Station or base?
A bit off-topic, but not entirely, as my rant relates to another word used by the media.
Whilst watching the sad events at ISK on BBC News 24 yesterday (which on the whole I think they covered in the spirit in which it needed to be, not jumping away half-way through like Sky), I was struck by how many times the word "plane" was used, when "aircraft" or "aeroplane" would have sounded so much better.
A "plane" is what you use to make wood smooth, for cripes sake
Whilst watching the sad events at ISK on BBC News 24 yesterday (which on the whole I think they covered in the spirit in which it needed to be, not jumping away half-way through like Sky), I was struck by how many times the word "plane" was used, when "aircraft" or "aeroplane" would have sounded so much better.
A "plane" is what you use to make wood smooth, for cripes sake
Gentleman Aviator
Oh how I agree Wycombe 
On day one in the RAF I was told two things never to say:
1. "Plane" other than as a tool for smoothing wood
AND
2. "RAFF" (to rhyme with caff) rather than R A F
..... think I've complied all these years too.....
On day one in the RAF I was told two things never to say:
1. "Plane" other than as a tool for smoothing wood
AND
2. "RAFF" (to rhyme with caff) rather than R A F
..... think I've complied all these years too.....
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RAF Weston-on-the-Green can hardly be called a "base". It is most definitely a station.
WOTG is hardly a station either. It doesnt not have a Station Commander and there are no full time units 'based' there. All activity that I am aware of is parented by Brize (military parachuting and adventure trg).
WOTG is hardly a station either. It doesnt not have a Station Commander and there are no full time units 'based' there. All activity that I am aware of is parented by Brize (military parachuting and adventure trg).
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Naming of a station
Correct me if I am worng, but I understood that stations were named by the promximity of the officers' mess to the local post-office. Clearly for satellite and shadow airfields this became problematic.
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FormerFlake
The call is still "Field in sight" with Air Tragic, during visual procedures
Aerodrome is still ocassionally used and a group of them could be called a 'clutch' as in Germany, pre Cold War days - though the term now is usually MATZ, as with ISK and Lossie combined
The call is still "Field in sight" with Air Tragic, during visual procedures
Aerodrome is still ocassionally used and a group of them could be called a 'clutch' as in Germany, pre Cold War days - though the term now is usually MATZ, as with ISK and Lossie combined
So why isn't Base hangar at RAF Brize Norton called "Station hangar" then?
The RAF did officially use the term base during WW2. From around 1943 onwards the various Groups within Bomber Command formed a unit known as a Base. This was a group of airfields commanded by an Air Commodore, the individual airfields being still commanded by Group Captains. An example was No.54 Base which consisted of RAF Stations Coningsby, Woodhall Spa and Metheringham.
All Bomber Command stations were so grouped. The guy in charge was known as the "Base Commander"
The RAF did officially use the term base during WW2. From around 1943 onwards the various Groups within Bomber Command formed a unit known as a Base. This was a group of airfields commanded by an Air Commodore, the individual airfields being still commanded by Group Captains. An example was No.54 Base which consisted of RAF Stations Coningsby, Woodhall Spa and Metheringham.
All Bomber Command stations were so grouped. The guy in charge was known as the "Base Commander"
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HMS Harrier.
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My simple understanding was that aircraft are based and people are stationed. It gets very silly when the Press, bless 'em refer to "Army Bases". The concept of a Base must be totally devalued since the Westo Press/Other Media began referring to the "MoD Base at Abbey Wood". These people are serious, too.
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Perhaps we could re-name the through deck cruisers (there are no carriers in the RN) as RAF bases, after all the a/c that operate off them are ours mainly.
'RAF Grey Funnel Island' and 'RAF We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat' should do.
'RAF Grey Funnel Island' and 'RAF We're Gonna Need A Bigger Boat' should do.
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FOr those of you that remember RAF Ascension Island.
Not any more. For apporox the past 3? years, Asi is officially:
Ascension Island Base (AIB)
The Station Commander is known officially as the 'Base Commander' (currently a Sqn Ldr Nav) and the SWO is the BWO (and is a Warrant Officer Mover).
No harm done. Not worth getting a hard-on about really is it?
Or is it?
CC
Not any more. For apporox the past 3? years, Asi is officially:
Ascension Island Base (AIB)
The Station Commander is known officially as the 'Base Commander' (currently a Sqn Ldr Nav) and the SWO is the BWO (and is a Warrant Officer Mover).
No harm done. Not worth getting a hard-on about really is it?
Or is it?
CC
Well, in Oz we're the same - but different.
RAAF establishments used to be called stations, but from the 70s they became bases: RAAF Base Pearce, RAAF Base Richmond, etc - though it was normally just abbreviated to RAAF Williamtown, etc. I think (believe it or not) it had something to do with the postal address, which would be, for example:
SATC
RAAF Base
EAST SALE VIC 3852
The Navy, on the other hand, still use station. NAS NOWRA is of course Naval Air Station.
RAAF establishments used to be called stations, but from the 70s they became bases: RAAF Base Pearce, RAAF Base Richmond, etc - though it was normally just abbreviated to RAAF Williamtown, etc. I think (believe it or not) it had something to do with the postal address, which would be, for example:
SATC
RAAF Base
EAST SALE VIC 3852
The Navy, on the other hand, still use station. NAS NOWRA is of course Naval Air Station.
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I only ever remember being stationed anywhere, although I was occasionally detached to another unit and often staggered back to camp from the local hostelry. I reported to Station HQ on arrival and departure, invariably passing a sign that said 'RAF Station XXXX' on the way in and out, while desperately trying to avoid the Station Warrant Officer.
The RN do tend to go in for Bases - Portsmouth for example - but maybe the matelots think its a ship? The Naval Base in Singapore was HMS Terror but it never managed to frighten anybody as it was firmly fixed to the island. The Navy certainly thought that RAF Station Brawdy was afloat and insisted it was HMS Goldcrest or something. I remember having a devil of a time persuading their regulating office to let us go ashore. In the end we had to swim for it...
The RN do tend to go in for Bases - Portsmouth for example - but maybe the matelots think its a ship? The Naval Base in Singapore was HMS Terror but it never managed to frighten anybody as it was firmly fixed to the island. The Navy certainly thought that RAF Station Brawdy was afloat and insisted it was HMS Goldcrest or something. I remember having a devil of a time persuading their regulating office to let us go ashore. In the end we had to swim for it...
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TOG
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Ah the Far East Station! Beware the 'Singapore Grip' my boy.
Got me in its grip, so it has. Sembawang has changed a lot, but 'The Nelson' is still open for business.
Still has some of its old barmaids too...
BS was born on the South Atlantic Station - in 1946, Leading Signaller BS Snr. was drafted to HMS Afrikander at Simonstown as a reward for his travails in the Arctic and North Atlantic during the last spot of bother with Germany.
Got me in its grip, so it has. Sembawang has changed a lot, but 'The Nelson' is still open for business.
Still has some of its old barmaids too...
BS was born on the South Atlantic Station - in 1946, Leading Signaller BS Snr. was drafted to HMS Afrikander at Simonstown as a reward for his travails in the Arctic and North Atlantic during the last spot of bother with Germany.