Swanwick Mil this is Trouser formation
Had that one confused with Leeming Hawks calling LONGBOW, new one this end...the ever deepening hole of mil callsigns!
In Gnat days, 4FTS Valley used to use some very odd call-signs, including 'Sambar'...
Black chum of mine was on review - and went on a formation flex ride (as did most of us!) with the sqn boss leading. A nice chap of Asian descent.
Spotting the somewhat nervous black mate, he broke the ice by saying "OK, soul brother, it's you and me. And we're not 'Sambar', we're 'SAMBO'!"
So off they went; no-one dared query the "Sambo, check-in" calls. Black mate pi$$ed himself with laughter with every check-in and relaxed as a result, the trip went well and he came off review. The sqn boss knew he could do it and was just tensed up - that's what I call inspired leadership!
Such a good bloke that the Viet-Taff named a lake after him....not Celyn, Vyrnwy Brenig or Trwsfynedd.
(And yes, I might have told the tale before - but it's pertinent to this thread!)
Black chum of mine was on review - and went on a formation flex ride (as did most of us!) with the sqn boss leading. A nice chap of Asian descent.
Spotting the somewhat nervous black mate, he broke the ice by saying "OK, soul brother, it's you and me. And we're not 'Sambar', we're 'SAMBO'!"
So off they went; no-one dared query the "Sambo, check-in" calls. Black mate pi$$ed himself with laughter with every check-in and relaxed as a result, the trip went well and he came off review. The sqn boss knew he could do it and was just tensed up - that's what I call inspired leadership!
Such a good bloke that the Viet-Taff named a lake after him....not Celyn, Vyrnwy Brenig or Trwsfynedd.
(And yes, I might have told the tale before - but it's pertinent to this thread!)
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Devon, England
Posts: 816
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No Offence to anyone here....
But have you heard those Indians at Valley talk to ATC?
Takes a while....umm a long while to understand exactly what is being said.
Heard them recently when night flying...or him by himself not sure (I cant remember) but i couldn't make head nor tail of anything what was said.
I believe there is an Indian or two or was, at Valley for the new lead in trainer (hawk) they are getting soon.
Was listening to Trouser formation again the other day, and to be honest, the Polish pilots are not too bad to understand, the radios seem a bit crap which is the only thing that let them down, but their understanding of English seemed okay....even if it took the Jag pilots several times to chop to Swanwick Mil 275.35!
But have you heard those Indians at Valley talk to ATC?
Takes a while....umm a long while to understand exactly what is being said.
Heard them recently when night flying...or him by himself not sure (I cant remember) but i couldn't make head nor tail of anything what was said.
I believe there is an Indian or two or was, at Valley for the new lead in trainer (hawk) they are getting soon.
Was listening to Trouser formation again the other day, and to be honest, the Polish pilots are not too bad to understand, the radios seem a bit crap which is the only thing that let them down, but their understanding of English seemed okay....even if it took the Jag pilots several times to chop to Swanwick Mil 275.35!
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Polish seem okay, likewise with the French M2000's that are/were at Colt; took them a while to chop between freqs and at one point they didn't know which freq he was on. Think comment went something along the lines of "i'm trying to raise my French number two, think i've lost him"...frenchman talking english with a french accent always reminds me of the Pink Panther! 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Britain
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
sorry to ask a basic question, but as 'enlisted filth' I'm out of the loop here - who is it that chooses / assigns callsigns to a unit? Seems there's a hell of a wide scope for a laugh there...
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: ecosse
Posts: 714
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Had problems during Airshows in the States convincing the Yanks that to use ac type as a C/S would simplify things
Later transpired that Nimrod was american slang for 'Dick-Head'
As we were kilted and accompanied by a piper for all the social events, the girlies asked the obvious question - "Is it true that all Scotsmen, blah?"
For $10 a shot to charity, we didn't disappoint them
We raised $3000 for charities in a fortnight
Thank you Cleveland, Omaha, Ottawa and Florida
I know some of you threadies will say that Nimrod people are dickheads anyway, so I'll get in before you do, and add that some of these girlies not only saw what was up the kilt, but also enjoyed it later on in the hotel!
Love many, Trust a few, Always paddle your own canoe!
Later transpired that Nimrod was american slang for 'Dick-Head'
As we were kilted and accompanied by a piper for all the social events, the girlies asked the obvious question - "Is it true that all Scotsmen, blah?"
For $10 a shot to charity, we didn't disappoint them
We raised $3000 for charities in a fortnight
Thank you Cleveland, Omaha, Ottawa and Florida
I know some of you threadies will say that Nimrod people are dickheads anyway, so I'll get in before you do, and add that some of these girlies not only saw what was up the kilt, but also enjoyed it later on in the hotel!
Love many, Trust a few, Always paddle your own canoe!
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: around and about
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
tonkatechie,
For peacetime ops RAF callsigns, and this includes ground callsigns too, are managed by a small cell based at HQSTC. However, primacy ulimately rests with ICAO who have the final say. The RAF have a list of reserve callsigns that can be claimed/allocated by units but as you may expect all the Gucci ones went long ago. I expect that the 16 and 54(F) Sqn callsigns have gone into the pot by now and could be up for grabs.
Units can apply for a bespoke callsign through the aforementioned cell at HQSTC who then liaise with ICAO to ensure that the callsign is not in use elsewhere around the globe.
Mission callsigns in times of conflict a dealt with separately.
For peacetime ops RAF callsigns, and this includes ground callsigns too, are managed by a small cell based at HQSTC. However, primacy ulimately rests with ICAO who have the final say. The RAF have a list of reserve callsigns that can be claimed/allocated by units but as you may expect all the Gucci ones went long ago. I expect that the 16 and 54(F) Sqn callsigns have gone into the pot by now and could be up for grabs.
Units can apply for a bespoke callsign through the aforementioned cell at HQSTC who then liaise with ICAO to ensure that the callsign is not in use elsewhere around the globe.
Mission callsigns in times of conflict a dealt with separately.
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: oxford
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In the70ties, American jet took off from somewhere in East Anglia, called Eastern Radar and said he had forgotten his callsign. He was instructed to adopt the callsign 'Stupid 1,!
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Yorksire
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
In Adergrove back in the seventies, was often amused to hear the Wessex crews using a callsign something like sausage32, can't exactly remember now, long time ago, being a stupid Army enlisted sh1t lynx jock, thought would take the p1ss and called up tower as Porkchop642, miserable bu55ers wouldn't respond until took the porkchop off!
NOosense of humour crabs!!
[Ducks and runs for the door!]
NOosense of humour crabs!!
[Ducks and runs for the door!]
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Over There
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
NOosense of humour crabs!!
And if the Trappers are reading this, I'd better get my hat for when the Boss gets a phone call tomorrow...
