For Sale: 1945 Tanker Oversuit

[Jim Burrill]

Did anything ever come of the vendor?

I connected last week with a shop in Pakistan that specializes in military hats. On a lark, I asked about clothing and they said they did them.

I told him of our efforts to get real green denim versions of the AFV crew suit made and sent him a close up of some real, unissued fabric.

He said he could get it. ( I want to see it!!)

Long story short - I sent him one of my cotton twill repros to use as a pattern. I also sent over a size 5 Pixie suit ( one of the Dutch post war) as a pattern.

The plan is to get a single one of each made matching samples of original fabric I sent him.

I will check for construction quality and fit and how close the fabric matches. I have stressed that the green denim needs to be real warp and weft proper denim.

However, if they do a good construction job on the AFV Crewsuit but have to use cotton twill dyed the right color, - and the price is right - I would probably go ahead with some orders as I have new clubmembers so bloody tall that nothing from the first batch will fit anyone.

Sizing - Problem first time around was that people took their measurements over a t-shirt and underwear or jeans. The crewsuits fit like shirts.

Not quite a problem for the denim ones as we wear them hear with just skivvies due to the summer heat. Often over 40C or 100F

But for the winter Pixies, you need more ease to get them over layers of thermals, BD, jersey, BD jacket, and still have the room to bend to get through the hatch and into your seats.

I have a size 6 that is larger than my real measurements and I can't wear the full set of winter clothes and bend over.

SO going by the label in the wrist doesn't seem to work.

Any suggestions? Right now, I just have to put it all on, and measure over that.

Key to any coverall type - flight suit, boiler suit, crewsuit, etc, is the torso height - crotch to neck. I wore flight suits for 18 years int he Navy and the crotch was always lower than with trousers. Otherwise, you sang falsetto when you had to scrunch up your legs to climb something.

[Bob Carriere]

.....let us know when you are taking orders........ and how you want the measurements.

In my expereince the military only had two sizes of the black motor pool coveralls..... too small and short or two large and baggy.

Cheers

[Eric R.]

I did reach out the Czech company that dusan put us onto. It took them a long time (several weeks actually) to respond but they don't have anything but small sizes in stock. Said they will restock this summer at some point.

I hope the guy Jim is working with gets the right stuff and can make a decent suit!

[Dusonn]

Guys I am very sorry for not looking after this issue. I have had some personal issues and been very busy so had not come to this forum very often. I had passed over your inquiries to Daniel - the vendor at the time but he was very slow in responses and there were some problems with the dressmaker so I stoped asking eventually. I am a bit ashamed to let you guys down after so many possitive responses. I am over the hard things and can finally spend more time for hobbies now so will talk to Daniel over phone tomorrow and see if I can find out more than Eric did on these tanksuits. I know he still has quite a good stock of the denim.

[Marc van Aalderen]

Hi Dusan,

There is interest from our group in the Netherlands for these overalls as well.
Please keep us updated and ask if it is possible to have some made in time for Normandy. Thank you!

Cheers,

[RichardT10829]

Likewise here in the UK, cost and dispatch times permitting (and how accurate they are)

[Dusonn]

Hi all,
spoke to Daniel on Saturday and he confirmed that he will make the overalls this summer. He was not sure when as according to him it was also a matter of funds. He will start with most usual sizes and leave any odd ones last. He said he has denim for about 50 overalls left. I will sum up the interest so far so he has better idea of the possible order situation and favourite sizes.
Well, from what he said I would not rely on him for the Normandy schedule Marc.

[Dusonn]

Guys, I have good news. Just talked to Daniel and he should be starting production in about two weeks. He will start with popular sizes, I will look through what everyone wished here.
I asked him to make some real figure picture with the overall on which he promised to send over this weekend so I will put them here.
I am just thinking that there might be someone who gives it a try first to tells the rest of you what the quality is and how it feels like.