Pilots

[morningstar49]

What are the differences between a British Army Pilot, a Navy Pilot and a Royal Air Force (RAF) Pilot?

[downsizer]

This could be fun. Where is my popcorn?

[SimonK]

Easy. Army pilots fly helicopters, Navy pilots fly Sea Harriers and helicopters and RAF pilots float around in fast jets or heavy transport. You can easily recognise an Army pilot by his cravat, loafers and yellow cords, a Navy pilot by his blazer with nautical crest and an RAF pilot by his farah slacks, leather piano tie and slip on plastic shoes.

Do I win? ;)

[charliegolf]

The army guy knows how to kill, skin and eat navy or RAF pilots when the going gets tough.

CG

[goudie]

Do I win?

Long way to go yet. We await the opinions of 'the usual suspects':E

[Danny42C]

Army pilots land on whatever's handy, Navy land on the roof of a boat, and RAF land, but only if ATC let 'em.

D. ('ware incoming)

[HeliAl]

You will not see the Army Pilot. The Navy Pilots will be in the cresh. The RAF Pilot will be at the bar telling everyone he is a Pilot.:

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

I tried to transfer to the Navy (at the Navy's suggestion), but the RAF wouldn't allow it. One of my navs tried to transfer to the Army Air Corps for pilot training (at Army's suggestion), but the RAF wouldn't allow it. I have heard of pilots transferring once they had wangled an exchange tour. Ditto with foreign aviators.

So just because a pilot is in one force doesn't mean that they wouldn't be accepted into another, which renders all arguments about capability moot, but I doubt that will stop any of it ;)

About the only relevant question is "Why did you join?"

Best answer I have overheard, at about 9pm in the bar at a Battle of Britain Do.

Civvy "Why did you join the RAF?"
XXV Pilot "I was Drunk!"
Civvy "So, why are you still in after 12 years?"
XXV Pilot "I'm still drunk!"

He was, too.

[Old-Duffer]

Navy pilots has traditions, Army pilots have customs, RAF pilots have habits.

O-D

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

RAF pilots have habits

"...and bad ones, at that!"

said a senior Naval Officer to me. ;)

[BEagle]

Navy and Army pilots are condemned to fly only horrible clattering things (including Islanders) - and only do so to escape driving boats or scrabbling about in mud and dung.

Whereas RAF pilots fly a full range of aircraft and live (mostly) in vastly superior comfort, unlike the fish-heads and pongos....

[Rosevidney1]

What are the differences between a British Army Pilot, a Navy Pilot and a Royal Air Force (RAF) Pilot?


Precious little. All three are consummate professionals in their own sphere of operations - although the RAF live in the greatest comfort, with the Navy a fairly close second place and Teeny Weeny Airways a distant third!

[Brian W May]

All three are consummate professionals in their own sphere of operations

Do what? Blimey, can you get rose-tinted glasses on the NHS these days ?

[kintyred]

The difference between the RAF pilot and those from the other two services is that his application to join the RAF has already been accepted.

[MightyGem]

Do what? Blimey, can you get rose-tinted glasses on the NHS these days ?
No, he's right. Apart from the last bit:
and Teeny Weeny Airways a distant third!
:=

[camelspyyder]

Navy Sea Harriers - LOL

The only good bit of their most recent recruiting TV campaign - and complete lies since they're all razor blades.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

since they're all razor blades.

Sharpest they've ever been! ;)

[NutLoose]

Army pilots and Navy pilots tend to go to war with the troops, RAF Troops send their pilots to war.... A much more sensible idea :)

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

The RAF has very clever troops, as a rule.

As evidenced by the old joke about the failure of an RAF J/T to salute an Army Major

Major: " If you were in the Army, you'd have to salute me"
J/T: "If I were in the Army, I'd be a Colonel"


That said, I discovered after the invasion of Kuwait that RAF other ranks were extremely aware that their aircrew were off to be shot at whilst they sat 500 miles way playing cards, and they were extra-ordinarily appreciative. My grandfather mended Lancasters, and so I can report it was always thus.

[diginagain]

No mention of Royal Marine pilots...

[smujsmith]

My only input, and possibly not necessarily relevant is that the only pilot I ever met, that I outranked was an Army Lynx pilot. We called each other mate, and enjoyed a few welcome beers after I wangled him an hour, under supervision in the RH seat of Albert. Pilots are pilots, all very capable, and all given status according to how their individual service values them. Hence, the RAF operates on the principle of Air Power, pilots are the dogs goolies, in the navy, the air arm is seen as supportive to operations, likewise the Army. My personal opinion is that anyone who operates a machine over people's heads, with the capability to kill them if he "cocks up" deserves respect, whatever rank he holds.

