White Aviator shirt-AF Style

[MSgt Van]

Go to this link:

http://www.tallyhouniforms.com/p_shirt.htm

and scroll down to the pilot shirt. 

"Pilot Shirts
65% Polyester 35% Cotton

Ring Spun Poplin, epaulets, two mitered, pleated pockets and flaps, wing eyelets,  short sleeve white only.
Based on the Air Force dress uniform.

Both pockets have a pleat in the center with a rectangular flap
& corners cut on a 45 degree angle.

The left pocket has two holes over the top for
attaching wings & a pen slot as shown."


That will show you what the AF-style shirt looks like.

Also, there's a couple of different vendors for the AF blue shirt.  The issue shirt is not the best.  You can get an upscale (more expensive) version that's made of better fabric, and is tapered.  I don't remember the manufacture's name, but I can check when I get home.  Both are available through military clothing sales.

[JC004]

...
Also, there's a couple of different vendors for the AF blue shirt.  The issue shirt is not the best.  You can get an upscale (more expensive) version that's made of better fabric, and is tapered.  I don't remember the manufacture's name, but I can check when I get home.  Both are available through military clothing sales.

Isn't the commercial AF shirt a darker blue than the issue shirt?

[MSgt Van]

These are both clothing sales items; both are "regulation".  The shade is specified in the mil-spec.  I'll post the manuf. info in a bit.

[captrncap]

Go to this link:

http://www.tallyhouniforms.com/p_shirt.htm

and scroll down to the pilot shirt. 

"Pilot Shirts
65% Polyester 35% Cotton

Ring Spun Poplin, epaulets, two mitered, pleated pockets and flaps, wing eyelets,  short sleeve white only.
Based on the Air Force dress uniform.

The shirt is what I am looking for but the wing eyelets are a problem since I don't have any wings to wear. Any other sugguestions?

[Camas]

Another option are these shirts

[captrncap]

Another option are these shirts

Well, here's a cut 'n paste of the response I got.

Hope it helps everyone!

-Monty

*          *          *

"So sorry for the problem with the epaulet length. Our Pilot House brand shirts do indeed have epaulets that are shorter than some of the other brands. This was to prevent a common complaint of epaulets bowing up or conventional airline length (3") command bars sliding up toward the neck. So unfortunately none of our Pilot House brand shirts will be an improvement.

However, pretty much all the other shirts we carry do have longer epaulets. Of course, none of these shirts are available in the beefy oxford fabric nor are they particularly tapered. You can view a chart with all the shirts here: http://www.pilotshirts.com/1_MenShirts.asp   Click on the CODE to see the shirt, then click on the camera icon for "Alternate view" at the bottom of the list of details... this picture will provide a pretty good idea of the length of the epaulet relative to the collar. (Note that the bars may not be positioned on each shirt at quite the same place on the epaulet in each picture).

We will expect a return of the TOFS shirt. Please let us know if any of the other shirts might be a good exchange possibility for you.  Sorry we could not provide the exact same shirt with longer epaulettes.

Thank you,
Paul
Pilot House Staff

e-mail: phouse@nycap.rr.com
www.pilotshirts.com
Phone: 800-833-3838
Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm ET
Friday 9am-12pm ET
Fax: 518-861-6876

*          *          *

From: M. Montgomery, Maj (CAP) [mailto:mmontgomery@cawg.cap.gov]
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 10:24 PM
To: phouse@nycap.rr.com
Subject: Customer Question/Request
Importance: High

Good evening, friends....writing in regards to order #[deleted].  Arrived fine, love the shirt....one small problem, though.

The epaulets on the shirt are too short for my rank insignia.

Do you have this same shirt, exactly as is, but with longer epaulets (e.g., epaulets that extend from the shoulder up to the collar?)  1.5 more inches on both epaulets and this shirt is perfect for our use!

Please advise if there's a product with which to exchange or should I return the shirt for a refund?

V/R,
-Monty

************************************************************
MICHAEL S. MONTGOMERY, JR., Major, CAP
Commander, PCR-CA-334
http://sq36.cawg.cap.gov"

It looks likt those shirts don't have long enought epaulets.

