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| Uniforms of the AFC |
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| AFC officers khaki cotton drill service dress jacket : Lieutenant A S Paterson, 3 Squadron, AFC | |
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| Associated with Flying Officer Wilmot Hudson Fysh who served as an observer with 1 Squadron AFC in Palestine, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He went on to help found QANTAS. Note the Anzac A badge. | |
| Recreated Australian Flying Corps NCO in "maternity" jacket with Sam Browne, Holster, breeches & putties. Photo. Sparke &Sons Films |
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Australian
Flying Corps (AFC) L1 Pattern(?) tan leather flying jacket.
This maternity style flying jacket has a high-backed soft stand collar and a waist belt. A short buttonholed strap is sewn to the left side of the collar and it can be fastened beneath the wearer's jaw to a pair of buttons on the right side of the collar. The patch type map pocket on the breast slopes slightly downwards towards the left side. Its simple opening is on the right side. Six concealed brown plastic buttons fasten the front of the jacket on the right side. A large pocket with a flap has been let into the front left panel below the waist belt. It has orange coloured brass press studs on the flap. |
| The same type of press studs have been used on the simple cuffs, which have a 140mm vent at the back. The jacket is fully lined with beige coloured coarse woolen fabric. 'MAITLAND THOMAS / No3 SQUADRON' has been written in blue ink inside the top of the right front panel beneath another name that is illegible because it has been crossed out. A pocket with a slit opening has been let into the lining of left breast. |
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This jacket
was worn by Captain (Pilot) Patrick Gordon Taylor, an Australian who
served in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC).
In 1915 he was appointed temporary lieutenant in 26 Battalion CMF, replacing a Lieutenant who had joined the AIF. Keen to be on active service too, but rejected by the AIF, he traveled to England at his own expense to join the RFC. Commissioned with the rank of Lieutenant on 12 August 1916, he was posted to 66 Squadron, which was equipped with Sopwith Pup scouts, and was awarded the Military Cross in July 1917. Promoted Captain and served with 94 and 88 Squadrons. Returned to Australia in 1919. Note the 3 pips of Captain's rank on the lower sleeves. |
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Left.
Leather flying helmet as
issued to Royal Flying Corps and Australian Flying Corps in the early
part of WW1. They were later replaced with a solid crash helmet. Below.
Leather flying gloves
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