Flying Suit Sqn Crests

[BigGrecian]

Looking around the mess tonight I notice a variety of Sqn Crests proudly displayed on people's arms. Why is it that some are on black backgrounds and some are on white backgrounds?
I've asked around but no one seems to really know.

e.g 100 Sqn Black but 111 Sqn White.

[BEagle]

Cost of material, usually! The black background is more expensive, but the white one can be screen prined cheaply if necessary.

Though it would be nice to think that 111's is on a white background because it showed up better on black flying suits from their Black Arrows' heritage, I fear that would be bull$hit!

Oh - and don't call them 'crests' or you'll upset the Chester Herald. They are, in fact, 'badges'!

[BigGrecian]

Both £4.00 though at Terrane (http://www.terranepromotions.co.uk).
Not saying its the wrong answer though, just wondering whether there are any other reasons?

[Training Risky]

Someone told me that all the white backgrounds you see today on sqn crests were 'awarded' to the sqns who fled France in 1940, leaving their groundcrew to the advancing Hun.

Anyone else ever heard this.....? Is it bullsh*t?

[Lionel Lion]

Perhaps it's to maintain the equal opportunities stats?

[Archimedes]

TR - the 111 Squadron white background blows that out of the water straight away - 111 wasn't in France in 1940... (although I think I'm right in saying that, along with much of Fighter Command, they did participate in ops to cover the Dunkirk evacuation beaches).

[Wizzard]

Get a life you lot!

Wiz

[Training Risky]

Feeling jealous are we Wiz? Perhaps you've never worn a crest on the shoulder of your gro-bag?

Stick to your own forum if you get bored easily.

[Wizzard]

That's one - I'll try for another but cast further out this time.



















At least I passed my course.



Wiz. ;)

[Training Risky]

Very good, clever banter old chap.

But you still don't reveal if you've ever worn a crest, let alone wings.

Still waiting.........

[Pontius Navigator]

Can't remember, but it might have been 249 had a white background and I think we had a white background on 35 too at one time. The common ground was we were NEAF based and our badges were sourced from Pakistan. We could get proper wire ones too for less that a UK cloth patch.

[Now a 'J' Bloke!!]

Wizzard;

You sound like a mover;)

Regards to Most;
SFS:cool:

Who has got a badge...but it needs some Velcro!!!

[T_Handle]

It used to be the case that support units had white, STANEVAL OCUs etc but I don't thinks that holds true these days....

Although STANEVAL is still white!?!

Not that it realy matters and we all need to get out more (on rates hopefully!!!)

T:}

[Wizzard]

Training Frisky - that's two.

Well let's see.

You're quite right, on reflection I don't think I ever have worn a squadron badge on my flying kit. I do remember though on my Winter Survival course at Bad Kolgrub that the instructors advised that they should not worn on operations - and I was buggered if I was going to keep putting them on and taking them off.

I did wear one badge though. It was a great big thing with a red swan on it I think. Long time ago now but I remember myself and the rest of the staff at CFS used to call it "chicken in a basket"



Wiz ;)

[Bo Nalls]

This is an interesting site (http://home.cogeco.ca/~raf1/) that has a good collection of sqn badges. Looks like the most popular background colour is black. A few sqns use white backgrounds and there's one red background for 65sqn.

This page set me thinking about the history behind each sqns choice of badge/crest. Anyone know of a good book/website that details the history behind the design??

[saudipc-9]

Wizzard,
So you were a Tucano crew chief then?:E

[Wizzard]

No, I prefer women.



Wiz:p

[Echo 5]

' J ' Bloke,

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wizzard;

You sound like a mover
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He's obviously too smart to be a Loadmaster then !!

E5:)

[teeteringhead]

This page set me thinking about the history behind each sqns choice of badge/crest. Anyone know of a good book/website that details the history behind the design?? There are indeed many good stories..

A good book with some information is "The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force" by James J Halley (ISBN 0851300839) a few of which are still available from a certain South American River .... :ok:

Better (but now out of print) is "Customs & Traditions of the Royal Air Force" by Sqn Ldr Peter George Hering and they didn't have ISBNs in them days...

Some from memory...

22 Sqn

Shared a station with 7 Sqn at one time, hence the joke of "pi" on the badge - 22 over 7 (geddit)

33 Sqn

A hart from having flown Hawker Harts. As in 12 Sqn and Fairey Foxes, 17 Sqn and Gloster Gauntlets, 43 Sqn and Gloster Gamecocks etc etc

78 Sqn

A tiger with two tails. Flew Whitley bombers - with Tiger engines and twin tails

209 Sqn??

A red eagle pointing downwards - for shooting down the Red Baron ... (except they probably didn't!)

230 Sqn

Tiger Beer label!! Obviously not a beverage to be found in the Chester Herald's 'fridge....