Smudge :ok:

[Lordflasheart]

Fly Navy (and Bootnecks) Dig Army, Eat Crab.

[parabellum]

Army and Navy available 24/7. RAF available Mon to Fri, 0900 to 1630, subject to suitable hotel accommodation being available. ;)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4SgnlVV3Ko&feature=youtu.be

[Brian W May]

Fox 3

That said, I discovered after the invasion of Kuwait that RAF other ranks were extremely aware that their aircrew were off to be shot at whilst they sat 500 miles way playing cards, and they were extra-ordinarily appreciative. My grandfather mended Lancasters, and so I can report it was always thus.

Well said, and in all seriousness, absolutely correct. Being NCO aircrew and a flight engineer at that, we had metaphorically, one foot in each 'camp'.

We had pretty stunning groundcrew all round, and most really did appreciate that - sadly to burst the bubble, it always emerges as banter, so dry your eyes guys.

:D:O

[just another jocky]

The Army & Navy have pilots? :eek:

[TheWizard]

Fly Navy!!
At the end of the day, we are all on the same side no matter what colour your headgear is http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a355/merlinmagic28/Iraq016.jpg (http://s15.photobucket.com/user/merlinmagic28/media/Iraq016.jpg.html)

[Lima Juliet]

Simple, RN and Army pilots have to sit down to go for a wee through fear of getting pee on their boots...:ok:

[BEagle]

....fear of getting pee on their boots...

Indeed! Similarly, Harrier pilots were known to have very small willies. So, to prevent them from inadvertently peeing on their boot laces (and losing their boots in a highly likely ejection), special 'piss flaps' were incorporated in the design of bona mates' flying boots....:uhoh:

[Good Vibs]

http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s541/mikeingaborg/Flying_zpsjs904jj9.gif[/URL]

[Old-Duffer]

Try this bit of inter service banter - well Army/RAF really

Air Mobility
(A game for 500 or more players)

Air Mobility is a game of skill played between two teams of military personnel. The first team, called “The Army” is normally represented by an infantry battalion, whilst the second team, called “The Air Force” is drawn from any section of the Royal Air Force Movements organisation. The game is played on a four-dimensional board (to be purchased separately) and involves the movement of the first team by the second from one corner (“the departure airfield”) to another corner (“the destination”). Progress across the board is subject to a series of handicaps.

Play is initiated by an external agency called “The Central Staffs”. The unit to be moved and its destination will be selected at random to achieve maximum surprise and, regardless of the notice actually available, the two teams are to be informed only at the last moment for the move to remain feasible.

Following the signal of “play”, each team endeavours to score points off the other until the destination is reached, the air force runs out of serviceable aircraft or the army runs out of troops. The Army may also resign by adapting its exercise to the Salisbury Plain Training Area.

Points are awarded for each development in the play.

During the basic planning the Army scores 50 points if it can persuade the RAF to emplane the unit at an airfield anywhere within convenient distance of the unit’s camp. The score is doubled should the airfield be devoid of facilities or normally confined to light aircraft. The Air Force likewise may gain 50 points if the Army is forced to leave from Brize Norton or Lyneham, the score being increased by one point for each mile the road journey exceeds the subsequent air move.

The payload quoted by the Army in planning should in no way resemble the freight actually delivered for loading. The manifests should be so worded, however, that no formal reproach is possible subsequently between parenting headquarters. Should the Air Force be able to identify such a discrepancy it will gain 20 points, or 50 if correspondence reaches Brigadier level.

When allotting aircraft to the airlift, the Air Force gains 20 points for each Hercules it is permitted to task in the full passenger role. A bonus is awarded for flights of over six hours. This score may be doubled if the Hercules is overtaken in flight by a Tristar carrying the Army’s freight or a chartered civilian airliner carrying the Air Force servicing crews.

Both Army and Air Force formations may issue conflicting orders at any stage prior to departure. Twenty points will be awarded for any major amendment so timed that the other team’s internal administration is held to blame for ignorance of a change in time, day or airfield of departure.

