One of the most beautifully designed items of utilitarian clothing ever made! These exceptionally stunning suits were produced in the 1950s-60s for the Royal Navy, though their exact use remains something of a mystery. Very similar is design to, and certainly the younger cousin of the WW2 Baxter, Woodhouse, Taylor flying suit used by RAF air gunners, these certainly look like flight suits. Electrically insulated, these would require a power source, so that very much suggests cockpit use - despite exhaustive searching I haven't found images of them being worn. Likelihood is they were used by the Fleet Air Arm, possibly on long, cold patrol aircraft whose crew would require heated suits when in colder reaches of the planet.
The suit itself is very heavy, a thick cotton outer layer, with a wool insulation and a rayon lining, and wired via an umbilical cord. The suit comes with the booties and gloves that connect via the sockets on the cuffs and inner ankles. It features one of the most elaborate hood and collar closures that I've ever seen, along with internal suspenders, and a world of pockets - note the eyelets in the pockets to help water escape if the wearer ended up in the drink. Lightning zippers and newey studs complete this most British of garments!
Condition
Absolutely mint and unissued, the booties and gloves still in original packaging.
Size
- Tagged a size 3
- Height 5'9 - 6'
- If you were so inclined to wear this, which of course I was, it would fit a medium to large body up to 6' tall and around a 34" waist