Never heard of Tornado
I think that the average Flt Lt - of any Branch - has a pretty good idea of the other Services' kit - we are a lot more Joint (OK - read 'Army') these days and, again, most Flt Lts will have done a spell in Afghan (as the ill-educated seem to refer to Afghanistan) and will be familiar with a lot of 'Green' terminology and kit.
I laughed at the IR Cylume story!
I laughed at the IR Cylume story!
"Cylumes". Interesting to see how they were adopted. I had some given to me for evaluation c.1983 -the optical variety, although then called "Cyalumes".
Also with IR "Nitesun", tales of soldiers looking up at Helos at night using the device. Optically invisible but still extremely damaging to the retina.(IIRC)
Also with IR "Nitesun", tales of soldiers looking up at Helos at night using the device. Optically invisible but still extremely damaging to the retina.(IIRC)
I love Septics, was in a hotel once and a yank couple were at the next table in the restaurant. Mrs yank, looking at the menu,said "What's caviar?" Her husband said "Thats whale eggs isn't it." Made I smile.
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Veering well off-topic......
Technically speaking that is the correct spelling, as that is the name of a company that makes them, but its often spelt without the 'a'.
......although then called "Cyalumes".
I imagine most US servicemen, of whatever persuasion, would have a good laugh at the RAF Gp Capt supplier who, in 1996, insisted on procuring Active Dipping Sonar spares for C130. Most 5 year olds come to think of it. It's ok, the money wasn't wasted. Once they'd picked themselves up off the floor, GEC-Marconi refused to quote.
Simply
Must say that despite having visited America on many occasions (and not just Nellis/Las Vegas!) I still have no idea what grits is.
Neither can I successfully order a breakfast in Denny's without at least one question from the waitress.
The locals must have a right old laugh at my expense.
But I have heard of a Tornado
Must say that despite having visited America on many occasions (and not just Nellis/Las Vegas!) I still have no idea what grits is.
Neither can I successfully order a breakfast in Denny's without at least one question from the waitress.
The locals must have a right old laugh at my expense.
But I have heard of a Tornado
This is far from unusual. Even during the height of the CW when European skies were full of Vulcans and Buccaneers many US aircrew, both in the US and Europe, had never heard of Buccs or Vulcans. However, I always take care not to stereotype Americans.
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I'm enjoying this thread - some good banter.
I am going to ask the first Flt Lt I see on Monday what the US Army's primary MBT is, what an Arleigh Burke is and what the USAF might do with a AGM-88?
I'll get back to you with the results.
I am going to ask the first Flt Lt I see on Monday what the US Army's primary MBT is, what an Arleigh Burke is and what the USAF might do with a AGM-88?
I'll get back to you with the results.
Wrath.....one may be excused for not knowing what caviar is perhaps.....but please, whale eggs? Imagine the size of the egg cup!
As for grits...that is the food of the Devil and a scone will always be a scone and a biscuit a biscuit.
We shouldn't accept this ignorance from our Colonial cousins, dash it all man, we INVENTED foreigners!
As for grits...that is the food of the Devil and a scone will always be a scone and a biscuit a biscuit.
We shouldn't accept this ignorance from our Colonial cousins, dash it all man, we INVENTED foreigners!
Wrathmonk wrote:
Ah, the joys of practical RTI training at the hands of those sweet little ladies who work in American breakfast establishments!
Top tips:
Think you've cracked it? Wrong - there'll always be something you've overlooked:
"Is that regular OJ, or large?"
Bug.ger!
Another gotcha is if you ask for sausage rather than bacon - "Would that be links or patties?"...
But the waitresses were always such a delight!
We once went into a steak-and-potatoes restaurant on our way back from a visit to Indianapolis, which has a well-known car race once a year; sadly there are 364 other days...as we'd discovered. One chap asked for some more butter for his baked potato.
"Would that be regular butter?", the little lovely asked.
"OK - I give in. What are the alternatives - low alcohol, unleaded, caffeine-free, lead-free or what?", I asked her.
"Regular or melted butter?", she giggled.
And another gem of information was added to our corporate knowledge of American restaurant interrogations. Which, to be fair, were always so friendly and fuss-free!
My first experience of such interrogations was in the late '70s during Vulcan trips to Offutt. At JB's, the waitress would query "French'talianthousan'islan'bluecheese" as one word when you said that you'd like a salad with your steak. "Nothing, thanks", tended to confuse her.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a more serious note, after a couple of F-15s couldn't tell the difference between a pair of Blackhawks and a pair of Hinds, with predictably and sadly tragic results, it was decided that aircraft recognition should feature during morning briefs at Incirlik.
For some unknown reason, the Cousins decided to hold these wretched briefs about 5 hours before 'compress' missions. Which, predictably, went down rather poorly with the RAF crews. One day - or rather bŁoody early morning, we'd endured a pointless 'same as before' brief which stopped just short of 'Padre, some words for our brave boys'. Up jumped some REMF keen to run his recce slides....the first of which was an F-15C.
