RAF Song....

[Jumping_Jack]

Horrible Histories RAF song - YouTube
:ok:

[NutLoose]

Can't be, they were almost coordinated.... :E

[AARON O'DICKYDIDO]

I notice the top button undone as per. What was the origin of that?

Any clues ?


Aaron.

[Courtney Mil]

Mrs C just commented that, "That is absolutely classic stuff, bloody brilliant. Needs to go on our webite." And who am I to argue?

[Courtney Mil]

Aaron,

Fighter pilots did it whilst on leave to show that they were fighter pilots, not anything else. A WWII tradition that I have always upheld. Some people obviously don't know about it - I was told to button up my jacket at my own wedding not so long ago. Needless to say I declined the invitation and explained why.

[Rigga]

Strange how twisted things seem have become in this 'modern' age...

When I was in the Mob it was only "Battle Of Britain" pilots who were allowed to go topless and I was under the impression that it was considered quite a large insult to mimic The Few.

I can't say I'd ever witnessed that "custom" on Bucc, Harrier or even Tonka pilots?

[polecat2]

I read once that , according to P/O Prune, it wasn't undone, it had been shot off!

[Lima Juliet]

Re: Top Button

On the 3x Fighter Sqns that I have served on, I was told that it was the preserve of those that have been made Combat Ready on a Fighter Sqn that had Battle of Britain honours on the Sqn Standard - it used to annoy the cr@p out of 5 Sqn as they were an (AC) Sqn and not a (F) Sqn. The original idea of having the top button undone was to give the wearer of No1s in the cockpit a bit more room to move about and look out for "Hun from the sun" and look into one's six o'clock. It went hand-in-hand with wearing silk cravats as those with "Messerschmitt Twitch" would rub their necks raw on starched collars with ties with them constantly moving their heads about looking for that unseen killer from the Luftwaffe in a Messerschmitt 109 or 110.

I learned all this from the many "old boys" at the Sqn Assoc shin-digs and also from the old boys I chatted to whilst on BBMF.

History lesson over, to what is a rather good tradition for the RAF to continue to conduct (IMHO).

LJ

[Scuttled]

It's okay fellas.

As long as nobody at all in the Navy or Army hears about this ever at all, we are in the clear.

Lord help us. I can see it now, inserted into every future tri-service brief that is ever put together. And I thought before this anything would be better than yet another Blackadder clip.

:{

[Lima Juliet]

Here's a pick of BoB pilots with top buttons undone...
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/UK-RAF-I/img/UK-RAF-I-7.jpg

Names from left or right: Sqn. Ldr. A. . Bartley, D.F.C., Wg. Cdr. D. F. B. Sheen, D.F.C. and Bar, Wg. Cdr. I. R. Gleed, D.S.O., D.F.C., Wg. Cdr. M. Aitken, D.S.O., D.F.C., Wg. Cdr. A.G. Malan, D.S.O., D.F.C., Sqn. Ldr. A. C. Deere, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding (now Lord Dowding), G.C.B., G.C.V.O., C.M.G., Flt. Off. E. C. Henderson, M.M. (W.A.A.F.), Flt. Lt. R. H. Hillary, Wg. Cdr. J. A. Kent, D.F.C., A.F.C., Wg. Cdr. C. B. F. Kingcome, D.F.C., Sqn. Ldr D H. Watkins, D.F.C. and Wt. Off. R. H. Cretton

[Lone_Ranger]

I was looking forward to a slick production of "the hairs on her dicky-di-do" ..oh well

[bobward]

Doesn't that proud tradition go back to before the battle of Britain.

The grey cells seem to recall that it came from the first World ward. Isn't there a picture of Sir Hugh Dowding with his top button proudly undone somewhwere?

Pedant hat off, back to the day job for a work break
:ok:

[Torque Tonight]

Is that David Cameron singing the first line?

[AR1]

Made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. - I'm off to the recruiting office to sign up again.:ok:

[sled dog]

Oh dear, Village People in light blue...........:O

[D120A]

I hope Duxford(?) earned a few bob allowing that on their premises.