Aircrew watch

[miles offtarget]

Hello all,

I was issued an aircrew watch (the Seiko stopwatch type) at Finningley in 1989, and have worn it everyday since. To my huge annoyance, it was stolen whilst I was staying at a guesthouse last weekend.

Given that I am now a civillian and cannot simply go to stores, does anyone know where I can buy a replacement. I remember that a new design was issued in the 1990s with numerals rather than just a 12, but either design would suffice.

I have looked on the Silvermans website, but seemingly only the G10 watches are available there.

Your help would be very much appreciated, as I am pretty pi**ed off about it.

Anyway, I wish a happy and safe new year to all of you still flying in baggy green suits, many of whom I suspect have more to worry about than aircrew watches !

Cheers.

Miles Offtarget

(formerly of 24 Sqn and 230 Sqn)

[frodo_monkey]

There's one on eBay right now (not mine I hasten to add!)... Search for 'aircrew watch' ;)

[wokkamate]

Try eBay:

RAF Aircrew Seiko Second Generation 7T27 ??? on eBay (end time 02-Jan-10 17:59:23 GMT) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RAF-Aircrew-Seiko-Second-Generation-7T27_W0QQitemZ280443310996QQcategoryZ31387QQcmdZViewItemQQ_t rksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI %252BIA%252BUA%252BIEW%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D10%26ps%3D63 )

Currently £114, previous one went for £397! Never knew they were worth so much, I have one kicking around in a cupboard somewhere ready to hand back in when I retire......:ugh:

[Daf Hucker]

Miles,

Haven't ever dealt with this company but they may be able to help you find one.

RLT Watches (http://www.rltwatches.co.uk/index.html)


The watch model no. is 7A28 7120

Daf

[vecvechookattack]

Do you not have to return your watch when you retire? I've still got mine but its at the bottom of a cupboard somewhere.

[miles offtarget]

Just a thought, (as I cannot seem to find anything original but unused for sale on the web), do the RAF still issue aircrew with watches ?

Thanks as always,

MOT

[Impiger]

I've almost retired and when I sent my man Carruthers down to stores to check what was on my loan book I found all they wanted back was my gas mask, my tin (OK Kevlar) hat and ....... you guessed it the Aircrew watch which had been languishing (unserviceable) in my sock draw for 10 years.

They accepted the watch with thanks. Smiled at the virtually unused Kevlar lid and suggested handing the S6 respirator to the RAF museum. Who says the civvies in these MAC stores have no sense of humour.:)

[vecvechookattack]

suggested handing the S6 respirator to the RAF museum

Whats wrong with the S6 ? Don't tell me that they have upgraded it?


Hmmm...Must try and find my S6

[Tankertrashnav]

miles offtarget & vevveechookattack

Have forwarded link to your posts to RAF SIB. Expect a visit early in the New Year!









;)

[vecvechookattack]

Please don't tell the SIB.... I have now found my faithful S6 respirator and it is fully serviceable and secure in its canvas pouch. Thankfully all of the conflicts I have been involved with have not required any Anti-Gas measures.

So, where do I get an S7 from then?

[barnstormer1968]

vecvechookattack
No S7, but I do have an S10 in my hallway cupboard.
Better eye pieces, and a drinking straw attached. I take it that you do at least get the newer type suits, rather than the old fashioned pull over the head type?

[The B Word]

If you don't want to pay the outrageous prices for second-hand aircrew Seikos then try this latest offering from them:

http://www.wesellseikowatches.com/SNDA57P1.jpg
Here's a link Seiko watch SNDA57 Chronograph Watch (http://www.wesellseikowatches.com/snda57.htm) they go for £150ish.


The latest aircrew watch is made by Pulsar (a cheap version of Seiko). Don't bother with this as it is total cr@p! I understand that it will be replaced with another Seiko offering next year (2010). Here is a picture of the Pulsar:
http://i.ebayimg.com/14/!BdECDnwBmk~$(KGrHqUOKj8Eq5QTqY98BK3NJiiYqg~~_35.JPG

Here is a pic of the old Seiko version 2:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/milorgman/MyRAFSeikoType2page.jpg

Finally, I have a Breitling Aerospace - I would not recommend anyone buy this watch if you intend to use it anywhere near water (despite its 100M claim); mine leaked in 6 inches of water whilst swimming with my 3yr old daughter in a Toddler's Pool!

Good luck with the watch hunting.

