrt the last Setup. Do you have shots of guys wearing that particular collection of gear as I've never come across it (that's not saying much as I've not studied that theatre). It's very different from what I'm familiar with RAAF aircrew were wearing in similar conditions. Being very familiar with the old hobnail leather soled ammo boots (I still have my original boots from the early seventies that I was issued in the cadets) Ive often wondered how those guys managed to get around in all terrain in them as it was hard enough walking on pavement in them. I have a couple of pairs of unissued WWII brown leather Ammos with brass cleats intended for jungle use and they are basically identical (but they look to be even less flexible with those slippery brass cleats).
Footwear design for the Military has come a long way.

One last thing- I know it's easy for others to say this is just a load of old memorabilia but I believe you can certainly feel a warm inner glow when you're surrounded by this stuff and you get to appreciate what it represents.

 

[Lebensgefahr]

Hello Andrew

Thanks for the compliment, it`s taken me a lot of years to get to the stage i`m at. From a financial point of view,things have increased in value beyond all recognition to the point where if i were starting out now most of it would be beyond my reach, but i`m in a position now where i think i would make a healthy profit on most items.I think the days of the bargain are pretty much gone and while ebay opens up the market to the whole world it doesn`t give people the experience of handling original items at fairs and it`s only from this that people can properly build up experience and in this day and age with all the copies around knowledge is power.

The headgear cabinet is a little deceiving in that photo as there are two Microphone masks in there (first and second pattern) but in all i have six D masks. I have tried to make sure all the displays are complete with all their components,for example all the Mae Wests and Harnessuits are complete with bladders,Kapoc`s and C02 triggers,the B type helmets are all complete with early receivers etc.

A toy room is nice to have if you can manage it, i know i get a lot of pleasure from mine and i`ve enjoyed sharing some pictures of it and hope people like seeing them although i`m always conscious of not wanting to post too many pictures in case people get bored with them.
I imagine you probably have seen me about on Ebay,on the odd occasion i sell things i seem to get the same people coming back to buy things. My Ebay buying these days tends to consist of the odd little bit i need to complete a mannequin.

With regards to the Far East pilot i got the idea for that from Hendon who have one and i thought it looked good so i copied it with a couple of minor modifications (theirs was wearing ammo boots) .There is a picture in one of Mick Prodger`s books of a mannequin in a Beadon suit.
I went through the complete RAF photo collection at the Imperial War Museum photographic library a few years ago and got prints of all the photos that interested me but i didn`t come across any of Beadon suits being worn. As far as the ammo boots go the one thing i`ve noticed with the middle and Far East theatre`s is that pretty much anything went clothing wise and it would certainly make sense to wear ammo boots over terrain like the jungle .Photos of the Far East theatre don`t seem to be too plentiful and the fact that the Beadon suit was issued late war makes it even less likely to have been photographed. It would probably be more likely to see photos of them being worn post war and into the early fifties.

For me, i collect this stuff because it interests me and it represents the sacrifice made by the people who wore it.
Having said that i still think that the general perception by the public is that anyone who collects military memorabilia is a serial killer in the making !

LG

 

[philip.ed]

That looks really good!

How was Beltring? This was the first year I haven't been since I was born.

 

[Lebensgefahr]

Hello Ben

From a RAF collecting point of view Beltring was pretty poor. Quite a few dealers were missing, no Dave Farnsworth to name but one. The items i remember seeing were, a couple of wartime pattern seat type harnesses (i don`t know if they were wartime dated, i didn`t look),three Beadon suits (in various stages of delapidation),two Irvins,a pair of Nuffield boots(repaired),an Air rank cap,a few flying helmets (nothing out of the ordinary),quite a few service dress tunics,quite a few BD`s,a pair of 36 pattern boots and a possible wartime H mask but i didn`t look at it as i couldn`t see a stall holder.
That`s all i can remember. I`m sure there were probably things i missed.
Overall i don`t think you missed anything,certainly no BoB gear.
From a personal point of view,Beltring has never been somewhere where i have bought much,i can only think of two years where i found some good items.

But that`s only my perspective,i`m sure lots of people had a successful time.

LG

 

[philip.ed]

Thanks for the reply LG. I haven't found anything at Beltring for the last two years or so, and when I did find items they were equipment which was fairly easy to pick up (36 pattern boots; mark IVB goggles etc). It was Dave's absence which affected my decision to abstain this year (along with the fact I currently have no money!), although at the same time I did wonder if there'd be more RAF items available which he may not have picked up already.

