Mess Kits

[Jed]

So the gold stripe in the trousers is for Canadian Air Cavalry ala the US? 

 

[Monsoon]

It is definitely the post-unification style stripes and not the pre-unification style.

Unless I'm mistaken, the gold stripe on the proposed RCAF mess dress pants is a new addition as well. Let me assure you it's a mixed blessing: that stripe adds a good $300-400 to the price of mess dress, at current gold prices.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

The gold stripe was on the pre-unification mess kit, but not on the current one, and added back to the 'incoming' one.

A few pictures here, 2/3s of the way down.  Female mess kit circa '67 bottom right picture here.

 

[jpjohnsn]

Unless I'm mistaken, the gold stripe on the proposed RCAF mess dress pants is a new addition as well. Let me assure you it's a mixed blessing: that stripe adds a good $300-400 to the price of mess dress, at current gold prices.

Looking at the new mess dress and owning a pre-unification one (I rescued it from the dustbin when they were renovating a legion near me), there are very few differences between the two.  The new one has kept the shawl collar from the outgoing midnight blue mess dress (and because of that, wings and medals are worn on the breast and not the lapel as they were in the old RCAF) and the trousers are cut slightly different (no stirrups, for example).  The gold braid on the cuffs and trousers were features of the old mess dress as is the white waistcoat.

Looks like I'm gonna have to start putting some pennies nickles together to get one of these when the final word comes out.  Weird that the rumour is for May and not this weekend for the Air Force birthday.

 

[Jungle]

It is definitely the post-unification style stripes and not the pre-unification style.

I guess the General can spend $1000+ on clothes, but he can't afford a tin of shoe polish... 

 

[Scoobie Newbie]

His bat boy should be fired I guess.  lol

 

[jpjohnsn]

Hopefully the pictures are viewable here.  Compare LGen Blondin's dress to the old RCAF version (the line drawing is from a copy of a 1958 version of the CAP-6 RCAF dress manual).  It's not a bad blending of the old RCAF mess dress and the CF midnight blue version.

The blue in this pic looks really dark but it is actually very close to Blondin's mess dress. 

and

 

[dimsum]

Unless I'm mistaken, the gold stripe on the proposed RCAF mess dress pants is a new addition as well. Let me assure you it's a mixed blessing: that stripe adds a good $300-400 to the price of mess dress, at current gold prices.

That's the first thing I thought as well, having both RCN and RCAF mess kit.  At least I could potentially re-use my RCN waistcoat (minus buttons.....or not?  Muahahahaha.)

 

[Fishbone Jones]

They should also learn to tie a real bow tie, instead of the $10.00 tuxedo rental one like the General is wearing.

After all, should you follow someone that can't master the art of tying a bow tie?  ;D

 

[Jungle]

After all, should you follow someone that can't master the art of tying a bow tie?  ;D

Yeah... unfortunately, bow ties and the colour of stripes on pants are more important then weapon handling for far too many people in the CAF.

 

[dimsum]

They should also learn to tie a real bow tie, instead of the $10.00 tuxedo rental one like the General is wearing.

After all, should you follow someone that can't master the art of tying a bow tie?  ;D

What happened to the tradition of being called out (and buying rounds) for having a fake bow-tie?  I guess my old NAVRES Wardroom taught me well.

 

[Strike]

Yeah... unfortunately, bow ties and the colour of stripes on pants are more important then weapon handling for far too many people in the CAF.

It's called personal pride, and it should be in EVERYTHING you do.

 

[Jungle]

Thanks for the lesson...  :

 

[Strike]

Thanks for the lesson...  :

I can teach you how to tie one if you want.  I've known how to do it since I was 13.  ;D (poke poke)

 

[dapaterson]

I can teach you how to tie one if you want.  I've known how to do it since I was 13.  ;D (poke poke)

All that time spent around Chippendales dancers? 

