# Did Canada ever use USAF Flight Suits?



## Acer Syrup (9 Jun 2008)

I have a fellow ebayer from the east coast that swears that his USAF flight suit was issued to him by CF stores, but didn't like it and only wore the blue ones. Am I getting a load of BS or is this guy serious. Which doesn't really matter because at no time did he ever specify it was USAF design.


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## aesop081 (9 Jun 2008)

The fighter guys were issued USAF flightsuits for the OP ALLIED FORCE in 1999


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## armyvern (9 Jun 2008)

Acer Syrup said:
			
		

> I have a fellow ebayer from the east coast that swears that his USAF flight suit was issued to him by CF stores, but didn't like it and only wore the blue ones. Am I getting a load of BS or is this guy serious. Which doesn't really matter because at no time did he ever specify it was USAF design.



Uhmmm, yes they were issued. I actually did their ordering & receipting action and forwarded to theatre from 8 Wg Trenton. He's telling the truth.

Actually have a pic of me horsing about in one of them, before sending to theatre of course, around here somewhere.

Vern


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## aesop081 (9 Jun 2008)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> Actually have a pic of me horsing about in one of them, before sending to theatre of course, around here somewhere.



But was it a$$less ?


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## armyvern (9 Jun 2008)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> But was it a$$less ?



Worse; ergo it will NOT be published here.  

But, if you ever see a pic floating about the DIN with some Canadian chick in a USAF flight suit, wearing flight helmet and riding a certain something in a hangar -- just say "BINGO."


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## aesop081 (9 Jun 2008)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> Worse; ergo it will NOT be published here.



theres nothing wrong with my PM inbox


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## armyvern (9 Jun 2008)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> theres nothing wrong with my PM inbox



There is something wrong with it if you can't see the pic in it.  >


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## Loachman (9 Jun 2008)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> There is something wrong with it if you can't see the pic in it.  >



There seems to be something wrong with mine, too.

Could you please try sending it again?


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## armyvern (9 Jun 2008)

Loachman said:
			
		

> There seems to be something wrong with mine, too.
> 
> Could you please try sending it again?



Yes, there does seem to be something wrong with yours too if you're not seeing it. I PM'd it site-wide.  >

Perhaps Mike needs to turn off the site content filtering?


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## Loachman (10 Jun 2008)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> Perhaps Mike needs to turn off the site content filtering?



_*THAT*_ good, is it?

There's always e-mail...


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

Very interesting. but come on..... does this really scream out USAF flight suit. "Bran[d] new Canadian Air Force Flight Suit...sage green with Captain rank epaulets. Flame resistant, lots of zippers and pockets...size 42 regular"

Only thing that was should have sent off alarm bells was sage green and the sizing.


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## armyvern (10 Jun 2008)

Loachman said:
			
		

> _*THAT*_ good, is it?
> 
> There's always e-mail...



If you actually believe for a single instance that I would send you a pic of me dolled up in a flight suit & helmet ... riding a broom -- you are sillier than I thought!! Either that or the alcohol from Guelph isn't out of your system yet.   ;D


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## armyvern (10 Jun 2008)

Acer Syrup said:
			
		

> Very interesting. but come on..... does this really scream out USAF flight suit. "Bran[d] new Canadian Air Force Flight Suit...sage green with Captain rank epaulets. Flame resistant, lots of zippers and pockets...size 42 regular"
> 
> Only thing that was should have sent off alarm bells was sage green and the sizing.



Excuse me, I have ordered (as already stated) and issued USAF flight suits to Canadian Military personnel.

COLOG. It's my job (well it _was_ my job circa 97-01). Next question?


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

Your excused, I know that you issued them!!! I am not questioning that. but the discription for the item did not say anthing about them being USAF Design!


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## armyvern (10 Jun 2008)

Acer Syrup said:
			
		

> Your excused, I know that you issued them!!! I am not questioning that. but the discription for the item did not say anthing about them being USAF Design!



Fack.



> 9B.8 (1994-06-23) COLOG: A supply arrangement, similar to Standing Offers, which is negotiated with the U.S. DOD under the auspices of FMS. It enables the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) to obtain directly from the supply systems operated by the U.S. DOD, spare parts and accessories needed for Crown-owned military equipment of U.S. origin. This category of FMS cases (contracts) necessitates the purchase of an equity in the supply system of the appropriate military organization.



We have international COLOG agreements which allow the CF to order/purchase etc items from allied militaries if they are deemed of benefit. Because they slap a CF ident label into the ones they ship us ... does not negate the fact they are US designed/issued/supplied/manufactured or US Supply Depot stocked items. 

COLOG para 9B.8

Again, fack.


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

OK give you that. No CF label by the way. So if a pilot showed up to work in that exact suit, they wouldn't get chewed out.


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## armyvern (10 Jun 2008)

Acer Syrup said:
			
		

> OK give you that. No CF label by the way. So if a pilot showed up to work in that exact suit, they wouldn't get chewed out.



Here's how it works ...

We order sometimes COLOG items if it's deemed to be of benefit to us.

When that happens the label will reflect the NSN (Nato Stock Number), in the case of the flight suits -- the NSN on each garment would be the very same number on both the US suit label for a particular size as it would be on the same flight suit of that size supplied to the CF via COLOG. We are both NATO countries after all and they aren't called NSNs for nothing.

