Hi all

I have been re-reading Piece of Cake, and in the book CH3 and Fanny barton have a small argument with Baggy Bletchley and some Wing Commander about removing the collar from an Irvin Jacket. Barton and CH3 argue that the squadron did it in order to increase visiblity, as wearing a Mae-West over an Irvin causes the collar to stick up (apprently) and so it disrupts visiblilty, as the collar doesn't allow smooth neck-movements.

Can anyone comment on whether this was actual practice? I know that Piece of Cake is fiction, but this practice does have its merits

 

I have handled hundreds of Irvins and seen pictures of many many more and not once have I seen one with the collar removed. However it may have happened, but the jacket would be weakened if the collar were removed.

That's what I thought. looking into it further, I have seen pictures of mae-wests worn over irvins, and the collara of the irvin has been down; so it wasn't impossible to have the collar down over the vest.