The B Word

[OHP 15M]

Tankertrashnav,

Items below also available on ebay - please forward to RAF SIB, thanks.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RAF-POLICE-SHOULDER-TITLE-SLIPOVERS_W0QQitemZ250536508069QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collect ables_Militaria_LE?hash=item3a5523baa5 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RAF-POLICE-SHOULDER-TITLE-SLIPOVERS_W0QQitemZ250536508069QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collect ables_Militaria_LE?hash=item3a5523baa5)

http://i19.ebayimg.com/01/i/001/10/87/4f20_35.JPG

This hi-viz vest is a bargain at a Buy-It-Now price of only £34.95 and, judging by the carpet, I reckon the seller must to be an OIC RAFP!

ARMED FORCES RAF POLICE HIGH VISIBILITY JACKET on eBay (end time 13-Jan-10 08:37:09 GMT) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARMED-FORCES-RAF-POLICE-HIGH-VISIBILITY-JACKET_W0QQitemZ270501251313QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Collectabl es_Militaria_LE?hash=item3efb2188f1)

http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/1/2/6/5/1/7/9/webimg/315218818_tp.jpg

:ok::ok::ok:

[vecvechookattack]

Which type of watch was the one recently banned from aircraft due to the knob falling off and creating a FOD hazard?

[Sven Sixtoo]

Pulsar chronograph NSN 6645-99-9954268

I think - that's why I'm not taking mine (which works perfectly) anywhere near stores for a new battery.

Sven

[Daf Hucker]

I think this is the one Miles is talking about;

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e215/Wossmean/Seiko/RAFgreynato3.jpg

[jindabyne]

I left in 1988, from MoD. Had a nice, brief letter from 'somebody' thanking me for my contribution, but would I go to Uxbridge to sign-off and return items, specifically my aircrew watch. I did so, but kept the flying suits and pencil case - which is beside me now.

Said elsewhere, but it must be the only firm that takes the watch off you, rather than giving you one.

[BEagle]

I've almost retired and when I sent my man Carruthers down to stores to check what was on my loan book I found all they wanted back was my gas mask, my tin (OK Kevlar) hat and ....... you guessed it the Aircrew watch which had been languishing (unserviceable) in my sock draw for 10 years.

Happy New Year, old chum! I hope you manage to hang on to your fightergator's tool of the trade - the F4 C/B pulling nose-picker!

My Breitling Aerospace needed a new battery not long before I punched out of the mob, so I hunted around for my 'aircrew' watch. Found it in a drawer, but its battery was tits-up. Off to stores..."New battery please, stout fellow!" "Sorry, sir, we haven't got any - you'll have to have a new watch instead"....:uhoh: Off to the V&A empire with suitable chit and I received something which was probably first issued to Bader. But it didn't run on batteries and kept pretty good time. Gut genug!!

A few weeks later, doing the station tour with blue card just before I left, I handed it back in. "WTF is that?" quoth the stores-wallah. "It's the same watch you beggars gave me a month ago; it works, it's yours...sign here please!"

S6 - you old so-and-so! It must be well over 20 years since the RAF got rid of those. Don't forget your button stick and collar studs!

[Pontius Navigator]

Do you not have to return your watch when you retire? I've still got mine but its at the bottom of a cupboard somewhere.

This occured to me too - the watch you stole was stolen. What's the beef :}

[fergineer]

G'day Daf Hucker and a happy new year to you.....Still wearing them jumpers then!!!!!!! Hope all is well did you get my PM? And my old aircrew watch was also one of the things that they asked back when I left also.

[NutLoose]

Anchor supplies normally sell them, thought they have nil stock at the moment, see

Quartz Wrist Watches (http://www.anchorsupplies.com/quartz.htm)


full range

Military Horology (http://www.anchorsupplies.com/horo.htm)

you can buy similar though

Seiko Chronograph SNDA27P1 - First Class Watches: Seiko Watches, Citizen, D&G, Rotary, Calvin K, Police and more (http://www.firstclasswatches.co.uk/seiko-chronograph-snda27p1-p-3606.html?utm_campaign=Shopping.com&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=shopping.com)

[barnstormer1968]

The B word

That is the exact pulsar I am wearing right now. It can easily gain 1 or 2 seconds per week, and the luminous points are not exactly the best either.

That said, it is a good accessory for my help for heroes watch strap, and sets it off nicely:}

[miles offtarget]

I'm really grateful for all of the replies to my thread, thanks very much.

Daf Hucker - yes that's exactly the type, hence my huge disapointment in not being able to find another very easily.

I'm not a huge fan of the Pulsar replacement, so I shall try and make do with my 200 rupee Casio from Delhi, or B Word's suggestion, until the new aircrew watch is released, and then try to buy one of those.

I know it's irrational, but I'm still bloody annoyed. That was my last tangible reminder of the ten years, 3500 flying hours, and several friends killed whilst I was in the RAF; plus more importantly I suspect, the main reason that I got so many snogs from girls on the 8 o'clock bus into Doncaster on a Thursday night !

