RFC/RAF Opinions please.
 

This photo was described as 1930 RAF but I think it is earlier looking at the uniform and sam browne. The cap badge, although not very clear, dosen't look RAF either. Perhaps near the end of WW1? Looks like one of the star ribbons under his wings.

All views/opinions welcome

Thanks

billy

Closer view of cap. The badge is blurred on the actual image.

He looks to be Army so possibly RFC or ex RFC with his wings on. The uniform is not RAF,

He seems to be wearing the GRI cypher plus crown cap badge, wasn't that worn by officers serving in the Indian Army?

Rgds, Thomas.

I agree that he looks like he is wearing an indian army cap badge and that the uniform is not RFC/RAF. But didn't a lot of RFC pilots keep on wearing their army uniform while they wear still the Royal Flying Corps?

Thanks for the views so far chaps

The Royal Flying Corps were part of the army until April 1st 1918.

regards,

Zob.

Happy to be corrected here, but it is my understanding that it was common for notices to be sent out to other branches of the forces, asking for young officers to volunteer to serve with the RFC, in view of the great prospective expansion of the branch. Those who volunteered were (at least to begin with) only on secondment, and were not actually expected to leave their own regiments.

A great IWM pic posted last year by Jo ‘Voltigeur’ showing a RIF officer wearing RFC wings (below):

Attachment 188280

JT

Zob what I actually meant to say was that they wore their own regiments badges. Jelly. Seems reasonable to me that Pilots on attachment might still wear their own regiments uniform (badges) while waiting to transfer (if they did)

Any more views anyone?

My understanding is that when an officer transferred from one regiment to another, that he was allowed to keep on wearing his former regimental tunic up until a time that it either wore out or that he was specifically ordered to change it. Of course, in the case of him qualifying for his pilot’s certificate with the Royal Flying Corps, then he would naturally add that insignia to his existing tunic. In the case of Observers however, these chaps had to do a certain number of operations during the Great War, before qualifying or winning one should say, the necessary brevet to put up. It's also, good to remember that the Observer could by definition be Balloon qualified, as opposed to aerial reconnaissance trained.

Zob.

I'm sure there's a thread somewhere here with a member of the home guard with RFC wings and I've got a picure of a WWII us army airforce officer with RFC wings.