How did your wings parade go?

[vecvechookattack]

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/635487/Wills-shows-his-girl-Kate-a-good-time-at-West-End-show.html?

Wills celebrated winning his full RAF Wings by taking Kate out in London to see a play about World War One.

I'm not suite sure he has taken the Wings parade very seriously. During my wings parade, the Chief Instructor ended up snogging the CO's wife, someone chucked a flying helmet through the mess window (it was closed at the time) and then to cap the event off one of the young pilots who had just received his wings, set fire to the Flaming Datum (aptly named) bar at Culdrose.

[scarecrow450]

He has'nt had his wings parade yet !

[PPRuNeUser0211]

Scarecrow: yes, he has. Just not the second one...

[scarecrow450]

Ok he got his wings after a short course but not the ones he's given/earned ! after doing the full course.

Belive the original post concerned his recent wings(which he has'nt got yet !)

[stumpey]

Of much greater concern is the fact that the skirt shown in the picture is in no way of "Mini" credentials. A true mini skirt should give the distinct possibility of a flash of panty being displayed whilst the wearer is walking down the street. The admitidly atractive young lady pictured could be touching her toes and wouldnt even show any stocking tops! Such inacurate reporting displays the worst traits of the present purvayers of fiction and deserves investigation at the highest leval (Pun intended)!
Was there a bloke in the picture as well?:ok:

[Cap'n Bunghole]

Stumpey - GOLD :ok:



My WIngs parade: Got drunk like every other Friday night but woke up on Saturday as a pilot.

Same hangover though.....:yuk:

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

My main concern is why someone is reading the 'News(sic) of the World'!

Duncs:ok:

[Training Risky]

I started the OCF on the Monday before receiving wings on the Friday... so I wasn't at the rehearsals all week... so I wasn't fully au fait with where to start and finish marching.... so on the day, I marched up to C-in-C Strike, stopped too short and he had to step forward to ME to pin them on...cue laughter from the crowd!:O

[DeeJayEss]

I think it's a dress actually, not a skirt.

In true aircrew fashion, that's one chick I'd certainly rate taking away from an oppo at his grad!!!

[Melchett01]

In true aircrew fashion, that's one chick I'd certainly rate taking away from an oppo at his grad!!!

DeeJayEss - is there no honour amongst warriors anymore? Whatever happened to standing by your oppos through thick and thin ???

Then again, if you had an ounce of honour and credibility in you, you'd have already had that one squared away well before grad.....:E:E:E

[ShyTorque]

My wings parade went well enough, thirty years ago now. HRH the Princess Royal turned up at RAF Shawbury as advertised and stuck the wings badges on; I still have some nice photos of the event.

What was annoying was that it was classed as a formal station royal visit. This meant the Officers' Mess was so full of wheels and social climbers that we weren't invited to our own formal graduation lunch. We had to take our proud parents and assorted other guests, who had travelled many miles, out to the pub for a shandy and sandwiches.

Even more annoying was a few days later when we discovered the thieving bastards running the Mess had charged us all for the formal lunch!

[teeteringhead]

The one-armed four-star (not too many to choose from) who gave me my wings extended his "5 minute" speech at the parade for so long (about 25) that some of the JP 9-ship were thinking of renaming it "Bingo Formation".

And we'd all been briefed to proffer left hand for shaking, but no-one had told Sir Gus (for it was he) who continued his normal SOP of extending left hand thumb downwards so that it could be shaken with a right hand ..... cue much confusion.

... and then at the lunch when he met the (then) girlfriend, he so vigorously shook her (left) hand, that her handbag (out of the way on left arm she thought) bounced all the way down her arm and onto his. I'd never seen that many stripes that close before, and certainly not with a white leather handbag on them......

[ShyTorque]

The one-armed four-star (not too many to choose from) who gave me my wings

I thought at first you meant Admiral Nelson.... :E

[Tankertrashnav]

Well of course we all got a brevet, not wings, but seems this is a pilots-only thread so I'm not telling you what happened when we got ours!

Goes off in a huff ;)

(Is William turning into his Uncle Edward BTW?)

[Molemot]

Got mine from the Abandoned Earl...a fine time was had by all at the festivities which followed!

[X767]

I got a rather special pair from Sir Gus; my fathers original wings ( he gained them in 1937). It was the only time I have seen my father in tears. He and Sir Gus had served together, so the old boy net worked well.

[JulieAndrews]

can't remember!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BEagle]

What was annoying was that it was classed as a formal station royal visit. This meant the Officers' Mess was so full of wheels and social climbers...

