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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0939.PDF
NOVEMBER 19, 1915. SUPPLEMENT TO [/jJGHT If A couple of complete rig--outs at Harrod's. overalls, underalls, gloves, boots, caps—oh dear ! A beautiful aviator's three-quarter coat (the adjective governs the coat) in black •or tan sheepskin, chrome dressed, and really soft. All-round belt, large side pockets and diagonal map pocket; double breasted, with extra wide overlap fronts, and double collar to turn up, with cross piece to button over the throat. Lined with dark grey fleece, it makes a really serviceable coat. The same in half length, at less money but no reduction in quality. Complete leather trouser suits in black or tan, and a Naval coat, also in both colours, with the usual side pockets and large map pocket. Gloves of every description, lined with every conceivable material calculated to keep the hands warm. One, in particular, I noticed, with the underside of the finger tips left unlined in order to facilitate the feeling of switches. Another good line is a gauntlet glove, lined with fleece, with waterproof canvas backs and leather fronts, and strap fastening. Flying caps of every description, lined with fur, or fleece, or unlined. Helmets, wool under-caps. Long boots, short boots, boots lined and boots unlined ; everything one could possibly want in the way of equipment. There .' I don't think that is so bad for a start. In these strenuous times it is proper to econo mise in fares, and it being a lovely day, we will walk through St. James' Park to Piccadilly Circus, where, on the corner, but numbered 30, Regent Street, are the General Aeronautical Company, known the world over as the"G.A.C." Obtain able here is everything connected with aviation, from an engine to a pair of goggles. In clothing, they specialise in Kapok, that wonderfully light, waterproof, warm, vegetable wool, which in addi tion to other qualities, is buoyant in water, thus acting as a life-saving jacket should mishap befall an aviator when over water. The material is used in a number of forms, principally in the shape of undercoats and waistcoats. In the waistcoat form, they may be had made up in the ordinary way, to button down the front, or simply with straps over the shoulders, looking very much after the style of the cork jackets worn by lifeboat men. In jacket form, it is made not quite so thick, and with sleeves, the Kapok in this case being sand wiched between flannel, and made more with the idea of warmth than with life saving, although even with the lesser amount of Kapok, the buoyancy is remarkable, and quite capable of keeping the wearer -afloat in smooth water. A one-piece suit in black, chrome dressed leather, is also a speciality, it being also Kapok lined, although, of course, to a lesser extent than the life-vests primarily in tended for life saving. Nevertheless it should be very buoyant, and it certainly is beautifully made. It has an all-round belt, and the leg is fitted with buttons for some distance upwards from the ankle, so that the wind is prevented from entering. Although not strictly an article of clothing, as Kapok is again used, mention may be made of their sleeping bag. In this case, it is used purely on account of its warmth. The bag is in waterproof sheeting, and the lining makes a very snug article in which to pass the night when compelled to rest on the earth. With sleeping bags in general, the difficulty is to get into them and out of them, especially the former. This pjrticular bag has one of the neatest arrangements possible to obviate having to get in at the top, feet first. Some bags button over, but there one has to sit up and start the buttoning process at the bottom. In the bag in question, there is fitted a very fascinating arrangement of a kind of hook-and-eye chain on each side. The fastening is accom plished by simply pulling a loop fastened to a little fastening disc or wheel, which runs along and fastens the whole thing up. Just how it is done I cannot say, but it is a most ingenious device. To emerge in the morning, all one has to do is to take hold of the two sides of the bag as though trying to tear it apart when the little disc retreats to the bottom, opening the bag on its journey. And so to Burberry's in the Haymarket. To expatiate on Burberry goods is about on a par with trying to paint the sky blue, but as the lines there dealt in are entirely Bur berry, we ask for Mr. Doman, and procsed to investigate their unique examples of high-class tailoring. The " Tielocken " long flying coat is just the very thing for the purpose. The material is absolutely weather-proof, and it has an exceedingly great overlap front, extending right to the bottom, so that the legs cannot get wet through the blowing up of the coat. To further prevent this happening, there are straps through which one can pass the legs, which yet do not inter fere with walking. It is made in two colours, khaki for military wear, and blue for naval wear, and being of material in the place of the usual leather, it is almost impossible to tell the coats from those cut from ordinary cloth. The belt is of the all-round type, but, as unusual, it adjusts both back and front. Side pockets are provided, and the collar can be used in three positions. A feature of this coat is that there are no buttons—all fixing being accom plished by easily-adjusted straps and dome clips. "Garbadine" is a material used in many ways, including the manufacture of complete flying suits, after the style of the well- known leather suits, but here with distinctive features with regard Ideas for safety and comfort at the G.A.C. 31
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