RAF Officer's Visor - Question

[LuftMike]

As you can see with the QC badged cap posted for reference, there isn't much difference between the two caps, if any real difference at all. Most manufacturer's would have continued to produce their caps in the same manner until well after world war two. When they began with the plastic buttons, imitation leather chinstraps and visors is hard to say, but one thing is for certain, they wouldn't start producing these until their original manufactured stock was depleted. All I can say is that the second generation ones with these "cheap" pieces don't look very nice at all, Give me the original WW2 style any day!

As well, many RAF personnel probably re-badged their existing caps. It's very simple to re-badge an RAF cap....a simple cap band switch does the trick! This is why I say that the cap may be wartime, it may not be. If you claim to have provenance, then that could tip the possibilities in your favour. Either way, I'd say enjoy it for what it is, a superb example of an RAF cap!

*Edit*I should also note that on Ebay a week ago I was bidding on an RAF Warrant Officer's cap dated 1947 and made in Kai Tak, Hong Kong. This one was of the old style but had the Genuine leather brim but a plastic "imitation" chin strap, so suffice it to say, those issued in England may have been surplus stock, but those manufactured abroad began to exhibit signs of the newer generation much sooner. *Edit*

[M Wipf]

Thank you Mike for sharing your expertise..

Here are my fly boys..

[M Wipf]

The US cap is a "Bancroft Flighter"

[M Wipf]

All three are pretty salty. Love the crush on the Luftwaffe visor.

[LuftMike]

That Bancroft has a sweet shape, but I must say the RAF is a sexy devil. They're simple, but classy. The Luftwaffe cap could be the twin to mine! Its got that nice "crushed look." Thanks for starting the thread, I love discussing headgear of the RAF/RCAF. it's been fun!

[Gary Cain]

Nice hats! The RAF hat in question has all the earmarks of a WWII produced hat. There is honestly no way to tell when it was made because the same construction methods were used(by the better hat makers, which this appears to be) through to the Korean War period. After that the materials began to change(the lesser makers started changing with the 1947 uniform changes) so enjoy!


Gary

All three are pretty salty. Love the crush on the Luftwaffe visor.

[Antoni Zawadzki]

Hi Mike, nice cap

Hi Antoni, most likely a wartime maker. I did a bit of a search, but I could not find exactly when they ceased trading but it might have been the early 1950's.

Cheers, Ade.

Many thanks Ade!!

Best regards,
Tony