Experienced players will appreciate that the time of arrival of the Army unit at the airfield and the time of departure of the aircraft will bear minimal resemblance to any published information. The Army may claim one point per minute by which the time interval is shortened; the Air Force may claim one point per minute by which the Army have been made to arrive unnecessarily early. Either side may make full use of such phrases as “all times Alpha” or “all times Zulu” discretely hidden as footnotes in an Annex.

The Army will be permitted to load freight onto aircraft but the Air Force may, at their discretion, apply a handicap by insisting on responsibility for supervision. The Army is awarded 50 points for each aircraft fully loaded on time and about which the captain is unable to find a valid reason for demanding reloading or relashing. This eventuality is of course exceptional. The Air Force will normally allocate troops to individual aircraft and so ensure that no chalk is ever coincident with a recognisable sub-unit; they may then claim one point for each soldier separated from his company.

Each soldier is to be briefed at platoon, company and battalion level as to his individual baggage allowance and forbidden articles. This information is to be repeated by the ATLO, Duty Air Movements Officer and the Air Loadmaster. Ten points will be awarded to each soldier who exceeds his baggage allowance by at least 20% and a further ten points can be claimed by any man reaching the aircraft steps openly carrying a Hexamine stove, butane lighter or thunderflash.

In the event of unserviceability of the aircraft en route, the Air Force will be penalised for overnight delays at Gander, Masirah, Ulan Bator or similar locations. Points may be recouped however if the crew can declare the aircraft unserviceable at Nairobi, Hong Kong or Hawaii. The Air Force may seek a bonus if they can persuade the Army to remain in the Movements Lounge all day on the pretext of imminent rectification of the fault and departure. Should the aircraft finally become serviceable, points are to be doubled if insufficient crew duty time remains and a further twelve hours rest for the crew may be justified.

Further opportunities for scoring may occur if an overnight delay takes place and the Army are required to use transit accommodation. The Air Force gains one point for every man allocated to a room in excess of its normal capacity. Twenty points are granted if the unit commander and his batman are allocated to the same room. The Air Force gains a further bonus if, simultaneously, the crew can arrange accommodation at an hotel in the city centre: scoring will increase with the hotel’s star rating up to a maximum of 50 for the local Hilton. Most crews will of course gain on this play.

On arrival at the destination both the Army and Air Force have equal opportunities for scoring. A prompt arrival at the destination planned is valued exceptionally highly at 50 points for the Air Force. The Army may reduce this figure by one point for each item of baggage mislaid; this has proved to be an appropriate weighting to achieve parity. The Air Force may nevertheless claim ten points if it can be announced that the unit commander’s baggage was off-loaded somewhere en route. The score is twenty if it is in fact true.

On arrival of the last chalk, aggregate points are compared. Should the Air Force win, they may commence the return play with a 200 point bonus. Should the Army win, they may opt to return by sea. In any event the game will prove to be one of a series.

It will be perceived that the game is open to infinite variation. It is a war game that may be played throughout times of peace. It is, however, deserving of a final accolade; it completely defies operational analysis, team management or resolution by digital computer. Can one say fairer than that?



Acknowledgment:

This account was written by Wg Cdr M J W Lee circa 1973

[Ken Scott]

Army and Navy available 24/7. RAF available Mon to Fri, 0900 to 1630, subject to suitable hotel accommodation being available.


This was true once when the RAF was FJ dominated but in the transport world we've always been 24/7........the hotac part is mostly correct though.

As I never met a FAA pilot who liked being on board ship, in fact they would do almost anything to avoid that eventuality, I never could quite understand why they joined the RN in the first place. I also personally know quite a few pilots who transferred to the RAF from the RN, AAC & RM but none who have gone the other way (the odd Harrier mate who went to fly SHARs after the Falklands war excepted) which must mean something.

[MAD Boom]

I also personally know quite a few pilots who transferred to the RAF from the RN, AAC & RM but none who have gone the other way (the odd Harrier mate who went to fly SHARs after the Falklands war excepted) which must mean something.

Beautifully put Ken.

Thread over.

[MSOCS]

Harrier pilots were known to have very small willies.

Harrier pilots can do extraordinary things with anything in their hands so it really doesn't matter how big the "thing" is....

[ex_matelot]

Pongoes = B&Bs
Matelots = 3* hotel
Crabfats = 5* hotel

[Roland Pulfrew]

Just to confirm.

You are saying that whilst plenty of RN RM and Army Pilots are good enough for the Crabs, no Crab has ever met the standards of the RN, RM and Army?

Nope, just saying none are stupid enough to go that way ;)

[just another jocky]

This was true once when the RAF was FJ dominated but in the transport world we've always been 24/7

Really?