[AlphaSigOU]

...
Also, there's a couple of different vendors for the AF blue shirt.  The issue shirt is not the best.  You can get an upscale (more expensive) version that's made of better fabric, and is tapered.  I don't remember the manufacture's name, but I can check when I get home.  Both are available through military clothing sales.

Isn't the commercial AF shirt a darker blue than the issue shirt?

DSCP issue shirt is AF shade 1550 light blue. The commercial shirt (made by Propper International to AF spec) is AF shade 1581 light blue (slightly darker than 1550s).

[MSgt Van]

I stand corrected.  I've got Citadel and Propper; both the same shade. Guess all my issue items went by the wayside many years ago...

[AlphaSigOU]

I stand corrected.  I've got Citadel and Propper; both the same shade. Guess all my issue items went by the wayside many years ago...

Not a problem MSgt Van... I didn't know there was another commercial manufacturer of AF-style light blue shirts. I stand corrected as well.

[JC004]

   Why is it allowed for the colors to be different?  I have considered getting the commercial shirt, but it looks so different than most everyone else.   

[mikeylikey]

  Why is it allowed for the colors to be different?  I have considered getting the commercial shirt, but it looks so different than most everyone else.   

Just buy it! 

[JC004]

  Why is it allowed for the colors to be different?  I have considered getting the commercial shirt, but it looks so different than most everyone else.   

Just buy it! 

Log into your account here www.aafes.com and send me one.

[AlphaSigOU]

  Why is it allowed for the colors to be different?  I have considered getting the commercial shirt, but it looks so different than most everyone else.   

Both shades are approved by the AF; as long as they have a certification tag on the shirt tail you're good to go.

[jb512]

Go to this link:

http://www.tallyhouniforms.com/p_shirt.htm

and scroll down to the pilot shirt. 

"Pilot Shirts
65% Polyester 35% Cotton

Ring Spun Poplin, epaulets, two mitered, pleated pockets and flaps, wing eyelets,  short sleeve white only.
Based on the Air Force dress uniform.

The shirt is what I am looking for but the wing eyelets are a problem since I don't have any wings to wear. Any other sugguestions?

For everyone with the eyelet issue, take a seam ripper and remove them.  They're just sewn into the shirt.  After you pull all the stitches out the backing will come off and after a trip to the cleaners, or a wash and iron, you'll never know they were there.

[SarDragon]

For everyone with the eyelet issue, take a seam ripper and remove them.  They're just sewn into the shirt.  After you pull all the stitches out the backing will come off and after a trip to the cleaners, or a wash and iron, you'll never know they were there.

I have some serious doubts about that. I've left permanent holes in a shirt just pinning things on when I used a device with a malformed pin that broke a few threads on the in and then back out. Sewing an eyelet into that fabric almost guarantees some thread damage.

[jb512]

For everyone with the eyelet issue, take a seam ripper and remove them.  They're just sewn into the shirt.  After you pull all the stitches out the backing will come off and after a trip to the cleaners, or a wash and iron, you'll never know they were there.

I have some serious doubts about that. I've left permanent holes in a shirt just pinning things on when I used a device with a malformed pin that broke a few threads on the in and then back out. Sewing an eyelet into that fabric almost guarantees some thread damage.

Guess it didn't guarantee any on mine.  You can't tell that the eyelets were ever there.

[arajca]

There's still the option of...wearing ribbons to cover the eyelet holes.

[WT]

Best advice I've gotten since I joined CAP...

Buy the Van Huesen "Commander" shirts.  They look much better than the ones from Vanguard, and they hold up MUCH longer, and don't get the silly yellow rings around the collar!

[JC004]

Best advice I've gotten since I joined CAP...

Buy the Van Huesen "Commander" shirts.  They look much better than the ones from Vanguard, and they hold up MUCH longer, and don't get the silly yellow rings around the collar!

?!  All of my awesome advice is inferior?   

Although I endorse basically anything that involves NOT purchasing from Vanguard.   :clap: