Aircrew watches

[Mr Tick Tock]

Hi there!

I collect military watches (hence the user name!), Can any of the serving members explain one or two things for me re the watches.

The RAF use two types of watches chronos and the normal G10 types. What is the current type of chrono in use now after the second generation of Seiko is no longer manufactured. I hear it is the Pulsar chrono. Is this correct please? If so are they as good as the Seikos were?

Also is the CWC G10 2000 issue still used? (It has a date function and no battery hatch on the back compared to the Army model)

Who gets what type of watch? Pilots and navs the chronos ? And rearcrew the G10?

Final question is do you get to keep the watches upon completion of aircrew training or are they issued on need to have bases and then returned to stores when the sortie is completed?

Sorry about the boring questions but I wanted to know a little more about the watches I have collected over the years and their uses.

Many thanks

[Pontius Navigator]

<<Final question is do you get to keep the watches upon completion of aircrew training or are they issued on need to have bases and then returned to stores when the sortie is completed?>>

The bog standard watch is usually personal issue. If the watch is intended as special to type then it should be handed in at the departure stores and a new one drawn at the arrival one. This was the case when only certain navigators were entitled to chronographs.

For what its worth I never found a use for the stop watch <g>.

[L J R]

I use an Omega Constellation - True Swiss Movement (Not a Quartz watch [Read Made in Japan] ).

Good enough for Cindy Crawford - Good enough for me!

[diginagain]

AAC units would issue the G1098 watch to groundcrew and the chronograph to aircrew, as a local issue, to be returned on posting out of the unit.

IIRC, the G1098 watches tended to go to the Driver/Signallers, and the SQMS's Dog.

The only real advantage I found to having an issued watch was not worrying too much if it quit on me.

[rafloo]

I returned my watch some time ago......good 'ole Mr Breitling for me now.

[Phoney Tony]

The RAF is the only employer, who after 34 years service, takes a watch off you!!!!

[Roguedent]

The Pulsar watches are quite good time keepers, although you have to know a very nice man in tech stores to get one if your a pilot. The old pilots watches were good for playing conkers with though. Mine was a 2 er before it lost its will to survive.

[Mr Tick Tock]

Very many thanks for the replies.So which is the current issue chrono please? Pulsar? I gather the Seiko chrono are only old tock now until they run out of them.

Is the CWC G10 2000 still used. I have seen a Puma pilot wearing one so I gather the storeman did not like him enough to get a chrono issued?

[I.P Stop]

Apache aircrew are now issued a very smart new all singing all dancing watch which will be ripped off your arm the moment you stop flying the beast. Bummer huh!
I now have a breitling as back up to my Apache aircrew issue watch.
If it breaks I will sign for another. Joy.:ok: FLY ARMY

[L J R]

A colleague's Breitling broke of its own accord whilst over Baghdad during GW2 - Bugger!.

Such reliability is not mentioned in their glossy brochure. - I wonder why?

Regardless, Breitling do a good beer induced rent-a-crowd aircrew gathering tent at airshows though.

[Mmmmnice]

I still use the Casio given to stick in the earduffs during GW1 - it's on No2 battery, but is far more reliable than anything else the Queen has given me (bar the headover I suppose!). Pity I never got any insts, so have no idea about the more exotic lap functions etc - what ever they might be for?
I do prefer using issue watches for conkers - using Breitlings would be far too expensive - but it would be interesting to see how tough they really are - any of you chinless, private-income types out there like to try it and report back?

[Zoom]

I have a funny feeling that Pulsar is actually a Seiko brand. At least that's the info I got down at good old Mr H Samuel's fine jewellery emporium.

[johno617tonka]

The RAF is the only employer, who after 34 years service, takes a watch off you!!!!


now that IS funny !!!!!!

[Taffer]

I have a funny feeling that Pulsar is actually a Seiko brand. At least that's the info I got down at good old Mr H Samuel's fine jewellery emporium.

That's correct. Pulsar is the 'budget' arm of Seiko. In the case of their kinetic watches, they have the same mechanism inside them as their more expensive brethren, but cost about a third of the price.

[Mr Tick Tock]

Yet again thanks for the replies. Yes Pulsar is like you said the budget version of Seiko all one big company.

So can anyone tell me what are the current issue chrono and G10 watches please and who wears what?