I must have been dreaming watching all those sunrises from 20k ft, 6 or 7 hours after take-off, still strapped to my ejection seat.

Never let the truth get in the way, eh? ;)

[Finnpog]

No mention of Royal Marine pilots...

They are perched at the corner of the bar (in Silly Rig - if not naked) knowing that they all were awarded their green beret before trying their hands at this messing about in the skies malarky. :ok:

[Big Pistons Forever]

Air Force Pilot OJPR (On the Job Performance Requirement)

"Shall, without assistance from hotel staff, successfully obtain a meal through the utilization of the "room service" option.":p

[Willard Whyte]

RAF aircrew's primary flight planning publication is the Michelin Guide.

[MPN11]

I have had many drinks bought for me by RAF, RN and RM pilots.

I can't recall one from an Army pilot.

[Ken Scott]

[I must have been dreaming watching all those sunrises from 20k ft, 6 or 7 hours after take-off, still strapped to my ejection seat.

Just another jockey: I obviously forgot about the QRA chaps who stayed at work after the rest of the Sqn went to the bar but most of the FJ stations shut at 1700 on weekdays & didn't open at weekends, at least the ones I was at did. The late lamented secret Wiltshire airbase & the Oxfordshire airport are (were) 24/7, at least for the aircrew & those supporting flying. Adminers & other assorted folk still stick to the weekday hours.

[diginagain]

I can't recall one from an Army pilot.Oddly enough, I can.

[melmothtw]

Not necessarily pilot-related, but an illustration of the difference between life in the army and the navy that was doing the rounds during the last Iraq war...

Army:

http://i1373.photobucket.com/albums/ag380/garethjennings1/001_zpsilyd3mlc.jpg (http://s1373.photobucket.com/user/garethjennings1/media/001_zpsilyd3mlc.jpg.html)

Navy:

http://i1373.photobucket.com/albums/ag380/garethjennings1/002_zpsnqcgdmdq.jpg (http://s1373.photobucket.com/user/garethjennings1/media/002_zpsnqcgdmdq.jpg.html)

[just another jocky]

Just another jockey: I obviously forgot about the QRA chaps who stayed at work after the rest of the Sqn went to the bar but most of the FJ stations shut at 1700 on weekdays & didn't open at weekends, at least the ones I was at did. The late lamented secret Wiltshire airbase & the Oxfordshire airport are (were) 24/7, at least for the aircrew & those supporting flying. Adminers & other assorted folk still stick to the weekday hours.

I was talking about the Tornado sqns that have been flying combat or operational missions virtually continuously since 1991 and are still doing it today. Any day, all weathers, night, weekends, holidays, whenever they're needed, supporting both the boys & girls in green and those in blue too.

Like I said; never let the truth....

[Two's in]

Every time a military pilot commits aviation, they demonstrate absolute faith in a much larger team of hard working professionals who got them fed, watered, briefed and strapped in to a (mainly) serviceable aircraft. They depend upon the service intelligence chain to get them in and out of the sortie without needing an NOK card, and they rely on their colleagues to do it with them as often as required.

Sadly these days, they can also rely on the Government of the day to make sure that whatever they bombed, recce'd, torpedoed or plinked was a futile gesture in vote winning and had little or no effect on the conflict's outcome due to a complete absence of an operational objective since 2001.

[WIDN62]

I believe the transport force can thank Wg Cdr "Basil" D'Olivera who many years ago decided that any fool can be uncomfortable, and strove very hard to get air conditioned accommodation down the route at places like Gan. This, naturally, has morphed into single hotel rooms for all operators because we now rarely go to places that have on base accommodation - unless at Akrotiri or in theatre.

We don't dig in, we check in.

As a friend said when he heard someone was going camping, "As far as I am concerned, that is dropping down to a 3 Star!"

[TheWizard]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a355/merlinmagic28/Royals_zpseytoasdx.jpg
Which one is still a paid pilot?

[[email protected]]

Where's the 'Like' button? Wizard :ok::ok:

[Shack37]

I have had many drinks bought for me by RAF, RN and RM pilots.
I can't recall one from an Army pilot.


In that case you probably can´t remember what happened afterwards:E

[Ken Scott]

I was talking about the Tornado sqns that have been flying combat or operational missions virtually continuously since 1991 and are still doing it today. Any day, all weathers, night, weekends, holidays, whenever they're needed, supporting both the boys & girls in green and those in blue too.

