Another tartan I'm gonna have to have...

[Tattoo Bradley]

I have a book of uniform plates from the Company of Military Historians, and one of them depicts the USAFR Pipes and Drums in the 1960's; before they adopted the "Lady Jane" tartan, the band wore the Mitchell Tartan, in honour of General William "Billy" Mitchell, who was one of the advocates of modern air power.

The Billy Mitchell Scottish Pipe Band wears the Mitchell Tartan:

http://www.billymitchellscottish.org/home.html

Russells, Roses and Galbraiths will recognise the tartan, as it is also "theirs" as well!

Cheers,

Todd

Well, I'm unsure about the history of the USAFR Pipe band and their tartan. But the Lady Jane tartan was unoficially "adopted" by the USAF not the USAFR Pipe Band. As far as I know the USAFR Pipe band did and still wears the Billy Mitchell tartan.

Well, anyhow, after doing a small bit of reading on this band. It makes me wish I was a piper and had spent my USAF years in this unit. What a cool concept. I actually didn't even know this unit exisited until a few weeks ago when I began looking for an Air Force tartan.

[Panache]

Todd,

I think you mean that Russells, HUNTERS, and Galbraiths share the same tartan as the Mitchells. The Clan Rose has a few tartans of their own, and this ain't one of them. :-)

As a Galbraith, I'm curious about when different clans share one tartan. Does that mean that the Hunters, Russells, and Galbraiths were affiliated? Allies? Cheap? (The three clans got a really good rate from the mill because they all went in for the same tartan). Just curious.

TB-The Airforce tartan is certainly handsome. You can take great pride in wearing colors that had to be chosen and earned rather than born to.

Cheers

[macwilkin]

Well, I'm unsure about the history of the USAFR Pipe band and their tartan. But the Lady Jane tartan was unoficially "adopted" by the USAF not the USAFR Pipe Band. As far as I know the USAFR Pipe band did and still wears the Billy Mitchell tartan.

I saw them perform several years ago on a show on PBS (may have been Austin City Limits St. Patrick's Day show), and they were wearing the Lady Jane, not the Mitchell tartan.

On the USAFR P & D's web page, it is stated:

The official tartan of the Air Force Reserve was authorized and approved in September 1987 by the Tartan Society in Edinburgh, Scotland.

-- http://www.band.afrc.af.mil/organiza...et.asp?id=3704

If memory serves me correctly, the Lady Jane was "reassigned" as the USAFR tartan. From the way it reads, the tartan is the "official" tartan of the Reserves. The CMH plate I mentioned earlier did say that the band was disbanded in the 1970's, but the fact sheet from the USAFR seems to contradict this.

The tartan is this pictures to be the "Lady Jane":



Regards,

Todd

[Tattoo Bradley]

Well, I know from some reading that the band is still around. Perhaps they were disbanned in 1970s and then later brought back? Things like that happen often in the military.

I'm all mixed up now as far as what tartan is what. :confused: Maybe someone (MAC?) could chime in?

[macwilkin]

Well, I know from some reading that the band is still around. Perhaps they were disbanned in 1970s and then later brought back?

If you'll have a look again at my post, you'll see that I quoted directly from their web site. I only said that the Company of Military Historian's plate said that the band was disbanded in 1970, but that the USAFR's history contradicted that, not that the band was not around today. The band fact sheet implies that the band was never disbanded.

Things like that happen often in the military.

Yes, as a military historian I am quite aware of that. :mrgreen:

I'm all mixed up now as far as what tartan is what. :confused: Maybe someone (MAC?) could chime in?

The Lady Jane -- became the USAFR tartan.
Mitchell Tartan -- worn during the 1960's by the USAF Pipes & Drums.

I'll take a look again at the plate when I get home this afternoon and see if I can find their sources. I'll also fire off an e-mail to the Band via their web site. Matt also may have some information.

Cheers,

Todd

[billmcc]

Tattoobradley,

I was in the USAFR for 4 years and active duty for another 11 years. I am not crazy about the USAF (Lady Jane) tartan. There are much nicer looking tartans out there. Have you seen the Isle of Skye pleated to stripe? Look here:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ight=Isle+Skye

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Ok, this post will either clarify things or make them more confusing (let's hope for the former!).

I'll use the ITI numbers for these tartans in order to be precise. You can look them all up at the Scottish Tartans Authority site:
http://www.tartansauthority.com

Tartan No. 2437 is the U.S. Air Force Reserve Pipe Band tartan. The STA notes say:

One of a series of US Military tartans woven exclusively by the Strathmore Woollen Company and adopted by the Band of the Air Force Reserve, Georgia, USA in the early 1990s. Although this has no official US Military recognition, it has been widely accepted by US servicemen and their families with Air Force connections as a representative design.

There have been other attempts to creat unofficial tartans for the USAF, including Nos. 5080, 5075, and 4089.

The Mitchell tartan (No. 3178) was worn by the USAF Pipe Band (unsure if this was the reserve pipe band?) from about 1950, according to the STA notes. This is the same tartan that is worn by the Russells, Galbraiths, and Hunters, and, according to the STA, "acquired the name Mitchell when it was adopted by the U.S.Air Force Pipe Band and renamed in honour of General Billy Mitchell."

To answer another question, no, so far as I can tell the four families that share this tartan have no connection to one another, aside from the coincidence of sharing the same tartan!

Aye,
Matt

[macwilkin]

The Mitchell tartan (No. 3178) was worn by the USAF Pipe Band (unsure if this was the reserve pipe band?) from about 1950, according to the STA notes. This is the same tartan that is worn by the Russells, Galbraiths, and Hunters, and, according to the STA, "acquired the name Mitchell when it was adopted by the U.S.Air Force Pipe Band and renamed in honour of General Billy Mitchell."

This may be the key here, Matt. If the earlier pipe band was the USAF Pipe Band, and not the USAF Reserve Pipe Band, then it is entirely possible that the older band wore the "Mitchell" tartan until they were disbanded in the 1970's. When the USAFR "reoganized" their pipe band, they may not have been aware of the Mitchell tartans association with their predecessors, and decided to "adopt" another tartan, which of course, was the Lady Jane.

The Russells, btw, are also a "sept name" associated with my clan, the Cummings, and are entitled to wear our tartan as well.

**Edit: I just e-mailed the Public Affairs Officer for the band for more infromation. Hopefully they'll respond soon.

Cheers,

Todd

[Tattoo Bradley]

Thanks MAC and Cajunscot for all the help!

I'm anxious to hear what the public affairs office has to say on the matter.

[macwilkin]

Thanks MAC and Cajunscot for all the help!

I'm anxious to hear what the public affairs office has to say on the matter.

I will too! Methinks there might be some material for an article here. :mrgreen:

T.