Where to find a rare squadron badge?

[ChemicalChaos]

Hi all,

I'm on the hunt for one of these:



or





Neither of them appear to be available on ebay or through aviation shops.

Can anyone help locate one for me please?

Thanks!

[Ginetta G15 Girl]

You could try the 74 Sqn Association:

http://www.74squadron.org.uk/index.htm

[ChemicalChaos]

A bit of closure:

Thanks GGG,

I tried them and a few other leads and managed to get hold of the yellow and black one eventually from a defunct online shop. My PHSS really came up trumps though, I have no idea where he found the ever more rare square version of the white patch but it looks fantastic!

Here's a shot of them both added to my new "show overalls" - the outfit I wear when on tour at shows helping out the owner of XV490 "R Romeo", an ex- 74SQN FGR2

Now I just have to finish sewing the other side of the chest, which I have reserved for patches pertaining to his other Phantom, ZE352 - an F4-J that served with US Navy Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-4, the famous "Black Bunny" squadron

[DB4DM]

Are those overalls polyester? I hope not

[ChemicalChaos]

Half and half, why?

[DB4DM]

I'm sorry but it doesn't quite look right. Since 1982 British military clothing has tended to exclude manmade fabric because of its behaviour in a fire, it melts into the wearer's skin

[eccles]

DB4DM said:

I'm sorry but it doesn't quite look right. Since 1982 British military clothing has tended to exclude manmade fabric because of its behaviour in a fire, it melts into the wearer's skin

Zips aren't very good for canopies either.

[ChemicalChaos]

eccles said:

DB4DM said:

I'm sorry but it doesn't quite look right. Since 1982 British military clothing has tended to exclude manmade fabric because of its behaviour in a fire, it melts into the wearer's skin

Zips aren't very good for canopies either.

I know they don't look exactly like an RAF beanbag, but they were never supposed to. They are cheap, extremely hard wearing, easy to get hold of and won't turn me into a boil-in-the-bag stew when perched on top of the a/c in the sun all day. A genuine flight suit is none of those things.
I didn't think about the chest Zips, but if they do prove to be a problem I can tape them up or remove thenm completely

[eccles]

ChemicalChaos said:

eccles said:

DB4DM said:

I'm sorry but it doesn't quite look right. Since 1982 British military clothing has tended to exclude manmade fabric because of its behaviour in a fire, it melts into the wearer's skin

Zips aren't very good for canopies either.

I know they don't look exactly like an RAF beanbag, but they were never supposed to. They are cheap, extremely hard wearing, easy to get hold of and won't turn me into a boil-in-the-bag stew when perched on top of the a/c in the sun all day. A genuine flight suit is none of those things.
I didn't think about the chest Zips, but if they do prove to be a problem I can tape them up or remove thenm completely

I think the nickname you're looking for is 'growbag'

I'm not having a go, you wear what you want. On a live aircraft the zips would be a no-no.
You could always just get a surplus pair of overalls. Nice olive colour, and Velcro on all the openings and there's loads of them out there in any surplus shop and on ebay.

[ecsrobin]

eccles said:

I think the nickname you're looking for is 'growbag'

I'm not having a go, you wear what you want. On a live aircraft the zips would be a no-no.
You could always just get a surplus pair of overalls. Nice olive colour, and Velcro on all the openings and there's loads of them out there in any surplus shop and on ebay.

The current issue RAF flying suit has zips and certainly my display flying suit has/had zips.

[eccles]

ecsrobin said:

eccles said:

I think the nickname you're looking for is 'growbag'

I'm not having a go, you wear what you want. On a live aircraft the zips would be a no-no.
You could always just get a surplus pair of overalls. Nice olive colour, and Velcro on all the openings and there's loads of them out there in any surplus shop and on ebay.

The current issue RAF flying suit has zips and certainly my display flying suit has/had zips.

That's the paradox. It was hammered into us in training not to carry unnecessary things in out pockets, no metal on the overalls for FOD and damage issues, yet aircrew get zips and pens and chinagraphs and all sorts of other crap to create FOD hazards on the cockpit/flight deck. At least those zips have been tested etc to a spec, so are less of a FOD hazard.

Edited by eccles on Tuesday 20th January 14:20

[ecsrobin]

Then there's all the buckes and straps of harnesses, G-suits and so on, plus all the FOD from your sandwiches, drinks and sweets. Fortunately I have never dropped a Haribo mid flight.

[eccles]

Having had an RAF career working of fast jets, then many years outside working on RAF transport aircraft, nothing surprises me any more when it comes to the cockpit floor!

[perdu]

Wouldn't want to waste a Haribo anyway