Thanks again

[The Ferret]

Phoney Tony - it's not just the RAF that takes the watch off you after years of loyal service! Aircrew in the RN and the Army have the same problem! Fortunatley I put some of my gratuity to good use and bought myself the trusty Breitling Chronometre Aerospace which is better than anything I chose to wear on my wrist with an arrow on it! Some of the older aircrew military watches were only good for playing conkers in the bar!:sad:

[Focks 2]

Saw a link to these posted on another watch thread a while back. Anyone got one?
http://www.wernersflyingwatches.com

[EESDL]

put Tick Tock out of his misery and answer the flipping question.

Sadly, I can't as I left over a year ago and my int would be out-of-date (was allowed to keep my watch) - Used to request the pulsar/seiko model date-only as it was more reliable than the seiko chrono that I was originally issued as an ab-initio (some regulation about heli pilots needing a stop-watch as they didn't have a nav at the time - single-pilot etc and, like Pontius, I never had an aviation-related requirement for the stopwatch

[VigilantPilot]

OK, here we go...

Current issue for pilots is the Pulsar, non chrono, "G10" cheapo-copy. It's rubbish. The second hand on mine ticks between the indices and it loses seconds and needs hacking every few days.

Pilots used to get issued the CWC G10 until a few years ago, so you might still see it around. Much better quality. Buy one cheap here: http://www.babcockdisposals.co.uk/Store.sf/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BabcockSupportServices/Categories/%22Watches/Clocks%22

Navs get a chrono. It used to be the Seiko (with the "tricompax" layout) and I think it stores still have these kicking around. Not seen many Pulsar equivalents about.

Navy pilots and observers get the Seiko chrono with the subdials at 12,6 and 9 (different to the RAF Seikos).

[ahav8tor]

Apache aircrew are now issued a very smart new all singing all dancing watch which will be ripped off your arm the moment you stop flying the beast. Bummer huh!
I now have a breitling as back up to my Apache aircrew issue watch.
If it breaks I will sign for another. Joy.:ok: FLY ARMY
What Watch???? Think your winding people up!! the old Aircrew watches you can pick up in Argos for £40. Or around £250 via the stores!!!! How does that work???
Which Breitling shall I wear today:p

[Talk Reaction]

OK, here we go...
Current issue for pilots is the Pulsar, non chrono, "G10" cheapo-copy. It's rubbish. The second hand on mine ticks between the indices and it loses seconds and needs hacking every few days.
Pilots used to get issued the CWC G10 until a few years ago, so you might still see it around. Much better quality. Buy one cheap here: http://www.babcockdisposals.co.uk/Store.sf/?ObjectPath=/Shops/BabcockSupportServices/Categories/%22Watches/Clocks%22
Navs get a chrono. It used to be the Seiko (with the "tricompax" layout) and I think it stores still have these kicking around. Not seen many Pulsar equivalents about.
Navy pilots and observers get the Seiko chrono with the subdials at 12,6 and 9 (different to the RAF Seikos).

Not strictly true, re issue of the chrono. Current model is the Pulsar, I have one (storeman asked questions about where I originally got so I distracted him with a magic trick). The pulsar is better than any seiko I had (2 or 3 of them IIRC), keeps better time (hacked 6 weeks ago after long leave and still bang on) altho it is a chunkier watch. Watches are issued according to supply scales and pilots OR navs in the RAF will only get one if their ac type does not have a stopwatch, technically other than that its the G10 or whatever its called. What I don't know is if it still comes with a tasty nylon strap and a rubbish piece of fake brown cheap leathery stuff???

One fact is none of us can complain about working conditions when we have enough time to write about watches ad infinitum, doh!! Anyway even studes are splashing out on Breitlings now!!!

[Grand Fromage]

How is the pulsar better than the seiko, i used to have the pulsar chrono and managed to swap it for the old seiko, again using a magic trick!

A few months ago a bunch of us in a crew room played a game with the pulsar where you close your eyes and let the stopwatch run for an arbitrary time without counting, stop it, and then try to decipher on the crazy little 2 sec dials how much time has elapsed. Most of us couldn't. Glad i've got a good back up when the twin monacos give up!

And it's true that pulsar, despite charging the military £100 per watch, thought it'd be best to market the same model in Argos for £40.:yuk:

[Mr Tick Tock]

Thanks to all for the replies. Now I am finaly put out of my misery and know what the current issue chrono is. Pulsar and no longer the Seiko. I have got the G10 version of the Pulsar and am glad it was given to me free of someone as it is a piece of junk. The CWC version is like a Rolls Royce compared to that! I have the 2000 issue with the date and no bettery hatch on. Great piece of kit!

Thanks again! Safe flying to you all!