That takes me back to a certain Graduation at RAFC. A Royal Personage was due to be the Reviewing Officer, so the flunkies of Officer Training Wing sent round a questionnaire to establish who amongst the graduating officers had a suitable pedigree to Meet The Royal during pre-lunch drinkies... Questions such as 'Where did you go to school?' and 'Did your father serve in the war? If so, in which rank?'

They even held a practice 'standing around in formal groups' session, so that all we plebs knew our place.

One graduating mate wrote 'Yes, my father was in the army during the war and served as a major until he was taken prisoner in North Africa in 1943'. The oikish Flt Cdr seized on this as perhaps an opportunity to worm his way into the Royal Circle. "Right, Bloggs, which regiment?", was the next question...

"Eighth Panzer Regiment, Deutsches Afrika Korps, sir!"

"You're taking the p*ss - GET OUT!"

"But sir, if I'm half-German, I'm probably a distant relative of the Royal!"

"GET OUT!!"

[DeeJayEss]

Then again, if you had an ounce of honour and credibility in you, you'd have already had that one squared away well before grad.....:E:E:E

@Melchett01 --> Touche Sir. 'Twould be a feat indeed to put that one away before grad though. Imagine the security hurdles you would need to jump!

Can't say I haven't snapped up a graduate or three prior to their graduation myself..... of the fairer sex of course..... :E

[Lou Scannon]

16 course at Oakington 1963. (Now a remand centre for illegals).

Weather freezing cold and snow so "wet" weather plan actioned. The eight of us were paraded in the ante-room and the only "Presenter" who could make it was the Base Commander of nearby Alconbury.

Unfortunately no one thought to brief the poor chap. Being the first in line (based on height not ability) I bravely shuffled forward through the thick pile of the ante-room carpet. No hats were worn so I did my best to snap to attention in front of him.

He, looking perplexed, leaned forward to velcro my new wings on my chest.

I, awaiting the words of congrats and handshake stood still.

He looked even more perplexed.

I stood even more still.

In the absence of any movement from the Colonel I thought it time to leave after what seemed five minutes and shuffled back to the line.

How many other pilots received their wings in silence on carpet and without a handshake I wonder?

[The Real Slim Shady]

November 1976 and the first RN fixed wing contingent in centuries - OK, several years Messrs Covington,Brown and Slade, were also being presented with their wings as part of our RAF Grad. The Reviewing Officer was an Admiral Roberts as I recall.

Whether he had been briefed or not was a moot point as he proceeded to inspect us, the Graduating Flight, then the 2 supporting flights of the remaining 1FTS studes, then the band.............one at a time, stopping for the odd chat here and there.

The inspection was only interrupted by the odd collapse as peeps gave up the will to live and fainted from heat exhaustion in the hangar!

[Mick Strigg]

705 Wings Parade mid-80’s:

QHI 1: Mate, I’ve left my GSM at home, as you are doing the flying display, can I borrow yours?

QHI 2: Yes you can, but it’s on the same bar as my Falklands medal. Furthermore, My GSM has a Northern Ireland Clasp, yours is Gulf. What if the Admiral talks to you?

QHI 1: Don’t worry, I’ll stand next to the Crab; the VIP always talks to the Crab!


Later, on Parade, the Admiral walks straight past the Crab and says to QHI 1:

Admiral: When were you in Northern Ireland?

QHI 1 panics and bluffs by assuming the identity of QHI 2 and replied:

QHI 1: I did an AAC exchange in 1983

Admiral: Fascinating, and what ship were you in during the Falklands?

QHI 1 (feeling more confident now): Hermes Sir.

Admiral: Really? I didn’t see you there. (The Admiral was Captain of Hermes during the war)

QHI 1: Gulp!

[chippy63]

Teeteringhead,
Sir Gus?

[henry crun]

chippy63; Google Sir Gus Walker.

[teeteringhead]

Indeed so chippy63, 'twas the penultimate course grad out of 2 FTS Syerston, and so the last with a decent enough size student contingent to make up a parade. :(

Sir Gus had lost his arm as Staish at Syerston in the war, so it was an emotional occasion - as a course project we did a "This is Your Life" on him - many locals still remembered him as it was only 24 years :eek: after VE day ....

Quite a coup to get a 4-star in them days - par for the course was a groupie or a 1-star at best .... but then there were 3 (or was it 4?) different JP FTSs awarding wings .....:sad: