Op Deny Summer holiday
Assuming that the targets are indeed a threat....
Nena*'s protest song was originally about a nuclear war triggered by East German air defence software detecting 99 toy ballons as hostile aircraft....
One hopes that the spooks have considered this 'threat' to the 'games'?
*who, now a 51 year old grandmother, is still sounding (and looking) pretty good!
You and I in a little toy shop
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got.
Set them free at the break of dawn
'Til one by one, they were gone.
Back at base, bugs in the software
Flash the message, Something's out there.
Floating in the summer sky.
99 red balloons go by.
99 red balloons.
floating in the summer sky.
Panic bells, it's red alert.
There's something here from somewhere else.
The war machine springs to life.
Opens up one eager eye.
Focusing it on the sky.
Where 99 red balloons go by.
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got.
Set them free at the break of dawn
'Til one by one, they were gone.
Back at base, bugs in the software
Flash the message, Something's out there.
Floating in the summer sky.
99 red balloons go by.
99 red balloons.
floating in the summer sky.
Panic bells, it's red alert.
There's something here from somewhere else.
The war machine springs to life.
Opens up one eager eye.
Focusing it on the sky.
Where 99 red balloons go by.
One hopes that the spooks have considered this 'threat' to the 'games'?
*who, now a 51 year old grandmother, is still sounding (and looking) pretty good!
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Great song it was too, never knew the back ground to it so thanks for the triva, you just know it will be a quiz question one day ..
Last edited by Blue Bottle; 1st Mar 2012 at 12:38.
Gentleman Aviator
*who, now a 51 year old grandmother, is still sounding (and looking) pretty good!
.... no - hang on - she certainly isn't
still sounding (and looking) pretty good!
Proof positive
For those who would doubt the considered opinion of a couple of old ex-air defence Düsenjagdflugzeugpiloten, here's proof positive:
Last edited by BEagle; 1st Mar 2012 at 15:00.
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I wonder why it became "red" balloons in the English version when it was "Luftballons" in the original German?
Impressive to note from the German lyrics that the controlling general had a squadron of 99 fighters at hand to launch against the balloons (even if they did only hose down the horizon...)
But you're right, Nena's looking in pretty good shape.
Mister B
Impressive to note from the German lyrics that the controlling general had a squadron of 99 fighters at hand to launch against the balloons (even if they did only hose down the horizon...)
But you're right, Nena's looking in pretty good shape.
Mister B
wonder why it became "red" balloons in the English version when it was "Luftballons" in the original German?
Anyway, more importantly, Nena ... mmmmmmmmmm.
Today in the skys over the sunny yorkshire wolds there was a Typhoon with a v high angle of attack trying (and failing) to keep parallel with a single engined civvy death plane. Maybe we should get the BBMF re-armed to defend the skys over our fair capitol city!
As a jockey of a SEP these days, I thought it somewhat fatuous (& insulting, given the balance of probabilities) for a 1 star (I think) to suggest on the Beeb news yesterday that the reason for keeping a Typhoon on CAP in the summer will be the untold havoc that could be wrought by a piece of 150hp powered aluminium or composite. Maybe it washed with the great unwashed, but it is insulting the intelligence of the GA fraternity.
BTW which Whitehall budget is paying for the reheat scrambles from EGWU?
BTW which Whitehall budget is paying for the reheat scrambles from EGWU?
I wonder why it became "red" balloons in the English version when it was "Luftballons" in the original German?
Anyway, I always prefered the original German to the English version; the young lady I was courting through my university days spent a year in Germany as part of her course, so I became thoroughly indoctrinated at every party into the German version of the track. Happy days.
Enjoy..............
I'd like to see a TypHoon trying to intercept a powered parachute emblazoned with 'Fathers for Justice' or somesuch...
Perhaps the spooks would merely order a 'scrambled' helicopter's sniper to kill the parachutist to avoid embarrassment to HMG....?
Last edited by BEagle; 1st Mar 2012 at 14:58.
Avoid imitations
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When I was serving there was no such time as 2400, so we reckoned that the 2 minutes between 2359 and 0001 were ours to do with as we wished.
He got off the charge because the time of the alleged incident was put down as 2400 hrs. Mind you, that was back in 1946.
Hmm, Nena.. remember her from my Germany tour. Nice armpits....
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Probably part of the usual cold war anti-Soviet rhetoric that was all pervasive at the time
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Hmm, Nena.. remember her from my Germany tour. Nice armpits....
"I used to go out with a girl who was half English; half German. She only shaved under one armpit".