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Trying to find a ww2 WRAF hat/cap


GaryR

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My daughter has a 1942 RAF ladies Claude Butler bicycle which is one of 12 issued to the RAF in that year. For display she is looking for a Womens RAF, WRAF, hat/cap to put with it. These seem very hard to find. Anyone know where one can be sourced, a repro will do for our display.

Thanks

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Hi Gary, we had one last week but a chap bought it to display at his British Legion bar, it's just random if we get offered any more but if I come across any will message you.   

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11 hours ago, Kenny Andrew said:

Hi Gary, we had one last week but a chap bought it to display at his British Legion bar, it's just random if we get offered any more but if I come across any will message you.   

Thanks. Sounds like I just missed one.

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Found this apparently official guide to RAF headdress (which may be helpful as reference) from 1918 till present day, showing all the variations and types in service, from a collection of the RAF Museum, 84 pages in pdf format:

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/LargePrintGuides/Headgear -.pdf

 

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On 13/06/2021 at 11:08, Kenny Andrew said:

 

Found a shop that sells reproduction WAAF Officer's caps for £24.99 and the shop is only 11 miles from me, i've been in it several times but I wasn't looking at the time.. An original would be nicer, but this could be a good back up in case I can't find an original before the next display. I'll have to check the pdf file to see how accurate it looks.. 

cap.jpg

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I think they are made in India, like many other items. First of all, the strap is of plastic, I don't like the look of the badge (supposed to be an officers example), especially the crown, compare with originals.  I would tend to keep looking to find something better

grafik.png.6773f612fd0c8ea1cdbaf289882d75a1.png

original other ranks' example

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This set was also recently on offer, now sold

great-britain-wwii-womens-auxiliary-air-force-waaf-skirt-and-tunic-1941-1942-dated-good-condition.jpg

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I noticed it was sold very quickly.

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On 14/06/2021 at 11:49, Fritz said:

Interesting, it doesn't show the cap I was looking at as being ww2, but post war. It says that some of the caps were worn by both men and women, and only shows one women's raf cap for ww2. A couple issued in 1918, doesn't say if they were still in use for ww2 though. I'm not sure it's a full list, sure i've seen ww2 photos with RAAF wearing caps that aren't shown in the link.

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  • 1 month later...
On 14/06/2021 at 16:44, Fritz said:

  I would tend to keep looking to find something better

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255060250125?ul_noapp=true

 

This is on ebay.. It looks too good, but seller says it's definately not a repro, but he also doesn't know how old it is as it has no marking in the hat.. The badge is very close to one I found on internet but the crown is slightly different, whether that's just because they varied depending on who did them... Thoughts? 

I've asked the seller if the strap is leather or plastic..

 

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From the outside, the material looks good,  Barathea cloth and a mohair band, the badge does have a rather odd looking crown, the eagle also tends to gleam too much. The chinstrap must be patent leather (and real leather), the one in the photo looks too much like the modern plastic ones of today. Patent leather after 75 years would look rather different to that in the photo.  The liner also looks rather strange. The vintage paper makers labels do not prove anything and they state specificly "Airmen", so not the right description. The re-enactment photos make it too much of a promotion scheme.

Below is an example of an original badge with King's Crown, WW2 period, or at least before 1953. The badge in the Ebay photo looks like an attempt at a King's Crown, but differs considerably - the quality is, however, good. Whether this is an original badge, I cannot say. The cap may also have been made for film, theatre or television productions.

image.png.d24c7e10c1fb00f73a591387d5e56514.png

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16 minutes ago, Fritz said:

The badge in the Ebay photo looks like an attempt at a King's Crown, but differs considerably - the quality is, however, good.
 

 

I mentioned to the seller that I thought the box had nothing to do with the hat, they didn't know. Noticed they're also selling the rest of that reenactment uniform which they state as postwar but with ww2 buttoms fitted to make it look right...  From what I can tell the fold down rear flap on those hats was removed in 54, so it's either earlier than that or a repro..  I can't tell, so that leaves me having to give it a miss..

 

But.. if the seller comes back saying the strap IS leather, i'll be unsure anyway..

 

I did find a collector selling a complete WAAF officer's uniform all dated to 1943 and in very good condition but he wanted £900 .....! wow..

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Does seem to be leather, but it can't be that old, and the badge, although excellent quality, does have that rather strange crown, I still tend to think it is post-war. The King's Crown was worn till 1953. I see the auction has now ended.

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5 minutes ago, Fritz said:

Does seem to be leather, but it can't be that old, and the badge, although excellent quality, does have that rather strange crown, I still tend to think it is post-war. The King's Crown was worn till 1953. I see the auction has now ended.

He's re-listed it for the same amount.

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liner certainly does not look wartime 

s-l1600.jpg

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On 25/07/2021 at 13:55, GaryR said:

He's re-listed it for the same amount.

It didn't sell again, so the seller has re-listed it, for the same amount...

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I think that tells you all you need to know

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm not sure about today's prices, but that is a lot for a WW2 auxilliary cap. For around 400 you can get an original WW1 khaki peaked trench cap, or even an RFC overseas cap.

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2 hours ago, Fritz said:

I'm not sure about today's prices, but that is a lot for a WW2 auxilliary cap. For around 400 you can get an original WW1 khaki peaked trench cap, or even an RFC overseas cap.

Looks like I won't be buying one..

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If you keep looking, you may find a more affordable price.

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