Getting your cadet properly kitted out doesn’t need to be stressful (or expensive). Here’s a plain-English rundown of what’s issued free, what you’ll need to buy yourselves, how sizing works as they grow, and where other RAFAC parents pick up kit from.
WHAT’S ISSUED FREE
The squadron issues two complete uniforms at no cost — you don’t need to buy anything to get started. The only item you’ll need to sort yourselves is shoes.
No.2A (Wedgwood Blue) – parade dress
- Beret with ATC cap badge
- Wedgwood blue shirt (long sleeved)
- Black tie
- Brassard
- Blue-grey belt or stable belt
- Trousers or skirt
- Jumper (optional, for cold weather)
No.2C (dark blue) – working dress
- Beret with ATC cap badge
- Working blue shirt
- Brassard
- Jumper
- Blue-grey belt or stable belt
- Trousers or skirt
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO BUY
A short list of items aren’t issued and need to be bought separately:
- Parade shoes – worn with both No.2A and No.2C dress. Cadet-specific parade shoes or DMS-style shoes both work.
- No.3 (MTP combat) uniform – only needed for fieldcraft and shooting activities. This isn’t issued, but squadron stores sometimes have spares, so please check with staff before buying.
- Boot polish, Brasso and a shoe-shine brush – for keeping shoes and brassards parade-ready.
- A sewing kit (or iron-on option) – for attaching badges as your cadet earns them.
SIZING & GROWING CADETS
Issued uniform is fitted and exchanged through squadron stores, so there’s no need to guess sizes or buy anything in advance. If a uniform item gets too small (or too big), just let a member of staff know on a parade night and we’ll swap it from stores — free of charge.
For the items you do buy yourselves, like shoes, it’s worth trying them on in person rather than guessing online, and sizing up slightly for growing feet, since cadets spend a lot of time on their feet on parade nights and activities.
WHERE TO BUY
Always check with squadron staff before buying anything — we can point you to the best value option and let you know if there’s spare kit available first. When you do need to buy, these suppliers are commonly used by RAFAC cadets and parents:
- Cadet Kit Shop – official RAFAC-branded kit, badges and accessories
- Cadet Direct – general cadet uniform, belts and brassards
- Survival Aids – badges, rank slides and accessories
- Local shoe shops – for parade shoes or boots, so your cadet can try before they buy
LOOKING AFTER THE UNIFORM
Keeping uniform clean, ironed and polished is part of cadet life, and the official RAF Air Cadets site has short video guides on moulding a beret, polishing parade shoes and boots, and ironing shirts, trousers and skirts — handy if you want a refresher yourselves. You can find them on the official RAFAC uniforms page.
ANY QUESTIONS?
If you’re ever unsure about sizing, what to buy, or where an item has gone missing, staff are always happy to help on a parade night.