 

[Jungle]

I can teach you how to tie one if you want.  I've known how to do it since I was 13.  ;D (poke poke)

No thanks... I don't even own a mess kit.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Rumour you say?  Let me direct you to the "new RCAF mess kit" CANFORGEN CANAIRGEN 15/13, esp the part about GO ranks  >

UNCLAS CANAIRGEN 15/13 C AIR FORCE 18/13 

SUBJ: RCAF MESS DRESS 

1. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO ANNOUNCE THE NEW RCAF MESS DRESS. THE CHANGE WAS INSPIRED BY THE INTENT TO BETTER CONNECT OUR MEMBERS WITH THEIR RICH HERITAGE AND STRENGTHEN THE IDENTITY OF THE MODERN RCAF
 
2. THE NEWLY DESIGNED MESS DRESS PRESERVES THE CURRENT MESS DRESS CUT AND PATTERN HOWEVER THE FOLLOWING MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE FABRIC, BRAID, COLOR AND BUTTONS FOR BOTH MALE AND FEMALE DRESS 
(A) THE FABRIC IS 100 PERCENT WOOL BARATHEA 
(B) THE FABRIC COLOR IS AIR FORCE BLUE FOR JACKET, PANT AND SKIRT 
(C) THERE ARE TWO V SHAPE COLUMNS OF BUTTONS ON THE JACKET 
(D) FEMALES HAVE THE CHOICE OF LONG TRADITIONAL SKIRT OR PANT 
(E) THE FEMALE JACKET MATCHES THE MALE JACKET PATTERN 
(F) THE FULL SATIN BLUE SHAWL COLLAR WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED 
(G) A WHITE WAISTCOAT WILL BE WORN BY CWOS AND OFFICERS 
(H) THE RCAF TARTAN CUMMERBUND WILL BE WORN BY MWOS AND BELOW 
(I) A GOLD BRAID ON EACH SIDE OF PANT HAS BEEN ADDED FOR CWOS AND OFFICERS 
(J) THE BLUE BRAID ON EACH SIDE OF PANT WILL REMAIN FOR MWOS AND BELOW 
(K) GENERAL OFFICERS (GO) WILL NO LONGER WEAR SHOULDER BOARD AS RANK INSIGNIA. GOS WILL HAVE THEIR RANK DISPLAYED ON BOTH SLEEVES IN THE TRADITIONAL RCAF GOLD BRAID RANK INSIGNIA PATTERN 
(L) RANK INSIGNIA FOR NCMS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED.
 
3. WHITE MESS DRESS JACKET PATTERN WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED HOWEVER THE BUTTON PLACEMENT WILL MATCH THE AIR FORCE BLUE JACKET. THE WEARING OF RANK SHOULDER BOARDS ON THE WHITE MESS DRESS JACKET WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR ALL OFFICER RANKS 

4. THE RCAF MESS DRESS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE IN SEP 13. IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT THOSE WHO REQUIRE MESS DRESS WAIT UNTIL THAT DATE TO PURCHASE THEIR MESS DRESS 

5. THE NEW RCAF MESS DRESS IS AUTHORIZED FOR WEAR EFFECTIVE AS OF THE DTG OF THIS MESSAGE. MEMBERS WHO HAVE PURCHASED THE OLD MESS DRESS PRIOR TO THIS DATE MAY CONTINUE TO WEAR THIS MESS DRESS. NO MODIFICATIONS WILL BE MADE TO THE OLD MESS DRESS

 

[George Wallace]

I see some resemblance to the old CF Mess Kit, with the exception of the stripes on pants.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Biggest visible changes, IMO, are the gold stripes on the pants and white waistcoat for CWOs and above.  MWOs and below will wear the RCAF tartan cummerbund with blue stripe on pants. 

 

[Towards_the_gap]

I see they nipped countless hours of army hilarity in the bud by renaming the 'official' colour...

...urban legend tells us it was originally (ie RFC days), Crab Blue....