Just another jockey - admirable stuff indeed, and a good job you've been doing. Welcome to our world. The transport fleet have been there too, supporting your ops 24/7. And when we get home we continue to work 24/7. Always have done, probably always will.

[Bob Viking]

I just love threads like this. Members from all walks of life gang up on each other to prove they work harder than everyone else.

Why don't we just wind our necks in and accept that all of us work bloody hard? Apart from me. I'm a lazy bugger (thought I'd add that before anyone else got in there!).

BV

[Chris Kebab]

...I think you've made your point Ken for which we all thank you:ugh:

[SimonK]

You're quite right BobViking. With the depressing inevitability and the intractable certainty of a glacier sliding downhill,this thread now slides downhill into 'I work harder than you'. Can't we just have fun for once and a bit of friendly banter?

[charliegolf]

Can't we just have fun for once and a bit of friendly banter?

But the almost silent swish of the princesses' tissues coming out of the box kinda adds to the fun, don't you think?

CG (I worked very very hard, ask Shy Torque.)

[cornish-stormrider]

Any fule can work hard
It takes real skill to be lazy yet still achieve the output

[FAStoat]

FLY NAVY-DIG ARMY-EAT CRAB

[althenick]

Sums it up ;)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Oi-D2_r_Oc

[Ken Scott]

Chris K - my original point as I recall (it seems soo long ago) was to refute that rather tired old stereotype about the RAF only working weekdays. Happy to have 'made my point'.

Right, back to planning this weekend's route....

[JointShiteFighter]

British Army Pilots shop at ASDA, Royal Air Force Pilots shop at Tesco and Royal Navy Pilots shop at Waitrose. :E

[Tinribs]

One of my early pals Alan Curtis 55 Sqn RAF left to go the NZ A/F then came back to Navy Sea Harriers. Alan was one of the pair that went missing in the Falklands after bagging himself an Argy Canberra.

So a pilot had gone RAF Navy.

[Haraka]

Tinribs
Falklands
Also Nick Taylor, ex 98 entry RAFC, subsequently went Navy and also got himself a detached tour flying Beavers in the AAC, before going on to 360 Sqn on Canberras before then to Sea Harrier and unfortunately going in at Goose Green.
Dave Morgan of course (who posts here on occasion), went Navy helicopters to RAF helicopters, then on to RAF Harriers, including the Falklands , then back to RN Sea Harrier.

[MPN11]

My old pistol shooting mate, Albie, went RN>RAF whilst driving whirlybirds. Instructed at Shawburg before going into business outside in a totally different field.

[TheWizard]

Fixed that for you

British Army Pilots shop at ASDA, Royal Air Force Pilots shop at Tesco and Royal Navy Pilots work at Waitrose. :E

[Trim Stab]

There was an RAAF F/A18 pilot a few years ago who applied for and passed 22 SAS selection, then even more bizarrely elected to try (and passed) SBS selection. Last I heard is that after a few more years he had applied to transfer to the RAF...

There was also a former SAS trooper (Velcro Trevor ?) who was medically discharged from the Army due to losing a few toes to frostbite on an exercise who then joined the RAF as an officer and qualified as a Jaguar pilot.

[Brian 48nav]

I think your information re the Jag mate is incorrect. Following university Trevor 'no-toes' was commissioned in to the RAF Regiment and lost his toes to frostbite in a training exercise.
At Headley Court, where he was sent to learn to walk again, he met two pilots ( one the boss of a Tornado squadron) who were also being rehabilitated and they convinced him that despite losing his toes it would be possible for him to fly as a pilot.
To cut a long story short, Trev was offered pilot training and qualified as a Jag Mate. His second tour was as a Tucano QFI.
He is now a BA captain.
How do I know? He shared a house with my Jag Mate son, and they remain great friends 20 years later.

Please excuse the plug Mods, but Trev' has just written a book based on the diary he kept in training. A very funny great read - go to the South American site and search "Average" by Trevor Edwards.

[kintyred]

I wouldn't letting any Jag mate share a house with any male relative of mine!

[TheWizard]

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/v/t1.0-9/11694749_1599096013673544_4864636156333708695_n.jpg?oh=b9440 05c9ad963daaf58b2a6e2ad170a&oe=5656E17B

[brakedwell]

No mention of Royal Marine pilots...