Kind regards
Ben

 

[Smithy]

Sorry, I'm miles late here due to the fact I only poke my head around here occasionally but just wanted to add my thanks for posting your clobber.

A simply wonderful collection, displayed magnificently and I have thoroughly enjoyed viewing the photos of it. I'm pea green with envy!

 

[CBI]

amazing stuff - great work!

What is the name of the framed print (and the artist) on the lower right of the top pic (the most recent pics you posted) that looks like a flight briefing scene?

Thanks so much and congrats on the excellent collection.........

 

[Lebensgefahr]

Thanks for the compliments, much appreciated.

CBI, the picture you are referring to is the briefing by Frank o Salisbury. It was painted over a number of sittings using 83 Squadron aircrew. The original is in Scampton and is huge (i`ve been to see it). Funnily enough a print sold on ebay a few weeks ago. I have two, one signed by one of the people depicted and one signed by a number of aircrew. I also have a superb piece of research, it is a complete history of all the people in the picture, who they were, what happened to them etc. If you get a copy of the picture i can send a copy of the research on to you if you are interested.

Here`s one of the mannequin`s i was holding back on posting a picture of (no particular reason why as he`s nothing out of the ordinary).
He`s early/mid war and wears 41 pattern Sidcot, type F heated waiscoat, 40 pattern boots. Air Ministry socks, 41 pattern Mae West, silk inner gloves, H type gauntlets and observer parachute harness. His headgear is a second pattern FAA flying helmet, short loop Mk 1vb goggles and E* oxygen mask.

Hope you like it.

 

[Hobbstc]

Those eyes look like a she to me...

 

[Roughwear]

They do rather. Perhaps it's an ATA ferry pilot in disguise!

 

[TankBuster]

Very nice presentation yet again. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Lebensgefahr]

I have been busy the last few months working on my final mannequin. Most of that time was spent restoring the 39 dated Air Ministry marked dispersal chairs i bought a while ago. I did contact several restorers but none of them wanted to know so i had to have a stab myself. Then the mannequin i had planned to use was no good, he wouldn`t fit in the chair and was also too big for the flying suit so i had to use another one. The mannequin`s aren`t where they will normally be but because of the sloping roof and light from the velux windows i put them where i can get the best picture.
Hope you like them ?
The mannequin wears a black prestige suit with original 25 squadron badge, 39 patten boots, silk scarf (with history) and pre-war operational service cap. I had hoped to use a B helmet/D mask combination but his head was too big for the one i had earmarked and so had to plump for the service cap.
Oh the joys of dressing mannequin`s !
Hope you like it ?

This mannequin is one i did a while ago and depicts an air gunner who is wearing a Taylor suit, F type electrically heated suit, 41 pattern boots, D type gloves, mid pattern C type helmet, G mask with anti-freeze hose, Mk V111 goggles and a back type parachute. He has connected his oxygen mask to a walk about bottle and he carries an Air Ministry torch in his pocket.

Lastly i have a Battle of Britain air gunners tunic which i have wanted to put in a display case for quite some time but when i enquired the cost was extortionate so i had a go myself. Please excuse the poor photography (the tunic doesn`t have that washed out look in reality) but it was very difficult to get a good shot where the glass didn`t reflect everything.

LG

 

[Roughwear]

Great stuff Geoff. When did you say your museum is opening?

 

[Lebensgefahr]

Just putting the finishing touches to the car park and gift shop and then we`re good to go

 

[dujardin]

amazing collection

splendid suits

congrats

 

[TOMG1401]

The early Irvin without the belt,after looking again at the photo spread of your Irvins Andrew, this one seems to have a more tapered body, not boxy, which might explain why going beltless was an early notion

 

[PADDY_M]

I'm really enjoying seeing this collection of RAF Kit and memorabilia! thank you 'so much' for sharing it. It's truly amazing and a fine salute to the lads who gave so much during those dark days to preserve the freedom that so many of us take for granted. Thankyou! Best, Paddy.

 

[Roughwear]

The early Irvin without the belt,after looking again at the photo spread of your Irvins Andrew, this one seems to have a more tapered body, not boxy, which might explain why going beltless was an early notion

An early notion? Perhaps, but Irvins without a waist belt were not part of the 1932 patent. We do not know the reasons for the absence of the belt on this jacket. I know the Letchworth factory experimented with their early jackets. Some were four panel, others were two. The earliest did not have the elastic strap.