'Mallard' Callsign

[Squadgy]

Hi, Does anyone know which unit uses 'Mallard' for a callsign? I'm assuming it's mil.

Cheers

Squadgy:confused:

[fobotcso]

If they want you to know they'll tell you themselves, so why don't you ask them next time you hear them?:p

[WhichWay?]

Why, what have they done?

WW

[Gainesy]

Quacking formation flyers though.

[rivetjoint]

There are a million places on the web you can find that out, here isn't one though :)

[Navy_Adversary]

Squadgy, May be LTW.
If you have a tenner to spare
www.photav.demon.co.uk

[FOMere2eternity]

...agree with WhichWay, what have they done ?

Apart from convenience, callsigns are used to disguise military movements (ie. Sqn ops) from hostile ears....although a few spotters have noted them and publish.

'Mallard' has been used for ages, so it shouldn't be hard for you to find out.

[motionlotion]

FO


You just couldn't give a duck could you? but it shouldn't be too much of a feet on the web ................................... God that's awful!

[canberra]

how can a callsign be used to disguise military movements? you call up and say mallard x number of aircraft type and bingo youve blown it. and you put it on a flight plan so why the need for acting as if its the holy grail?

[PPRuNe Radar]

More than a little out of date ........ but probably still used by Menwith Hill ;)

http://mir.irisz.hu/cucc/misc/Csign.txt

[fobotcso]

Spoilsport! ;)

Some notable omissions, obvious even to someone out of the business as long as I have been.

[WhichWay?]

So what does LTW mean in the reference for Mallard?

But what did they do!

WW

[ORAC]

Lyneham Transport Wing.

MOD Glossary (http://www.foi.mod.uk/glossary.asp?letter=l)

[FOMere2eternity]

Canberra:

Because, for example, 'Saxon' calling up and stating they're a bunch of tornadoes doesn't give away their Sqn and role - ok, so you probably know who 'mallard' are but that's the nature of their callsign - type specific, with a limited No of operators.

as for being the holy grail, it's not, but equally broadcasting it to all and sundry isn't a great idea....unless they're spotters !

[teeteringhead]

Interesting to see that 617 are down as using "BlackDog", when they have been known to use the totally politacally incorrect dog's name................

[Specaircrew]

Thats because Guy Gibsons dog was called 'Nygger', indeed I used to be O i/c Nyggers grave when I was a first tourist on the Sqn. It really pisses me off the the mamby pamby pc brigade have had the film 'The Dambusters' edited so that the dog is now called 'Boy' just in case historical fact should upset some delicate flower!!!!!!!!

PS I had to incorrectly spell it because even PPrune censors historical fact

[Grimweasel]

So if we have Mallard how long until we have "White Hart" Formation? (for those in tha know!!)
Or even 'Oscars'!!.....

[Squadgy]

Thanks guys and gals, don't worry they didn't do anything, just an unusual c/s that we don't usually get in this neck of the woods.

Cheers :p

[Scud-U-Like]

Specaircrew

Even 60 years ago, the term was pejorative. Had Gibson named his dog c**t, would you expect that to be included in the film?

[BEagle]

With reference to the 'Dambusters' movie, originally the correct name was used. Later crude attempts to eradicate the real name of the dog were very clumsy. First they tried to dub it over as 'Digger', then erasing the soundtrack whenever the name of Gibson's dog was mentioned. That was a bit obvious, so they just cut bits out. Hence when the codeword for the breach of the Moehne Dam is sent by Gibson's wireless operator and is received at Scampton, nowadays you just see an operator yelling "It's gone" - in a heavily censored cut from the original film.

It is a matter of historical fact that Guy Gibson's black labrador had a name. He was killed on the eve of the raid and his name was used as the codeword for the breach of the Moehne Dam. Does anyone really think that the name Gibson chose was a deliberate affront to anyone?

When Speccers and I were at Sunny Scampton, certainly there was an (artificial) grave outside the 617th's building dedicated to the memory of Gibson's dog. It wasn't, in fact, the real site of the grave, but a memorial. Well looked after by 617 (and regularly peed upon by 35 Sqn). I didn't check whether it was still there when I was at Scampton doing my CFS course - it was bad enough just to have to be flying little Learning Command aeroplanes from a base which used to echo to the thunder of our V-bombers 15 years earlier........

I hardly think that he would have chosen the name you suggest, S-u-L!

[teeteringhead]

But doesn't PC go too far if it tampers with historical accuracy?

Example: I am currently studying some 19th century US literature; and am re-reading, inter alia , "Huckleberry Finn" and "Moby Dick".

