Regia Aeronautica Uniform Question

[rathbonemuseum]

Dear Friends,

I am having a dillema with one of my aviation uniforms and need your help. I have an Italian Estiva class uniform for what I believe is a maresciallo grade officer. The problem is, it doesn't seem to have the correct "look". I am using Andrea Viotti's book as a guide. Here is his illustration:


Now here is my uniform. You can see there are differences. There are three buttons on the front instead of two. The lapel is much larger and falls wider on the chest. I am wondering if my tunic is for an NCO? Is it more modern? Earlier? Than the 1939 grade Estiva uniform?





Thanks for your help.

Tod

[Ludovico Slongo]

Dear Tod,

to identify the rank of the man wearing the uniform it would be decisive to have a detailed view of the epaulettes.
Will be out the next days so be patient if I'm not answering immediately.

Ludovico

[rathbonemuseum]

Dear Ludovico,

I added the epaulettes myself. The tunic was purchased with no insignia. I added the set of boards and the aigulette which are ranked to a marasciallo maggiore (three stripes). My concern is that the uniform may not be correct for that rank (or is not the right time period?) based on the cut and the number of buttons.

Cheers,

Tod

[veltro]

A drawing is not a photograph. And there were more styles of "cuts" in Regia Aeronautica uniforms than you can ever imagine...

You should get hold of some photographs of this type of dress before ruling out the possibility it is an original one.

IMHO, of course...

[Ludovico Slongo]

dear Tod,
now I better understand the "dilemma".
Following also Ferdinando's advice I've had a look into my books finding a lot of photos of officers and NCOs of Regia Aeronautica in the early thirties and in the war period wearing the estiva uniform but every time I've had the same sensation of a wrong "look" that you have. In particular I wasn't able to find an example of a three buttons tunic (that however doesn't mean that such a tunic doesn't exist).
If you want to have a look to some photos of Italian "estive" of the thirties you can go to the site of the "associazione culturale quarto stormo" www.asso4stormo.it than go into the "Quarto stormo caccia section" www.asso4stormo.it/arc2/link021.htm and have a look into the photographic collections of -at least-: Mario Bandini, Albino Cagliari, Raffaele Chianese (first and third part), Franco Comelli... The site has really many interesting photos and not only for the uniforms.
Kind regards,
Ludovico

[rathbonemuseum]

Ludovico,

Yes! Now you see it. The notch of the lapels is quite different. All the estive uniforms pictured have four buttons, not three. Only officer's and warrant officers were entitled to the all white uniform according to regulations. NCO and other ranks wore the standard blue service tunic during summer months. So I don't know what it is. I guess it could be a more modern version (three buttons, wider lapels - a fashion/time period issue). I still don't have any pictures to show one way or another.

I am looking for a more period looking estive tunic if anyone knows of one for sale or trade.

Cheers,

Tod