Quote:
Originally Posted by MD_Titus
did all irvins have the same collars?
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it's a difficult question to answer. Generally speaking, the size was relatively the same but I know for certain that the Irvin-Air-Chute version had a squared collar and the Wareings one, for example, a rounded collar. Generally though the difference is minor, and the relative size is exactly the same.
In Piece of Cake, Robinson talks of the pilots cutting off their Irvin's collars. I do not know if this was official practice or not, but it's an interesting theory.
It was a cumbersome Jacket, and I would not have enjoyed wearing it in a confined space.
However, I have never expereinced the cold at altitude so I am not the best to judge. I can say though that a layer or thermals, pyjamas, Shirt, Frock, Service Dress and Mae West would have helped to combat the cold, although an Irvin would have done a better job. Another issue is that depending on the size of Mae West, it can be a tight fit fitting it over the Irvin. I also fail to mention that Prestige Suit or a Sidcot Suit would have done an OK job when worn over the aforementioned too, but a lot of pilots didn't favour the latter suit, with the former being more the choice of pilots from Auxillary/University Air Squadrons.
At the end of the day it's all down to personal choice and comfort with the ultimate deciding factor being how well a pilot will operate in a combat situation. Alas, the latter reason proved to be many pilots downfall in the Battle when they refused to wear gauntlets or anything similar. Alternatively, I can imagine it can work the other way, with a chafed neck being the difference sometimes between life and death; hence a silk scarf.
09-18-2010, 05:11 PM
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