In Huck Finn, the n-word is used numerous times on many pages, and Jim the escaped slave often refers to himself as a n_____, because his character would have done so at the time! And it was (presumably) acceptable when it was written.

Should we change it, ban the book or what? Less contentiously, in the notes to my (admittedly old and dog-eared) copy of "Moby Dick", it states that the author, Herman Melville, was "the first noted native american novelist", meaning the first one born in the USA. Would people now read that, and believe that he was what I hope I am still allowed to call a red indian? And if they do - what has happened in the 30-odd years since my copy was published to cause such confusion?

Have we really got here from a thread on formation call signs - isn't PPRuNe truly wonderful! :)

[Scud-U-Like]

I agree that drawing the political correctness line is often a difficult call. A lot of the backlash against pc was whipped-up by the red top 'newspapers' in the 1980s, with their apochryphal tales of looney-left councils banning 'Bah Bah Black Sheep' and black bin liners.

I think political correctness has now found its own level, so that Channel 4's recent showing of 'Love Thy Neighbour' (not only racist, but dire 'comedy') can be viewed as an example of a 1970s British society not at ease with itself.

I suspect that if Channel 4 were to show 'Dambusters' today, post 9pm, it would probably be the original version (though, even then, one might expect an announcement at the beginning of the film explaining the reason for this). If the film were shown on BBC1 at 3pm on a Sunday afternoon, the expurgated version might be deemed more suitable.

The fact remains that the word n****r, is and always has been an offensive term and that, even in a historical context, it should be used carefully and occasionally omitted altogether.

[Agaricus bisporus]

As an ex mil pilot I find some of the replies above simply incredible.

Does anyone genuinely think that revealing the identity of a corporate callsign compromises anything! Honestly!!

PS; Guy Gibson's dog was called ******, just like my name is Paul. No more, no less, so what?

Oh dear, I see the PC Nazis prevent me from referring to the name of a dog, and a perfectly valid word in the English Language.

Shame, Shame Shame on them. The dog and the code word was was, and is, N1gger.

There is no implication, shame or inference to be made from the use of the above word. it is simply a historical fact, and the suppression of history and language is one of the less savoury attributes of dictators. One can only hope that this pernicious mind-poison has not reached the ranks of PPRuNe.

[Chris Kebab]

Last time I was down secret Wilts airfield at 512' (or is it 513 now?) I noticed the Mallard is marketing itself as the Mucky Duck.

Is this an attempt to attract an even lower class of drinker than 47?

'tis an interesting method of picking a c/s however. "Leagate check-in", or for BEagle and the old hand "Wig and Mitre on handover".

Should use curry houses if you ask me. "Buchan, Balaka". If fact now I've written that and re-read it I'm sure I've actually heard it said before!

[Wycombe]

Grimweasel, can't wait for "Sally Pussey formation", if I follow your line correctly :D

[Grimweasel]

Wycombe....
You do follow the line old chap! (As in ducks in a line?)
Rather looking forward to the Angel formation!
Has a rather 'angelic' feel to it what?

[814man]

When I lived at Scampton in 1998 the old dogs grave was still there in front of the 617 Hangar. It had been fenced off and is well tended and looked after by an old chap who also runs the small museum at the back of the Families Club. This was at the time of the dividing of the unit prior to the return of the reds. Now a new entrance has been opened some 100 yards to the south of the main gate and the FQ patch is open to all. About half the houses have been handed over to Annington who have renovated them before sale to civvies (hang on isn’t there a thread on this subject already.........).

[Talk Reaction]

So when these top secret officially denied chaps talk to a civvy ATC with their duck callsign do they not say what type they are??

And on the subject of political correctness, remember world cup fever, st georges flags everywhere and short sighted beurocrats (appologies for sp) telling us we couldn't be proud to be english - as if supporting your own country makes you a biggot or something (blood boiling rant)

I hope common sense can shine through, after all if people hide who they are and where they're from then this planet will become a very grey place:mad:

[Divergent Phugoid!]

As for political correctness..... I wonder if DVLA has banned the index N16 GER... (and similar combinations)

If they havent I wonder who would be driving around with it on their motor?? May be a resident of that famous South London location close to Lambeth??

And probably very proud to have it on their car too!!


As for mallard formation, flew over my house this morning, had to duck when I saw how low they were flying!! (ouuch!! Sorry!!)

;) ;) ;)

[Hummingfrog]

Don't think PC has reached DVLA yet as I saw WxG 6xx on the M6 a couple of weeks ago!!
HF

[circle kay]

The 'PC' brigade don't do Morse however. In the edited version of the film the offending codeword is still heard over the ops officers telephone in CW!