Recut/tailoring my old RAF SD/No.1 Jacket into a civvy jacket

[Stuart Mudd]

I don't see this posted elsewhere. I have my old Air Force No.1 jacket hung up in the wardrobe just taking up space. Of course, one isn't supposed to don issued uniform as a civvy. I was thinking of removing all rank & insignia and then recutting the jacket into an interesting sportscoat. (Sacrilege in the eyes of some, I'm sure. But this way I get to at least wear my old jacket although nobody else would know it was Forces issue. And I thought it would be poignant to wear my old upcycled/revamped jacket with my medals on Remembrance Day). It's a better idea than the new fad of turning it into a upholstery for armchairs, which although is quite cool seems like bit of a waste of a good jacket.

I'm looking for inspiration, tips, or ideas. Has anyone done or seen any styles of anything similar? See pic for the same cut as mine (though I never gained the same lofty rank!!)

 

[Dr Peter]

While this is a very creative way of up-cycling your wonderful RAF jacket ( I love the Air Force Blue colour for wool flannels ), I wonder if the cost of re-cutting and assembling would be fearfully high. I live in the US, and I have a number of US and European military garments in my collection. I wear many, especially since it is fairly common to do so, especially olive green field jackets (M-51, M-52, M-65, etc.). US Navy peacoats, which look like their civilian counterparts, except for the insignia on the buttons, are commonly worn, and I have one. I have asked friends on other sites about whether civilians using a jacket or trench coat with national military emblems or patches would be bad form, and most have said it would be all right, as long as highly specific patches from individual units were removed. Some of the colours, especially the very dark bronze olive Marine officers' uniform jacket (similar in structure to your own), with its black insignia buttons, would be hard to find in the civvy world.

As for re-cutting, it would be very hard to change the pockets and the button stance on an RAF jacket such as the one you own, wouldn't it? The pockets could be restructured, I suppose, but the four buttons would be hard to change to three. Good luck in your efforts. I'd love to see a picture of the recut jacket if it comes to pass.

 

[Peacoat]

I don't see this posted elsewhere. I have my old Air Force No.1 jacket hung up in the wardrobe just taking up space. Of course, one isn't supposed to don issued uniform as a civvy. I was thinking of removing all rank & insignia and then recutting the jacket into an interesting sportscoat. (Sacrilege in the eyes of some, I'm sure. But this way I get to at least wear my old jacket although nobody else would know it was Forces issue. And I thought it would be poignant to wear my old upcycled/revamped jacket with my medals on Remembrance Day). It's a better idea than the new fad of turning it into a upholstery for armchairs, which although is quite cool seems like bit of a waste of a good jacket.

I'm looking for inspiration, tips, or ideas. Has anyone done or seen any styles of anything similar? See pic for the same cut as mine (though I never gained the same lofty rank!!)

I would leave it as is. First of all by wearing just the jacket, you aren't wearing a military uniform. You are just wearing the jacket. Not trying to impersonate a military member, you are just wearing your old jacket.

 

[MisterCairo]

I would suggest removing the squadron leader rank insignia at a minimum. To be safe, all insignia.

But as this was your uniform, if it were me, I would leave it as is.

 

[MisterCairo]

Still serving, but switched to the Royal Canadian Navy uniform in 2013. Keep all my service dress uniforms, even still have my RCAF mess dress.

The RCAF did change back to the traditional silver blue insignia in 2015, but too late for me:

 

[Peacoat]

Interesting that you switched from one branch to the other. Not much done in the US. Did you go to the Navy as a Lieutenant-Commander without losing any rank?

 

[MisterCairo]

Interesting that you switched from one branch to the other. Not much done in the US. Did you go to the Navy as a Lieutenant-Commander without losing any rank?

Should have explained the Canadian anomaly.

In 1968 the government in its wisdom "unified" the three services (RCN, Canadian Army, RCAF) into one unified element "Canadian Forces". The RCN, Canadian Army and RCAF all ceased to exist in name or legal status.

This abomination went so far as to include all-army ranks and all green uniforms. Curiously, the naval gold insignia became the universal insignia (replacing the Army pips and crowns and RCAF silver and blue). The navy lost however the executive curl (Nelson's knot).

That went over like a lead zeppelin and within a few years the naval element got its ranks back ( the air force did not and has not), and by 1987 all three got back their Distinctive Environmental Uniforms (DEUs as they are known to this day) - navy blue (aka black), green and blue.

The elements went back to their traditional names (RCN, Canadian Army and RCAF) only quite recently, and only recently did we revert to our traditional Army insignia for officers - pips and crowns, and the navy got the curl back, and the RCAF its silver and blue.

Sadly, the RCAF still has Army rank names.

We remain in law one service, with one Chief of the Defence Staff, our one "four star" (mostly Army but can come from any service, currently an Admiral***), overseeing three element commanders who are all three stars.

Purple branches operate outside elemental commands, that is, do not belong to any one of Army, navy or airforce. JAG, Provost Marshall, Surgeon General, Chaplain General, etc., and all use all three uniforms, EXCEPT interestingly the dentists, who became all Army in the 1950s BEFORE unification.

To make a long story even longer, many trades and officer classifications are "purple". Regardless of the uniform you wear (navy, Army, air), you can work anywhere for any one.

Our JAG branch is one such element. I was assigned air DEU on enrolment. Assignment for us offbthe street is random, and roughly to represent the proportions of the three elements (40% Army, 20 and 20).

Having supported the navy as an advisor for some years, having deployed with the navy and undergone much naval training end exercises (naval warfare course, RIMPAC, etc.) I identified with the navy, and requested a change in uniform.

Again, this affects no aspect of my postings, deployments or advancement.

I switched from air force major (sadly, not Squadron Leader) to Lieutenant-Commander in 2013.

That is "LEF-tennant still for us by the way!*

So no, no loss of rank, etc., as it was merely an administrative change.

In fact, I graduated staff College as an air major, and three weeks later had to order new uniforms, insignia and mess dress.

Sorry if this is too much information!

* For Americans, the "f" sound in lieutenant comes from the same place as the "r" sound in colonel.

*** Our CDS actual is currently suspended pending an investigation into sexual impropriety.

 

[Peacoat]

Never understood the Lef-tennant thing until you explained it. Having grown up with the "r" in Colonel, that is perfectly natural to me.

Not sure I understood all of you explanation on the other matters, but that's probably because I process information through the strict separation of branches that we have. Army, Marine Corps and Navy would never want to be Air Force. And none of us really know what the Coast Guard is or what it does.

 

[MisterCairo]

Never understood the Lef-tennant thing until you explained it. Having grown up with the "r" in Colonel, that is perfectly natural to me.

Not sure I understood all of your explanation on the other matters, but that's probably because I process information through the strict separation of branches that we have. Army, Marine Corps and Navy would never want to be Air Force. And none of us really know what the Coast Guard is or what it does.

Trust me, it is odd.

The theory was it would reduce inefficiency and costs, streamline C2, and reduce inter-service rivalry.

It did none of those things.

Think the army element wants a bigger budget? Of course. Navy? Of course. Air Force? Of course.

As for efficiency, other than having a single recruiting office, nothing of the sort.

At least we have the identities back!