History

Sometime after New Year’s 1915 flying gear items were standardized for the RFC. The personal weather clothing & equipment for British aviators in the First World War was provided by private purchase from local outfitters and tailors. The fledgling aviator was given a list and told where they could go for fittings and purchases. There were specific types and patterns of coats, skull cap helmets, gloves, goggles, breeches, tunics and thigh high “fug” boots that were allowed for purchase.

The Figure

Copper State Models has designed and produced this standing British aviator that is posed to adjust the goggles that are resting at the top of his fore head. The pants are the popular wide lap riding jodhpurs. Jodhpurs originally from India were long pants, reaching to the ankle, snug from the calf to the ankle, with reinforced fabric protecting the inner calf and knee from rubbing. The thighs and hips were flared, a traditional oriental style possibly to help with bodily cooling in a hot climate, but which, in an era before the invention of stretch fabrics, also allowed free movement of the hip and thigh while riding. They came in several fabrics and colors. The flight coat was leather and came in terra cotta earth, brown or black colors. It was highly prized by German aviators and was usually bartered from captured crews before their being shipped off to POW camps. These coats came in various lengths according to the tastes of the men they were tailored for.
The foot wear was either, full length knee high boots or leather legging shells or fabric wrapped “puttees” to be used with low quarter shoes.

The third figure that Copper State Models decided to issue was to be the “CSF F32-003 British WWI pilot standing resin figure.” It is suitable to include in any British WWI aviation display or dioramas. It was sculpted by Master figure maker Andrey Blyoskin. The over-all lines and details are clean and the figure rivals any I have seen to date. It comes in four easy to assemble segments that include head, arms and body. A basic image search will yield some great existing shots and details to help the modeler further with high color items like shoulder boards. The natural stance of the figure adds to its scale realism.

I had no trouble assembling and painting this kit using my basic talents for figures. Since the BEF air service used a wide variety of aircraft your applications for this figure are plentiful. Some examples are aircraft from Royal Aircraft Factory, RE 8, SE 5a, Spads, Nieuports, Sopwiths, DeHavillands. In 1/32 this is the natural choice even if it is just to show proportion.

Methods of paymentare listed on their website copperstatemodels.com . At this time you must contact them through their website for prices and delivery schedules.

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