All those memories, and unless I have been targetted by an international gang of flying clothing thieves, I suspect the chap who took it will only get a few quid for it in the pub ! Bast**d.

Cheers guys, and thanks again.

MOT


... Ah, almost forgot to mention ... Pontius, or rather Presumptious Navigator, thanks for the reply; but my issued aircrew watch was PAID FOR as a lost item on leaving the service. What was it called at 6 FTS, personal integrity, ... feel free to PM me an apology old boy !

MOT

[ShyTorque]

I had to buy a brand new aircrew watch to hand back, too.

Mine was a very cheap wind-up one, issued in 1977 at BFTS. It disappeared during an TTF NBC trial, somewhere in a farmer's field in RAFG, when I had to carry out a suit change alongside my aircraft, parked in long grass. It went out of the door and dressed in my AR5 and constrained by carrying the "hissing handbag" I couldn't find it before I had to take off again on task.

Although the one issued would have cost about £16, the one I had to pay for cost me £85 and then I had to hand it back very shortly afterwards on leaving the service, after nearly 20 years. :rolleyes:

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Why did you do that? Report it lost on ops. The book says that if it is due to negligence, you pay the current replacement cost. That is adjustable downwards, though, as part of your current kit's life had expired. Your's doesn't sound like negligence.

[Tankertrashnav]

In the 70's they were issuing Omegas, which sounded good but were in fact rubbish - at least mine was. I soon took to leaving mine in the sock drawer and wearing my £10 HK bought Seiko, which was more accurate and had the additional advantage of being self-wind. Never been impressed with "name" watches since then - got an issue Pulsar for £50 off ebay for daily use and it's good enough for me.

[ShyTorque]

Report it lost on ops.

GBZ, Yes, let's just say that OC Supply was anti-aircrew.

[benmac]

In my day (the late 50s), the issue watch was an Omega. It kept pretty good time but the second hand didn't stop when the resetting knob was pulled out which made time hacks pretty tricky. Part of the unwritten bale-out drill was to remove watch once stabilised in the parachute, put it in your pocket and swear it came off during ejection. I didn't have to bang out during my 35 years in the mob so I had to hand the watch back in on leaving having worn it throughout my service. Got to keep my "patches rifle 1" though -worn to protect your No 1 when on armed parade- so it wasn't all bad!

[wahwah64]

I believe all these watches have been withdrawn from service due to the loose articles hazard caused by the winding bezel falling off.
Must be a job lot somewhere just waiting to be sold off.....

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

wahwah64. Did you select that name or was it assigned? Either way, congratulations.

Considering that the reported event was such a cataclysmic hazard to flying safety, it is interesting that there is no clear evidence of a Stores Defect Report being submitted. Anyway, some of you chaps could break cannon balls. :ok:

A sample of previous iterations of this popular hamster wheel at;

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/224740-aircrew-watches.html (http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/224740-aircrew-watches.html)

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/370093-seiko-gen-2-a.html?highlight=pulsar+watch (http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/370093-seiko-gen-2-a.html?highlight=pulsar+watch)

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/263081-mod-pattern-seiko-watch.html?highlight=pulsar+watch (http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/263081-mod-pattern-seiko-watch.html?highlight=pulsar+watch)

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/288039-current-issue-watch-raf-aircrew-2.html?highlight=pulsar+watch (http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/288039-current-issue-watch-raf-aircrew-2.html?highlight=pulsar+watch)

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/127866-maybe-boring-watch-question.html?highlight=pulsar+watch (http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/127866-maybe-boring-watch-question.html?highlight=pulsar+watch)

[Union Jack]

Omega! I Seiko we have to "watch" that Breitling young thing GBZ, beCasio he makes you laugh, if he doesn't rePulsar you ....:eek:

Jack

[Golden Legspreaders]

I thought I'd lost my old stylee watch so I went to stores and was charged £35 for one of the new type that we are not allowed to wear anymore. I've since found my old one so I can I put that on Ebay for squillions since I've bought a replacement or are the feds going to come knocking at my door?

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Serious question folks; does anyone have a reference/link to the order that a particular current watch should not be used please? I ask that because the chap who manages that store range is not aware of any limitations.

PMs on the subject will be gladly accepted.

PS

Union Jack. :ok:

[4mastacker]

GBZ, Yes, let's just say that OC Supply was anti-aircrew.Shy,

I wonder if it was the same OC Supply who was asked to write-off a wrist watch that suffered "fire & smoke" damage when the wearer left it his locker in the sqn's flying clothing section whilst he went on leave. Come on guys, who would leave their watch in their locker whilst they went on leave?

The same OC Supply was asked to write-off some NVG goggles "irretrieveably lost over-board" off one of Grey Funnel Lines flat-tops...only for them to turn up in a second-hand shop in Scotland. Perhaps that gave him a reason to treat such write-off requests with some caution.

