Swanwick Mil this is Trouser formation
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Must say 3 Sqn have some good callsigns, formation of 3 called up "London your worst Nightmare with you, flight of 3..."
Got to say been some...interesting conversations between Swanwick ATC & aircraft of late - a USAF Herc 'Reach' talking about beer and Tetley's tea bags ..and another ref TG up in a VC10
Recognise those ?!
Got to say been some...interesting conversations between Swanwick ATC & aircraft of late - a USAF Herc 'Reach' talking about beer and Tetley's tea bags ..and another ref TG up in a VC10
Recognise those ?!
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There was an F18 driver in the early days of the Afghan silliness (before Thummers got a PTI and one Wg Cdr for every grain of sand) who used the callsign Elvis. It was always amusing to hear his call "Ladies and Gemmun, Elvis has left the target" And if it was a Brit AWACs the reply was always "thankya verr much"
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Laarbruch Tower mid 80's, four Tonkas call up.
Lead "Copper check"
Ello, Ello, Ello replied.
.........or Cottesmore Zone late 80s. Marham 617 Tonka calls up for LARS.
"Cottesmore Zone PEN15"
"PEN15 Cott Zone who chose that callsign?"
Reply "Erm sorry, it's not one we are proud of"
Lead "Copper check"
Ello, Ello, Ello replied.
.........or Cottesmore Zone late 80s. Marham 617 Tonka calls up for LARS.
"Cottesmore Zone PEN15"
"PEN15 Cott Zone who chose that callsign?"
Reply "Erm sorry, it's not one we are proud of"
Per Ardua ad Astraeus
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Maybe time to dust off the (was it 429 Sqn RCAF?) at Baden Soellingen who did the 'Redskin Fourship' check in in the bar (before we thrashed them at 'Tanks'.....................and took out a 4-star general
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Callsigns
Reminds of the days when 617 were at Marham - callsign Saxon was in vogue then. The often used check-in when away from home plate went something like:
"Saxon"
"Drugs"
"Rock"
"Roll"
Sometimes it was met with stony silence, most often not.
"Saxon"
"Drugs"
"Rock"
"Roll"
Sometimes it was met with stony silence, most often not.
Yes they did. Except that I always responded with 'Willard' when tanking them - after the little boy with his rat pack.
Seemed appropriate, somehow....
Seemed appropriate, somehow....
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The Harriers still use Wellard.
Use to hear the RM Gazelles use 'Tumbleweed' section when doing Fighter Evasion sorties over Exmoor.
Still think Psycho is a fav, used by Harriers.
Use to hear the RM Gazelles use 'Tumbleweed' section when doing Fighter Evasion sorties over Exmoor.
Still think Psycho is a fav, used by Harriers.
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56's SCOOBY formation always made me chuckle - Scoooby scooooby twoooo!
And at Linton, ROCKET checked in 'Rocket 4, 3, 2, 1', and were not 'airborne', but rather 'had lift off'. Well, it was funny as a stude at the time!
And at Linton, ROCKET checked in 'Rocket 4, 3, 2, 1', and were not 'airborne', but rather 'had lift off'. Well, it was funny as a stude at the time!
Wonder how many Harrier mates have heard "Hmmmmm, help you I will" when they've checked in as Jedi.
Also remember being on party det in Corsica with Jags a few years backwho had obviously decided to amuse the French as first Ripsaw then Trouser formation checked in.
Que? Wwipsore? Twouzair? (please say in comedy French accent)
Yeah, you know. Le pantalon?
Que? Le Pantalon???? No sense of humour that lot.
Also remember being on party det in Corsica with Jags a few years backwho had obviously decided to amuse the French as first Ripsaw then Trouser formation checked in.
Que? Wwipsore? Twouzair? (please say in comedy French accent)
Yeah, you know. Le pantalon?
Que? Le Pantalon???? No sense of humour that lot.
"East Midlands Approach this is Swallow 69" UAS studette coerced into making the radio call...the c/s was gen....honest!!
silence
"East Midlands Approach this is Swallow 69"
"aircraft calling East Midlands say your callsign again"
"East Midlands, this is Swallow 69, Wessex out of aldergrove, passing 10 miles south...blah blah blah" crew begin to giggle...a lot
stunned silence
"Swallow 69, roger.....can't say much more to that can I?.....ummmm, squawk 7000 and go on route...change frequency Blah Blah"
East Midlands then carried out a lengthy investigation to find out if the c/s was gen and approved..it was a 72 Sqn fave.
silence
"East Midlands Approach this is Swallow 69"
"aircraft calling East Midlands say your callsign again"
"East Midlands, this is Swallow 69, Wessex out of aldergrove, passing 10 miles south...blah blah blah" crew begin to giggle...a lot
stunned silence
"Swallow 69, roger.....can't say much more to that can I?.....ummmm, squawk 7000 and go on route...change frequency Blah Blah"
East Midlands then carried out a lengthy investigation to find out if the c/s was gen and approved..it was a 72 Sqn fave.
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Elvis was also a callsign used by Ravens out of Incirlik - usually flying as pairs.
It took some time to persuade them, but eventually we got them to check in,
"Elvis Check."
"Uh-huh"
It took some time to persuade them, but eventually we got them to check in,
"Elvis Check."
"Uh-huh"
Gentleman Aviator
Swallow 69 was indeed a 72 Sqn favourite for out-of-Province work. They used to use "Swift" (from the Sqn badge) but some ComSec people pointed out it was allocated somewhere else apparently. Had to use "Swallow" instead.
Tried to contact a certain officer detached at an air display (Cosford '94??) ... but the organisers refused to Tannoy for "Flt Lt Richard Head, captain of Swallow 69" as they were convinced it was a spoof
Probably the same det as mentioned above - seem to recall that UBAS were hosting and some studes were taken flying in return. Ric was also amazed to discover lots of "girly webbing" hanging up in the locker room .... never would have happend in the V-force harrumph!!
Tried to contact a certain officer detached at an air display (Cosford '94??) ... but the organisers refused to Tannoy for "Flt Lt Richard Head, captain of Swallow 69" as they were convinced it was a spoof
Probably the same det as mentioned above - seem to recall that UBAS were hosting and some studes were taken flying in return. Ric was also amazed to discover lots of "girly webbing" hanging up in the locker room .... never would have happend in the V-force harrumph!!
RAF Valley, early 1970s. Frustrated controller trying to hand over a formation of Jet Provosts (constant speed variable noise machines) to a female controller at Midland or Ulster Radar, I forget which. "Rowlock Yankee Black Formation, no, ROWLOCK Yankee Black, R-O-W-L-O-C-K, no, bollock with an R!!