Aircrew Rations
You must be very old
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As noted by several others, a feature of the V Force in the 1960s was the apparent belief that crews needed to be continually fed. The operations blocks incorporated a kitchen and dining room, complete with white coated stewards, that remained open throughout the flying programme. After self briefing the crews would settle in the 'aircrew feeder' for a three course meal. Loaded on to the crew coach would be a large box stuffed with tins of soup sandwiches, sweets (often teeth ruining polos) and assorted cold drinks. It was the co pilots job to lug this about. Some resented the chore, but they were encouraged to think it was all part of preparation for captaincy. On landing it was back to the 'feeder for another blow out. And if it was the right time of day, you could be back to the Mess in time for dinner. Later, the entitlement was cut back - if you flew ,say, a one and a half hour air test you no longer got the after flight meal - it was a bitter blow
It would be interesting to know why V force crews, and no others, were provisioned in this way. it was once thought to be aero medicine factors but what about other roles. Many were more demanding that V force flying, eg Canberras in RAF Germany. Their crews just had to make do.
It would be interesting to know why V force crews, and no others, were provisioned in this way. it was once thought to be aero medicine factors but what about other roles. Many were more demanding that V force flying, eg Canberras in RAF Germany. Their crews just had to make do.
Gentleman Aviator
You can remember GBH as a Sgt doing the ration returns You must be very old
It was definitely him - I can hear him saying it now - and he'd hardly have been Rats-Man with a crown .....
RC,
Not just the V Force. Finningley (Training Command) had a marvelous feeder that provided a great steak 'n' chips followed by choc ices just before a 2 and a half hour Dominie ride. Not sure if that followed across to Cranwell post 94 but it was very much appreciated during my time in training.
Not just the V Force. Finningley (Training Command) had a marvelous feeder that provided a great steak 'n' chips followed by choc ices just before a 2 and a half hour Dominie ride. Not sure if that followed across to Cranwell post 94 but it was very much appreciated during my time in training.
Ah, the FYY feeder - my saviour after 'drinking on the weather' with a night out in Donny only to be faced by CAVOK and a nasty LLTS sortie with Uwe the German!
Happy days
Happy days
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"It would be interesting to know why V force crews, and no others, were provisioned in this way."
It was to fatten you lot up. After you dropped your bombs on Russia, you wouldn't be coming back: you'd have to land somewhere in Siberia or Mongolia, and it might be a while before you got any more food.
Besides which, I've heard those Mongolian women like their men big and rotund...
It was to fatten you lot up. After you dropped your bombs on Russia, you wouldn't be coming back: you'd have to land somewhere in Siberia or Mongolia, and it might be a while before you got any more food.
Besides which, I've heard those Mongolian women like their men big and rotund...
Last edited by Milo Minderbinder; 22nd Feb 2012 at 13:45.
Had to smile at Ron Cake's description of V Force rations. Things had definitely gone downhill at Marham by the time I got there on tankers, although the aircrew feeder certainly provided a very good breakfast. Tins of soup in the in-flights would have raised a hollow laugh. The Victor was equipped with a special can heater. A can of soup, placed in the heater just after take-off might be just luke warm on finals after a very long sortie! Never once saw it used.
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TTN,
Be grateful you never had to endure tins of 'cheese possessed'! The CVRT armour of the 80s and 90s also had a Boiling Vessel which was nothing more than a (sharp edged) kettle/pressure cooker conveniently located in front of the doorman at shin/patella height (depending on whether you were QCS material or not). I don't know what was more dangerous to the vehicle occupants - that thing whistling in protest as the clank bounced at 30 mph over the bondu and catching the troops in turn as they debussed, or the vehicle commander standing on a 220 gallon jerry can of petrol.
Still nothing like those glorious tinned sausages though.
Be grateful you never had to endure tins of 'cheese possessed'! The CVRT armour of the 80s and 90s also had a Boiling Vessel which was nothing more than a (sharp edged) kettle/pressure cooker conveniently located in front of the doorman at shin/patella height (depending on whether you were QCS material or not). I don't know what was more dangerous to the vehicle occupants - that thing whistling in protest as the clank bounced at 30 mph over the bondu and catching the troops in turn as they debussed, or the vehicle commander standing on a 220 gallon jerry can of petrol.
Still nothing like those glorious tinned sausages though.
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Cheese possessed? That could be an omen. I don't remember square sausages in Vulcan rations (sounds like you had to eat 'em cold or have a galley to warm 'em up).
The key to soup heating was to start warming at taxi, with the prospect of a 4-5 hour sortie (not uncommon on 27 MRR) and hope not to go u/s early - and be very careful if you forgot to pierce the can at stage 1 of the process. Not that I pesonally tried it - but had a cupboard ful of assorted soup at home
And don't forget the prospect of a weather scrub invariably caused a mad dash for the feeder - so get the forecast early and eat before planning.
Mister B
The key to soup heating was to start warming at taxi, with the prospect of a 4-5 hour sortie (not uncommon on 27 MRR) and hope not to go u/s early - and be very careful if you forgot to pierce the can at stage 1 of the process. Not that I pesonally tried it - but had a cupboard ful of assorted soup at home
And don't forget the prospect of a weather scrub invariably caused a mad dash for the feeder - so get the forecast early and eat before planning.
Mister B
Tinned processed cheese was the best fishing bait ever in Borneo. Moulded over the hook it would be in the water for every bit of five seconds before some fish had it. After a time they used to jump out of the water for the open tin just like the Hamlet adverts.
AA and Al R - I once helped organise a wine and cheese party (remember those?) in the mess at Kai Tak. All of the cheeses had little name tags, and many were curious about the cāmpeau, asking what area of France it came from.
A few finally tumbled!
A few finally tumbled!
According to the Catering Manager at RAF Brize Norton, rations will cease on Sept 01 2012 for flights of less than 5 hours.
Are they planning to build an Aircrew Feeder at Brize.....?? 'elf 'n safety or some other bluntness of the nanny-society stopped squadron tea bars flogging rat pies, so what other option will there now be?
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Shouldn't we be combining this with the 'UK Maritime Reqts A Secret' thread. My experience is that it was the maritime boys and girls who knew how to smuggle rations on board.....
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According to the Catering Manager at RAF Brize Norton, rations will cease on Sept 01 2012 for flights of less than 5 hours. This will also count if you aggregate two short flights together i.e. the ground time on a flag stop will not be counted as part of the hours. Get your wallets out AT crews you need to buy yourself some food.
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Would it not make sense to simply carry on providing meals if requested but bill for them as in the US?
see
The unofficial box nasty hall of shame
thought this one was excellent LOL
http://www.choxnpinz.com/141starlift...ties/lemo.html
Some one must have been having a war somewhere 
see
The unofficial box nasty hall of shame
thought this one was excellent LOL
http://www.choxnpinz.com/141starlift...ties/lemo.html
Not exactly as advertised, but after talking with Tom, I understand why. It seems Moron has boxes on back-order for the last 3-months, and supplies are hard to come by so they do what they can. Their flight meal orders went from 18 meals in Nov 2002 to 6410 in Jan 2003. Ground meals in Nov 02 were 2000 meals, in Jan 03 it jumped to 27000 with no additional manning authorized to build them all.
As our loadmaster said, "When the meals are brought out in a garbage bag, you should take that as a sign".