Going back to the one you lost on a trial, it's instances like that which give stackers a bad name. Common sense should have prevailed and it should have been struck-off as being "lost during the period of aircraft operation " as defined in the AP 320..(?) and a free replacement issued. Whoever dealt with it supply-wise didn't know their job!

[D John]

I've read this thread with interest as amongst other things, I collect british aircrew watches.

The issue Gen 1 Seiko aircrew watch has a very nice jewled and adjustable quartz movement. The Gen 2 watch has a normal quartz movement but is not a bad watch.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/milorgman/IMG_8810.jpg

You can buy two (maybe three) very nice civi Seikos for the price of a used ex-MOD Gen 2 Seiko, so unless you really HAVE to have an ex-MOD Seiko (usually without a guarrantee) I'd get onto Ebay (very good prices on Seiko chronographs) and look at the wide range there.

You can keep it on the stainless bracelet or get a nylon 'NATO' strap for it later.

cheers,

-John:ok:

[311 fan]

Just out of interest is there a replacement for the Pulsar chrono out now. i heard its another Seiko?
Is the CWC G10 2000 still issued , the model with the date function and snap on back or is it just the standard CWC G10 with the battery hatch?

Cheers

[D John]

Hi 311,

from what I have heard it will be a Seiko, there's no official line as to the issue date yet though. Not sure about the G10 2000 right now, I do know of some who have ended up with the older G10 (battery hatch) when they were issued a watch though.


I'll see what I can find out,


cheers,


-John:ok:

[greenhaven]

I lost my Seiko about 8 years ago and never got round to replacing it.

If i 'fess up' now, what hoop-jumping (ie grovelling apologies/reasons in writing to Logs Officer/XO/the Good Lord) will be required and what is the replacement cost likely to be? If i am going to have to hand back an aircrew watch at some point when i leave, i may as well get one again..

[CarltonBrowne the FO]

Is the previous poster correct that the issue watch has a nylon strap? Given the efforts involved in removing all such fabrics from flying kit, that seems a little odd...

[D John]

Hi CB,

as far as I know all MOD issue watches still come with the grey nylon G10/NATO type strap 'NSN 6645-99-527-7059 DEF STAN 66-47 ISSUE 2'.
(Issued since 1992).

And yes,

it does seem odd when the above nylon strap was issued after the earlier brown combination strap with the leather bit '6645-99-527-7059 DEF STAN 66-15 (PART 2)'. (Issued from the early 1970s until 1992).

The leather backing was meant to protect the wrist from the melting nylon strap during a cockpit fire!

cheers,

-John

[Dengue_Dude]

Seems a damn sight odder to work for the company for 24 years (in my case) and give the bloody thing back.

I do remember watching two guys playing conkers with them after a few beers at Topcliffe though - strange thing was, aren't you supposed to drill a hole through the middle and have knotted string to swing? They were wind up watches then.

I've had a Breitling for the last 10 years so am grateful I don't have to scrabble after an ex-issue watch.

[D John]

Hi,

I've now received some information about the new Seiko aircrew watch, it looks like will be very simular to the SNDA57 in the photo posted by 'The B Word' (post #12), but with fixed bars as per specs. and a few other minor changes..... a nice looking, easy to read and practical watch!:ok:

I was looking at the Seiko SNDA57 watches on Ebay, they only go for around £90..... pretty good value!


By the way, the Seiko gen. 2 watch (0006/96) in that post is my watch.:)

cheers,

-John

[The B Word]

Excellent! Any idea when I can jog-on to Stores and replace my sad looking Gen 2? I'd hate to be the last issued Pulsar :eek:

The B Word

[L J R]

I couldn't imagine you jogging 'B' - now that would be a sight..

[Geehovah]

Mine's one of the original wind up action.

I'm about to clear for the last time and the only thing they are interested in is the watch, the gassie and the tin hat. Very odd but if they are making that much on E Bay I guess I can understand.

Shame, it would have been nice to keep it for posterity. It would have kept my "Thousand Missions Hat" company on the bookshelf

[D John]

G,

It might be worthwhile asking how much you would have to pay if it was not turned in! If ert's got senta-mental value, you might want to pay for it and keep it rather than hand it back in.. what are they goeing to do with it?!

cheers,

-John

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Geehovah. Sound advice from D John. Now is the time to accidentally lose it. The most you can be charged is the Catalogue price of the current watch; but that would have to be reduced for "wear and tear".

I shouldn't lose sleep over depriving Aunty Betty of revenue as your returned store would go straight in the next Sale lot, for which she'll get near to sod all. If it's pre Promethium luminised, it could very easily end up in a hole in Drigg that costs her money.