The labels would also reflect the purchase/contract number on it (as our contract number would be a COLOG contract number it would differ from the contract number on the US label - we are two different entities). The inserted CF label identifies our Canadian contract # which, upon pulling the contract would indicate that this item of kit as being system-supplied via the US COLOG agreement.

Look at any garment label of issued kit that you have ... you'll see a "W84 ..." etc number on it. This is the contract information and is used by Sup Techs/PWGSC in obtaining further items if so required. We simply go pull that contract up and can obtain all the mil specs, source of supply etc ...

The re-label eases the re-supply issues that would occur with an item should re-labelling not occur. For example, if the US label were left inside the garment ... we'd see their contract number and go "WTF?? How do we order another one of these, and from where? And why are you wearing it - it's a US item?"

The CF label ... avoids ALL that; that CF label would indicate that your friend has a genuine item which is authorized (or once was) for wear within his service to the CF. This item would show on his clothing docs. Unless it has been prohibited/suspended from wear ... he can wear the damn thing.


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

Thanks Vern, This doesn't look like a CF label, but I have been wrong about a lot of things today.


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## Loachman (10 Jun 2008)

What is this fellow's background, ie, how would he have been issued one?

I've never heard anybody state a preference for the blue piece of crap over either the US or Canadian green Nomex one. Not only was it a dumb colour, it was hotter in the summer as well. The only thing really wrong with the US one is the lack of built-in gloves.

Do you have a link for the E-bay listing?


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## Loachman (10 Jun 2008)

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> If you actually believe for a single instance that I would send you a pic of me dolled up in a flight suit & helmet ... riding a broom -- you are sillier than I thought!! Either that or the alcohol from Guelph isn't out of your system yet.   ;D



It depends upon how silly you originally thought that I was, I suppose...

Not that _I_ think that I am, and I'm stone cold sober too.

Perhaps just a little overly optimistic.

That earlier teacher-photo posting may have had something to do with it too - because the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw those photos was "Hah - she doesn't even come _*close*_ to Vern".


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

He is retired RCAF, that all I know. 280228805587 not sure if posting the ebay # is kosure, but if it helps.


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## Loachman (10 Jun 2008)

Acer Syrup said:
			
		

> OK give you that. No CF label by the way. So if a pilot showed up to work in that exact suit, they wouldn't get chewed out.



Only a small number of these were ever purchased for the bomber community. I doubt that many of those would still be serviceable. I do not think that wearing them would be acceptable except under limited conditions, ie serving in an exchange position. They have been issued to others in certain positions, ie Canadian aircrew serving in NATO AWACS units, but I do not know if that is still the case.

His claim is not implausible, but I'd be suspicious.


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## Loachman (10 Jun 2008)

Acer Syrup said:
			
		

> He is retired RCAF, that all I know. 280228805587 not sure if posting the ebay # is kosure, but if it helps.



Being as the RCAF ceased to exist in 1968, and the USAF was still issuing cotton flying suits until sometime after that...


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## armyvern (10 Jun 2008)

Loachman said:
			
		

> What is this fellow's background, ie, how would he have been issued one?
> 
> I've never heard anybody state a preference for the blue piece of crap over either the US or Canadian green Nomex one. Not only was it a dumb colour, it was hotter in the summer as well. The only thing really wrong with the US one is the lack of built-in gloves.
> 
> Do you have a link for the E-bay listing?



Actually the timelines for this one into our system were pretty much occuring at the same time period as initial implementation of the blue piece of crap.  

As for the label, the first ones we got for overseas were ordered as an IOR (now the "HPR"), not all were re-labelled due to the necessity to have them "NOW" and get them into theatre STAT. Further shipments ordered as replacement stocks etc would be re-labelled.


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

Loachman said:
			
		

> Being as the RCAF ceased to exist in 1968, and the USAF was still issuing cotton flying suits until sometime after that...



Sorry RCAF, is my ignorance. He didn't say that.


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

So I don't really have a leg to stand on.


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## aesop081 (10 Jun 2008)

Acer Syrup said:
			
		

> So if a pilot showed up to work in that exact suit, they wouldn't get chewed out.



I still see some of the fighter guys wear them but you would get chewed out if you wore one of those in MAG thats for sure.


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## Loachman (10 Jun 2008)

Acer Syrup said:
			
		

> 280228805587 not sure if posting the ebay # is kosure, but if it helps.



The label looks authentic in the photo that you posted.

Advertising it as a "Canadian Air Force Flight Suit" is wrong, as it is a US one regardless of how it was issued to whom. It is most definitely not a standard Canadian item.

The sleeves look short in the Ebay photo. It's hard to tell if they've been chopped or are bunched up somehow. The rank insignia looks a little thin, although that, too, may be due to the odd perspective on the photo. It's only on one side, however. In photos that I saw of CF bomber pilots in the Gulf, they had combat rank insignia (slip-ons) cut and sewn directly onto the shoulders of their US suits, and not the bright yellow dress uniform ones. I have seen photos of the bright yellow rank braid sewn onto AWACS and exchange-pilot suits however.


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

Yep they were sewed on, OG slip ons that then had the yellow braid sewn on top of the OG rank. Wasn't even nicely sewed on. just slapped on. not even cut. No Canada emblem or anything on the bottom.


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## Loachman (10 Jun 2008)

Crude, and no wonder why the other one is missing.

Still, $10.50 is not a bad price.


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## Acer Syrup (10 Jun 2008)

actually the other one is there, the price is why I have decided to let the issue go.


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