WWI pilot uniform colors

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

I just started building a Sopwith Camel, but the instructions tells nothing of wich colors to use. Can anyone help with some tips on wich colors to use?

Azgaron

2

Think Leather! Most RFC flight gear I have seen in books was sheepskin lined type clothing. Coveralls, long leather jackets, etc. Usually in brown and/or tan colors.

3

Thanks for the tip! I thought it might be something like that. I guess it could be pretty cold flying a biplane. How did the uniform look when on the ground? Asuming they where dressed differently when they wasn’t flying.

Azgaron

4

I’m using an old Time Life book, “Knights of the Air” as my reference here. The British RFC uniform shown is a pair of tan riding breeches worn with brown boots of a riding type. A Khaki wool serge dress jacket with a dark brown Sam Brown belt over the tan dress shirt with tie. For head gear the standard Officers service cap. For enlisted pilots period photos show a similar uniform with no Sam Brown belt and Khaki wool serge dress trouser/shoes instead of riding boots/breeches. Yes, I’m sure it was quite cold in those open cockpit planes, especially from November through March.

5

Thanks a lot for the information! Right now I’m only going to paint one pilot, but likely there will be more in the future. [:)]

Azgaron

6

Greetings folks;

It depends on the year too, 1917 or 1918 - RFC , RNAS or RAF. Which Camel are you doing? The tan / cream riding breeches were usually 1914-1917.

Eduard has a set of WWI RFC (RAF) figures.

Click Here

7

Thanks for the link! That looks like an interesting set. If I do a small base or dio it might come in handy.

I’m not at home at the moment, but I think (after doing a search) that it’s a 2F1 (Airfix) which according to the information should be from 1918 and flown by Stuart Culley.

Azgaron

8

The 2F.1 was the Naval version, pre April 1, 1918 the uniform would be dark blue. After this date the RNAS was joined with the RFC to become the RAF. Uniforms were supposed to become all field drab like the ones mentioned previously. By the way the Time / Life uniform images from the Knights of the Sky series were of uniforms from the Lafayette Foundation now located at PlatteValley Airfield, Near Hudson Colorado. See;

http://www.lafayettefoundation.org

9

Thanks! Bookmarked that site.

A while I thought all this information was to no use, course my pilot was missing, gone to the rug rat monster, or vacuum cleaner. But luckily I found it on the floor outside the trashbin. Wonder how it got there? So now I can start painting it. [:)]

Azgaron