Apart from Prince Edward, how many are there? Oh, sorry, he's the only Royal without a pair of wings :sad:

[Brian 48nav]

After the shame of having to admit to my old Herc' mates, especially the navs, that I had raised a single seat guy I decided to keep my head down!!!

[pulse1]

Dave Morgan of course (who posts here on occasion), went Navy helicopters to RAF helicopters, then on to RAF Harriers, including the Falklands , then back to RN Sea Harrier.

A small point but I'm pretty sure that Moggie flew a RN Sea Harrier in the Falklands

[MightyGem]

Oh, sorry, he's the only Royal without a pair of wings
He's not even a Marine, either.

[brakedwell]

He almost was :)

[Sloppy Link]

I know lots of jokes like that. I almost won the lottery.

[Jumping_Jack]

My old pistol shooting mate, Albie, went RN>RAF whilst driving whirlybirds.

....and he has now gone 'Army', works for the Army Rifle Association at Bisley! :hmm:

[Roadster280]

The Army places a lot more responsibility for its kit on its NCOs than the RN or RAF. Hence as an NCO you can command a multi-million pound armoured vehicle or communications installation, or wait for it..a helicopter.

The RAF & RN use officers for the same job (i.e. driving airframes). Granted some of their aircraft are even more expensive, and carry lots of lives, or in days gone by, the responsibility of hundreds of thousands of lives with atomic weapons.

But at the basic level, driving an airborne battle taxi is an NCO's job in the Army and an officer's in the other two services.

[Haraka]

A small point but I'm pretty sure that Moggie flew a RN Sea Harrier in the Falklands

Nope , he was a Flt. Lt. on GR3's ( certainly during the conflict ,famously being interviewed after collecting an AAA round through the fin.)

[jonw66]

No he wasn't did any RAF GR3s shoot down an Argentine aircraft Mowgli certainly did.
He took the aaa round on the first Sea Harrier raid on Stanley
Sorry Haraka I was not trying to be clever but he was a Flt Lt attached/exchanged with the Dark Blue chaps
Best
John

[MPN11]

Jumping_Jack ... interesting! I must drop him a line - we've been out of contact for a few years!

[TEEEJ]

Haraka,
Jonw66 is correct.

Video of Dave Morgan and the AAA incident. He was flying a Sea Harrier FRS.1

hhFi0c84eYM&feature=related

[Haraka]

Haraka,
Jonw66 is correct.

My apologies gentlemen, you are both absolutely correct
He was on the "I counted them all out ,I counted them all back" mission which was , as you say, Sea Harriers.
Thanks for the correction.

[jonw66]

I was actually going to mention Bill Hanrahan a proper journalist

[wub]

While we are being pedantic, it was Brian Hanrahan

[jonw66]

Thanks wub of course

[Tinribs]

Thank you Haraka, I didn't know about Nick. I was on 360 at the same time and hadn't registered his loss. All the good blokes seem to catch it so if I'm OK that means?

[Haraka]

Tinribs,see yer PM's
H.

[WB627]

As I am non military, I normaly only post in History and Nostalgia however on this occasion given the subject matter, I thought you might enjoy this and I hope no one minds. It particularly reminds me of my father and father in law both RAF, not to mention a few other pilots of my acquaintance .........


You can always tell a gunner
By his vacant, steely stare.

You can always tell a bombardier
By his manner debonair

You can always tell a navigator
By his pencils, books and such.

You can always tell a pilot
But you cannot tell him much.

Anon. USAAF 8th Air Force

[Danny42C]

WB627,

And quite right, too ! (We Twin-winged Lords of the Air are vastly superior beings).

Danny42C (ex Aviation Kay-det USAAC Class of 42C)......"Off we go, into tne wide blue yonder.....!

Welcome aboard this Second Best of All Threads (runner-up to my Home Thread - "Gaining a RAF Pilot's Brevet in WWII". (Advt)

Any Tales/Notes/Logbooks from your Dad or Dad-in-Law ? That's the place for them.

D.

[just another jocky]

WB627.....I have a somewhat different version hanging on the wall of our downstairs loo (it's the "me" room - is someone trying to tell me something? :sad:)

Ode To A Fighter Pilot

You can tell a bomber pilot
by the spread around his rear,
You can tell a wireless operator
by the ring around his ear,
You can tell a navigator
by his maps and charts and such,
You can tell a fighter pilot...

...but you can't tell him much!

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

One I encountered recently:

Q. How do you know you are halfway through a date with a fighter pilot?

A. "...right, that's enough about me - let's talk about flying!"