Best bit of kit

[jimgriff]

We are having a lively debate on the best in service aircraft at the mo.

Thought for a new thread.......

What during your time in the mil was the one bit of kit that you thought.."Blimey, thats handy, wish I had thought of that"!

It can be anything from a can opener to .....well, anything!

[diginagain]

Diabolo wheels. Finest entertainment ever.

[Jo Cover]

Browning 9mm Automatic... Best standby bottle opener ever!!!:ok: :ok:

[SiClick]

The aircrew knife was the best bottle opener, not the blade but the bit that the lanyard was supposed to attach to. From what I remember it was the only thing the knife was good for.
The best bit of kit was the headover scarf. Great for the motorbike.

[gashman]

I think our Mk10 flying helmet (especially the visor set up) and leather flying gloves are much better than the US offerings for day to day flying. The only snag with the gloves is that they are rubbish in a fire 'cos they shrink. Our survival hoodie thing is a great bit of kit for those E&E scenarios (which are ALWAYS planned for winter). ASRAAM's pretty exceptional too.

[BEagle]

1. The excellent compo can widger - it did what it said to the tin!

2. Gorilla snot glue.

3. The holes in the end of the nav rule.

Plus the green bed roll/prayer mat thing everyone was given some years ago. Nailed to the wall, it stops my car door getting dented in the garage.

[hobie]

Plus the green bed roll/prayer mat thing everyone was given some years ago. Nailed to the wall, tt stops my car door getting dented in the garage.

How come so many ex-RAF pilots have garages typically a foot wider than their cars.... :confused:

My father was exactly the same .... :p

[Gainesy]

Black pudding at Boulmer

Harry Maskers.

(Still got a compo can opener, ace in power cuts)

[PerArdua]

Tri Wall boxes, carry loads of useless rubbish to the next station and then stop the car doors hitting the garage wall and the bumper hitting the front wall...genius!!!

PA

[Doors Off]

:cool: Definately the brown tortoise shell sunglasses (I think they were purchased from B&Q on bulk discount) issued by HM Forces for GWII. Fantastic for fancy dress parties, or selling to sex pests and train spotters.

[adrian mole]

Gerber Leatherman's - Shame it's American......

[hobie]

Definately the brown tortoise shell sunglasses issued by HM Forces for GWII.

recently seen on ebay .... the winning bid was 78.77 U.S. Dollars ... :eek:

(no, I didn't buy them !!!! .... :p )


http://www.lodestarexpress.com/107/19.jpg

[akula]

Has to be the recently issued thermal jacket (reversible green/sand). Packs down to eff all and works as advertised, also makes a good pillow. Just a shame that HMG sends me places where I need to use it:( :(

ALWAYS assume NEVER check

[ExGrunt]

Oddly enough when I saw this thread I also immediately thought of the compo tin opener.

So vitally important to us grunts that one was always tied to the end of the otherwise useless bit of string on a respirator case. The whole ensemble fitted into the little 'purpose?' designed pocket - possibly the whole raison d'etre for the S6/S10.

EG

[BEagle]

Good grief, hobie - they didn't really issue those things did they?

But then again, any of Saddam's Republican Guards seeing a bunch of squaddies rushing towards them wearing those DPM shades would immediately be convulsed with laughter and quite incapable of putting up any resistance. WMD - Weapons of Mass Distraction!

Nice box, madam!

Of course we aircrew went to the souk in Bahrain instead and bought RayBan Aviators at a very good price!

[Blodwyn Pig]

goretex jackets!.... when they first came in they were so much better than the plain green wet weather jackets we had at the time. its just a pity that the storemen thought they were more entitled to them than us working outside on the line! :*

[hobie]

Good grief, hobie - they didn't really issue those things did they?

But then again, any of Saddam's Republican Guards seeing a bunch of squaddies rushing towards them wearing those DPM shades would immediately be convulsed with laughter and quite incapable of putting up any resistance. WMD - Weapons of Mass Distraction!



..... at the very least, the bad guys would die laughing !!! ....:p

[L J R]

Stopwatch & compass

(.......oh and don't forget, knowledge on how to use them...........together.)

[effortless]

Showing my age I know but fifties issue greatcoat. Lovely thick wool, Lost my virginity on mine.:E

[doubledolphins]

Boring, I know, but is has to be the Good Old Wooly Pully. Available in three colours Navy Blue, RAF Blue and several shades of Green, (Sage, bottle,brown,sand, black, royal blue, red, maroon. dont you love the army!) This item has undergone several changes, round neck,V neck and the awful Jersey Universal but now it's back in its true form. A true Icon of Britain and imitated by the forces of many lesser nations.

[27mm]

AR5 - all that rubber and Fuller's Earth - luvly!!

[VitaminGee]

Those sticky table mats for use in our sleek greyhounds of the deep. Unfortunately they didn't stop the food coming off, but, whatever the seastate, your plate stayed put.:ok:

VG

[hobie]

do you rem the old parachute bags circa WWII :confused: ..... well my father used to take his on shopping trips for about 25 years!!!! untill it finally gave up the ghost ...... I rem the family would walk a dozen yards behind him, or more if he didn't notice, just incase anyone thought we were with him ... :p

[airborne_artist]

It's got to be the Oatmeal block - closely followed by the old-style Ghurka 24hr rat pack - never has goat tasted so good :E

In terms of sheer lasting power, the longjohns I was issued with at Leeming in 1979 have to hold some sort of record. Made in 1952, lovingly cared for by stackers for 27 years, and they still get used on a cold day's shooting. :\

[tablet_eraser]

Has to be the CS95 thermal vest and long-johns; bugger all use in the cold, but excellent for fancy dress as Robin Hood or Peter Pan.

Not forgetting bodge tape... that which binds us all... :p

[Roadster280]

1. Harry Maskers. MOD would literally fall apart without this.
2. 8inch adjustable spanner. Apparently there's more of these in issue than the Army has soldiers!!
3. Right angle torch. A classic.
4. Ammo Boots. Look fantastic, scares the living daylights out of people.
5. Chinook helicopter. Damned useful.

[airborne_artist]

5. Chinook helicopter. Damned useful.
Even better when you a) don't leave them on un-armed merchant ships in a war zone and b) you don't try to be clever and order non-standard avionics so your Hereford Hooligans can be in/exfill'd in when it's a bit misty.

[Beeayeate]

In days of old, a surprising number of aircraft flew because of Black Tape -the canvas backed stuff, not the later (and useless) plastic stuff.

Any self respecting rigger would have about his person his trusty GS screwdriver (you could hackle just about anything with a GS), a 2BA spanner, a 2BA tap and a crescent wrench. Don't suppose it's any different these days. Is it?

As for clothing . . . Cold/Wet clothing was just that, cold and wet. But there was a type of C/W gloves that were much sought after. Padded green cotton with soft leather palms and fingers - ace they were. Still have a pair going strong in the boot of my car, and I left the mob in 1974! Do they still issue them?

But mostly I recall the Sea Boot socks and Trog boots. Warmest kit I've ever had. Each sock made from a whole sheep I reckon. ;) ;)

There was a period when we lusted after aircrew type kit. Looked good but totally impractible on the line at 0:dark, in clampers WX. Mind you, Hofficer type Bonduh Boots were a good bet in sandier places, well, just in sunnier places actually. Recall a SWO once telling me to get them off as I didn't have commissioned feet!

.

[lurkposition]

Two items spring to mind:

The Wilkie knife - remember Wilkie rash?

How about the BGB (Big Green Bag), never went away without it.

[Two's in]

The PVR application form - stonking good value and years of fun.

[MostlyHarmless]

Gotta be...

http://www.abt-photocopiers.co.uk/images/clc900.jpg

...the trusty A3 colour photocopier. Saviour of late replans and summer balls!

[PTR 175]

Speed Tape

Sorry some techie type stuff

Marconi 2955 test set
CRM 555 test set

You can test all the essential CNI avionics with those two babies

[mukit]

What about black bodge tape??

[country calls]

Two things essential for all forms of aircraft engineering, Speed Tape and PX24 (WD40). If it moves and it shouldn't Speed Tape it. If it doesn't move and it should, give it a good dose of PX24.
Wonder why nobody has mentioned the RAF Rucksack.......!

[Green Flash]

Opening things up a little, and given our multinational ops/ex's, has anyone any contenders for other peoples best bit of kit? What do others have that would be the dogs wotsits if we had it?

[stbd beam]

How about the mechanism that opens the swing arm/gate when you leave the camp?

Going back to the Aircrew knife, the curly bladed one was brilliant for opening peach, curry, peas & irish stew tins when the tin opener was missing. Throw it all in the same pot - magic honkers stew at o-my-stupid-o-clock in the morning on a scramble (alerted by hooters not by pager or soft-ring telephone call)!!

[Professor Plum]

How about the mechanism that opens the swing arm/gate when you leave the camp?

The RAF Police?

When have they been useful?

Personally, I've always liked my Norwegian (Jumper!).

[air pig]

The old Cranditz issue blue holdall, carry anything, remember trying not to dislocate my shoulder with the weight of carrying QR's, MAFL's and assorted junk including sweaty sports kit. Tragedy had to hand it back at the end of the course. Obtained one by less than conventional means some years later, still in use even today.

[ARINC]

CS gas tablets.....Even thinking about them now brings a tear to my eye:{

[mud moving sumpy]

speed tape has to be the winner. can mend anything with the stuff!!!!

[BEagle]

No you can't - bugger all use for repairing my Flymo some years ago!

[lurkposition]

To start the ball rolling for Green Flash.....
The drive through plane wash at Norfolk VA. Brilliant IMC Taxying (should have remembered to engage the tailwheel pin first!)
Beagle owns a flymo? After what he has said about wonderful rotary machines! Bah!

[station workshops]

Acetone & blue kim wipe, clean anything with that combo.

