Flying Suit Sqn Crests
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Flying Suit Sqn Crests
Looking around the mess tonight I notice a variety of Sqn Crests proudly displayed on people's arms. Why is it that some are on black backgrounds and some are on white backgrounds?
I've asked around but no one seems to really know.
e.g 100 Sqn Black but 111 Sqn White.
I've asked around but no one seems to really know.
e.g 100 Sqn Black but 111 Sqn White.
Cost of material, usually! The black background is more expensive, but the white one can be screen prined cheaply if necessary.
Though it would be nice to think that 111's is on a white background because it showed up better on black flying suits from their Black Arrows' heritage, I fear that would be bull$hit!
Oh - and don't call them 'crests' or you'll upset the Chester Herald. They are, in fact, 'badges'!
Though it would be nice to think that 111's is on a white background because it showed up better on black flying suits from their Black Arrows' heritage, I fear that would be bull$hit!
Oh - and don't call them 'crests' or you'll upset the Chester Herald. They are, in fact, 'badges'!
Someone told me that all the white backgrounds you see today on sqn crests were 'awarded' to the sqns who fled France in 1940, leaving their groundcrew to the advancing Hun.
Anyone else ever heard this.....? Is it bullsh*t?
Anyone else ever heard this.....? Is it bullsh*t?
TR - the 111 Squadron white background blows that out of the water straight away - 111 wasn't in France in 1940... (although I think I'm right in saying that, along with much of Fighter Command, they did participate in ops to cover the Dunkirk evacuation beaches).
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Can't remember, but it might have been 249 had a white background and I think we had a white background on 35 too at one time. The common ground was we were NEAF based and our badges were sourced from Pakistan. We could get proper wire ones too for less that a UK cloth patch.
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It used to be the case that support units had white, STANEVAL OCUs etc but I don't thinks that holds true these days....
Although STANEVAL is still white!?!
Not that it realy matters and we all need to get out more (on rates hopefully!!!)
T
Although STANEVAL is still white!?!
Not that it realy matters and we all need to get out more (on rates hopefully!!!)
T
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Training Frisky - that's two.
Well let's see.
You're quite right, on reflection I don't think I ever have worn a squadron badge on my flying kit. I do remember though on my Winter Survival course at Bad Kolgrub that the instructors advised that they should not worn on operations - and I was buggered if I was going to keep putting them on and taking them off.
I did wear one badge though. It was a great big thing with a red swan on it I think. Long time ago now but I remember myself and the rest of the staff at CFS used to call it "chicken in a basket"
Wiz
Well let's see.
You're quite right, on reflection I don't think I ever have worn a squadron badge on my flying kit. I do remember though on my Winter Survival course at Bad Kolgrub that the instructors advised that they should not worn on operations - and I was buggered if I was going to keep putting them on and taking them off.
I did wear one badge though. It was a great big thing with a red swan on it I think. Long time ago now but I remember myself and the rest of the staff at CFS used to call it "chicken in a basket"
Wiz
Last edited by Wizzard; 18th Oct 2004 at 08:47.
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This is an interesting site that has a good collection of sqn badges. Looks like the most popular background colour is black. A few sqns use white backgrounds and there's one red background for 65sqn.
This page set me thinking about the history behind each sqns choice of badge/crest. Anyone know of a good book/website that details the history behind the design??
This page set me thinking about the history behind each sqns choice of badge/crest. Anyone know of a good book/website that details the history behind the design??
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' J ' Bloke,
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Wizzard;
You sound like a mover
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He's obviously too smart to be a Loadmaster then !!
E5
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Wizzard;
You sound like a mover
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He's obviously too smart to be a Loadmaster then !!
E5
Gentleman Aviator
This page set me thinking about the history behind each sqns choice of badge/crest. Anyone know of a good book/website that details the history behind the design??
A good book with some information is "The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force" by James J Halley (ISBN 0851300839) a few of which are still available from a certain South American River ....
Better (but now out of print) is "Customs & Traditions of the Royal Air Force" by Sqn Ldr Peter George Hering and they didn't have ISBNs in them days...
Some from memory...
22 Sqn
Shared a station with 7 Sqn at one time, hence the joke of "pi" on the badge - 22 over 7 (geddit)
33 Sqn
A hart from having flown Hawker Harts. As in 12 Sqn and Fairey Foxes, 17 Sqn and Gloster Gauntlets, 43 Sqn and Gloster Gamecocks etc etc
78 Sqn
A tiger with two tails. Flew Whitley bombers - with Tiger engines and twin tails
209 Sqn??
A red eagle pointing downwards - for shooting down the Red Baron ... (except they probably didn't!)
230 Sqn
Tiger Beer label!! Obviously not a beverage to be found in the Chester Herald's 'fridge....