"Hind, Hind - waste the motherfarqhar - oorah!" called some irritated Brit.
The briefing then ended. The RAF DetCo told us not to take the pi$$ out of the Spams - "No problems, Boss, they do it well enough themselves!" came the reply.
Neither can I successfully order a breakfast in Denny's without at least one question from the waitress.
Top tips:
- Get your words in first! "Yes, it's a lovely day and we're ready to order!"
- "American breakfast please, 2 eggs over easy, bacon, hash browns and rye toast with regular butter. Non-decaff. coffee, OJ and seperate cheques please.
Think you've cracked it? Wrong - there'll always be something you've overlooked:
"Is that regular OJ, or large?"
Bug.ger!
Another gotcha is if you ask for sausage rather than bacon - "Would that be links or patties?"...
But the waitresses were always such a delight!
We once went into a steak-and-potatoes restaurant on our way back from a visit to Indianapolis, which has a well-known car race once a year; sadly there are 364 other days...as we'd discovered. One chap asked for some more butter for his baked potato.
"Would that be regular butter?", the little lovely asked.
"OK - I give in. What are the alternatives - low alcohol, unleaded, caffeine-free, lead-free or what?", I asked her.
"Regular or melted butter?", she giggled.
And another gem of information was added to our corporate knowledge of American restaurant interrogations. Which, to be fair, were always so friendly and fuss-free!
My first experience of such interrogations was in the late '70s during Vulcan trips to Offutt. At JB's, the waitress would query "French'talianthousan'islan'bluecheese" as one word when you said that you'd like a salad with your steak. "Nothing, thanks", tended to confuse her.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a more serious note, after a couple of F-15s couldn't tell the difference between a pair of Blackhawks and a pair of Hinds, with predictably and sadly tragic results, it was decided that aircraft recognition should feature during morning briefs at Incirlik.
For some unknown reason, the Cousins decided to hold these wretched briefs about 5 hours before 'compress' missions. Which, predictably, went down rather poorly with the RAF crews. One day - or rather bŁoody early morning, we'd endured a pointless 'same as before' brief which stopped just short of 'Padre, some words for our brave boys'. Up jumped some REMF keen to run his recce slides....the first of which was an F-15C.
"Hind, Hind - waste the motherfarqhar - oorah!" called some irritated Brit.
The briefing then ended. The RAF DetCo told us not to take the pi$$ out of the Spams - "No problems, Boss, they do it well enough themselves!" came the reply.
Last edited by BEagle; 7th Jun 2014 at 19:07.
orca wrote:
1. MBT? Presumably still the Abrams.
2. An Arleigh Burke? Probably some ship used to shoot down unarmed civilian airliners?
3. AGM-88? HARM explains its role rather better.
Checks? Oh dear, I think not!
I am going to ask the first Flt Lt I see on Monday what the US Army's primary MBT is, what an Arleigh Burke is and what the USAF might do with a AGM-88?
2. An Arleigh Burke? Probably some ship used to shoot down unarmed civilian airliners?
3. AGM-88? HARM explains its role rather better.
Checks? Oh dear, I think not!
2. An Arleigh Burke? Probably some ship used to shoot down unarmed civilian airliners?
Wherever you thought you were on military knowledge, you're not there anymore, might want to research before you hit the submit button.
Funny you mentioned AGM-88 - just after GW1 I had to explain to a USAF F-4 driver what an ALARM was - he had never heard of it. It happened that he was a F-4G WW driver from the 52TFW!
Neither could he see any use for the loiter mode.
I was convinced for a while he was taking the pi$$ but it gradually dawned on me that the backseater did the clever stuff he just drove.
Neither could he see any use for the loiter mode.
I was convinced for a while he was taking the pi$$ but it gradually dawned on me that the backseater did the clever stuff he just drove.
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Having worked for a company bade in the US mid west, who had never seen the sea close up, only from 30,000 ft.
Did not know what a tide was. But hey they knew a lot of other things.
Did not know what a tide was. But hey they knew a lot of other things.
Last edited by Exnomad; 7th Jun 2014 at 20:13. Reason: spelling
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Speaking as a retired bleep (and therefore know sod all about artillery), even I know that FH70 was retired by the RA over 10 years ago! The FH70 is as relevant to the RA as the Jaguar is to the RAF today.
Since most military weapon systems are operated by NCOs rather than officers, it's a bit worrying if the officers can't get it right. No wonder there are blue on blues. One might thank God that nukes are/were under officer control, but I'm not so sure about that.
Still, in a world where a (RAF) Phantom could splash a (RAF) Jag over Germany (with entirely officer crew), target recognition was the least of the worries if the procedures were so dangerously lax.
Since most military weapon systems are operated by NCOs rather than officers, it's a bit worrying if the officers can't get it right. No wonder there are blue on blues. One might thank God that nukes are/were under officer control, but I'm not so sure about that.
Still, in a world where a (RAF) Phantom could splash a (RAF) Jag over Germany (with entirely officer crew), target recognition was the least of the worries if the procedures were so dangerously lax.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Did not know what a tide was.