Not so much 'best bit of kit', but the 'life expired' policy for hardware came in very handy when I was demobbed. Equipped almost my entire garage with life expired tools when I handed over my inventory at ISK. How the hell does a panel saw/plane/chisel etc go life expired? It doesn't, but the policy sure as hell came in handy.

[CashMachine]

BEagle
No you can't - bugger all use at repairing my Flymo some years ago!
That's because you're a flyboy and not an engineer!

And if we're talking bottle openers - the cocking handle on the SLR was ace for opening bottles on those long nights on deployment when the red hoards were coming over the west German plains!

[BEagle]

1. Have an engineering degree - thus am proper engineer, not grubby handed maintenance oik!
2. The only good rotary machine is a Flymo!
3. 'twas a design flaw in earlier Flymos; forward edge of plenum chamber too prone to ground erosion. They now fit a roller to avoid such erosion!

Best bottle opener was the standard RAF Malvel rotary fire alarm jobber. The gap twixt round red bit and edge of mounting plate was perfect for opening Keo bottles. Memories of distant "Pshht...Dooooing" sound as various mates opened said bottles in the wee small hours on the Block 101 patio at Akronelli post-kebabex!

[CashMachine]

BEagle
I stand corrected.
But of course I know a lot of people with engineering qualification who don't know one end of a spanner from the other!! Not you obviously!!

[hobie]

The only good rotary machine is a Flymo!


well it does take to the air where many others simply plod on using wheels ..... get it .... :p

[Tarnished]

The fire bell on the wall of the accom block in Akrotiri - now this is the best bottle opener.

[BEagle]

Yup - that's the jobber I was referring to. They were used so much that the edges had become worn out, so no longer worked as well as they once did!

I understand that someone had replaced them with an electric device - which doesn't open Keo bottles at all well?


"Pshht...Dooooing" :ok:

[Logistics Loader]

$3.95 from the BX...

Camping hammock that rolled up nicely to fit in flying jacket, plus 2 carabiners, made for hours of sleep in the back of old Albert !!!

[black_maskers]

I remember being told Electrolube was good for shiny toecaps until tried and then getting blown with plenty of dust from sudden gust. then resembling deck paint till exchanged for new.

as for THE BEST bottle opener

you cant beat the the blast diffuser on the bottom missile launch beam on the old RAPIER FIRE UNIT!

a bit big to keep on your keyring,mind....

[shandyman]

WRAF's . . .'Nuff said.

[whowhenwhy]

Sorry, can we make positive comments about lower leg assemblys and WRAFs on the same thread?:E :E :E


It's got to be the crewroom microwave. Hours of fun blowing up eggs whilst 3 sheets to the wind and other assorted types of japery and childishness!

[BEagle]

Trouble with aircrew crewroom microwaves and freezers is that the unentitled Untermensch think that they can help themselves after hours. There are some ways to stop this:

1. Thaw out a frozen in-flight chicken or beef curry.
2. Insert a Brillo pad amongst said curry, ensuring that it remains below the level of the curry.
3. Refreeze and replace in crewroom fridge at gozome time.

Thieving ground crew oiks, not entitled to master race frozen meals, will probably attempt to steal and cook same whilst skulking off during night 'UTRF'/'NFF' shift. The effect of microwaving a Brillo pad is somewhat spectacular...allegedly.

If all the above fails, try further rather more nuclear options to stop the thieving swine pinching the rations:

1. Thaw, lace with salt and hot Jamaican sauce, refreeze.
2. Thaw, lace with Epsom Salts and Exlax, refreeze.
3. Freeze a dog turd. Pour thawed curry carefully over, refreeze.
4. All of the above.

But first put a notice on the freezer to remind folk that the rations are aircrew only - in case of QRA call-out...

And make sure you know which one has been 'treated'!

[Safety_Helmut]

And make sure you know which one has been 'treated'!
This last point is especially relevant when groundcrew poisoned by BEagle type growbags exact silent retribution in ways :mad: that cannot be mentioned on here ! :E
S_H

[Doors Off]

Green Long Johns, the Bouncing Bomb sleeping bag and field helmet. When combined they make a great fancy dress outfit for a Mutant Ninja Turtle. The helmet buckle is also useful for opening bottles of amber.
An outfit, bottle opener, head protection for when you get so pissed you fall over and somewhere to sleep all in one. Splendid!:ok:

[4Foxtrot]

Am quite envious of the industrial sized coffee mugs that USAF personnel seem to have everywhere. You know the ones that are emblazoned with eagles, lightening bolts and stars with something like the 5169th Tactical Crop-Dusting Sqn written all over it. I swapped a JFACHQ badge for a mug about the size of a golf bag a few years ago. Not sure who got the better deal.

[Rocket2]

My trusty Dzus Key - issued on my first day working on Tin Triangles & still in my pocket 30 years later - opened many an aircraft panel :ok:

[Pureteenlard]

My "Leatherman"tm tool. It's like having not-quite-the-right-tool-for-the-job constantly to hand . . .

[FL575]

The AVS (Air Ventilated Suit), Hundreds of feet of small diameter plastic piping on the inside of a silk inner flying suit, with tiny holes, pumping out cold air while at low level in the tropics.: