Royal Air Force Tartan

**cessna152towser** · 11th September 06, 12:53 PM

There was an Air Training Corps pipe band playing at RAF Leuchars Battle of Britain day on Saturday. I didn't manage to photograph them over the crowds but they were a motley crew with some in their blue serge ATC uniforms and a few wearing kilts in a tartan which I hadn't seen before but which seemed to tone in well with the air force blue unifroms. Been doing a bit of research today and found this link which illustrates the tartan and confirms it is the official Royal Air Force tartan.
http://www.kamrafa.co.uk/
Curiously they have a photo of this band on their website but then they ask if anyone knows the name of the band.
As the son of a former RAF airman and myself a former ATC cadet, guess I'll have to think about getting a kilt in this tartan!!

**O'Neille** · 11th September 06, 12:59 PM

That is very nice. The last wedding I attended at Davis Monthan Air Force Base (Tucson Arizona), was with a bunch of RAF guys and I didn't see it there. Now I know what I'm looking for I'll be on the lookout. O'Neille

**macwilkin** · 11th September 06, 01:02 PM

Moved thread to heraldry & tartans section. Please post all tartan-related threads here.

The Royal Air Force Pipe Band Association, an umbrella group of all RAF Pipe Bands, has an interesting note on its web site that in 1937, the RAF was granted permission by the King to wear the Grey Douglas tartan, although it was never formally adopted:

http://www.rafpba.com/

The Pipes and Drums of RAF Halton wear the Douglas tartan:

http://www.rafhalton.com/

Cheers,

Todd

**cessna152towser** · 25th September 06, 08:33 AM

Well I received a reply from Flight Lieutenant Mackie confirming my eligibility to wear this tartan and samples of the fabric in 13oz and 16oz weights.

All I need to do is place my order. The options are pleated to the sett or pleated to the stripe which is the military style. Although I would be wearing the kilt as a civilian, it is a military tartan so I think it should be pleated to the stripe. That is what I intend to order unless any of you tell me that this would not be appropriate.

**macwilkin** · 25th September 06, 08:39 AM

Very nice tartan, and I would agree -- have it pleated to stripe.

I seem to remember seeing a pair of cufflinks with the RAF aircraft roundel somewhere that would go great with that tartan and formal wear!

Cheers,

Todd

**McClef** · 25th September 06, 08:55 AM

Which pleat you choose is for you decide but I guess the military connection might just tip the balance.

We used to get a band from RAF Leuchars at Remembrance Day services when I was at St Andrews but they were only ever in ordinary uniform. Maybe it's different 30 years down the road?

**macwilkin** · 25th September 06, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by McClef

Which pleat you choose is for you decide but I guess the military connection might just tip the balance.

We used to get a band from RAF Leuchars at Remembrance Day services when I was at St Andrews but they were only ever in ordinary uniform. Maybe it's different 30 years down the road?

See my previous post "two up", McClef -- I believe RAF Leuchars is listed on the RAF Pipe Band Association's web site.

Cheers,

Todd

**Tattoo Bradley** · 27th September 06, 06:31 AM

That's a beautiful tartan CT. I would definately go with "pleated to the stripe" on that one. I look forward to seeing piccies of the kilt.

**Barb T** · 27th September 06, 07:19 AM

Beautiful tartan!!

Which stripe would you pleat it to? That will govern the look of the back of the kilt. And there needs to be enough of a color block on each side of the stripe so that you don't get one of the adjacent stripes on the edges of the pleats. I can't tell from the swatch whether there's enough. It looks like there might be enough room to pleat to the red stripe in the light blue (the one with the narrow medium blue stripe right next to the centered red stripe). Blue plus red tends to look purple, though, and, from a distance, pleated to the red stripe may make this kilt look quite purple from a distance.

If you have a scanner, scan the tartan swatch, and replicate a long strip in PhotoShop or something like that. Then, pleat it up assuming that the pleats will have to be at least 3/4" at the hips (and maybe as much as an inch, depending upon how big you are). And then stand back about 15-20' to see if you like the look!

And the RAF band in the pictures on the web site you linked to have their kilts pleated to the sett. It may be that this tartan can't be effectively pleated to the stripe.

Cheers,

Barb

**Riverkilt** · 28th September 06, 10:55 PM

Thanks for this post Cessna.

My late father was a fighter pilot (flying sergeant) for the RAF in 1942 flying Spitfires and Hurricanes. Transferred to the Army Air Corps when they finally got over there in late 1942.

Have been looking for an RAF tartan to honor his service, but without success.

Would you be kind enough to review how to get "authorized" for the tartan. Sounds like we're both son's of RAF pilots.

Or can my kiltmaker just order it up from the mill??

Thanks,

Ron