Zaps
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Which squadron???
This thread has reminded me of an occasion at Leuchars in the late '80's.
We are on a long (2month) det while Lossie's runway is resurfaced. Friday evening this young USAFE Lt strolls in and asks if we have any yellow paint, a brush, and a ladder. 8 Sqn always happy to oblige supplies the goods.
Monday mid morning, a red faced and unamused USAFE Major storms in demanding to know which &@?%#$ has painted HIS F15 with another squadron's colours, particularly wheel hubs and fin flash...in rather gourish and distinctive yellow, complete with drips everywhere, and I really do mean everywhere. He followed the trail to our door. It had arrived early on Friday in blue. We then realised that a certain young Lt in the other yellow tipped jet had departed much earlier that morning. Despite the Major's protestations, we were unable to help him in any way...probably because we were too busy chuckling.
Camlobe
We are on a long (2month) det while Lossie's runway is resurfaced. Friday evening this young USAFE Lt strolls in and asks if we have any yellow paint, a brush, and a ladder. 8 Sqn always happy to oblige supplies the goods.
Monday mid morning, a red faced and unamused USAFE Major storms in demanding to know which &@?%#$ has painted HIS F15 with another squadron's colours, particularly wheel hubs and fin flash...in rather gourish and distinctive yellow, complete with drips everywhere, and I really do mean everywhere. He followed the trail to our door. It had arrived early on Friday in blue. We then realised that a certain young Lt in the other yellow tipped jet had departed much earlier that morning. Despite the Major's protestations, we were unable to help him in any way...probably because we were too busy chuckling.
Camlobe
Total drift, with the actual 'zap' being the only link...
1984 Austrian Grand Prix, 2x 230 Sqn Pumas on a jolly, er, I mean, doing support work for the Reds.
Now the sqn zap at the time was a gold (yellow) tiger's head motif on a black, square background- a close match for the JPS colour scheme Nigel Mansell was driving. When asked, he was only too happy to run the race wearing the zap just behind the cockpit. He seemed a very vice, genuine fella.
Wasn't his day, he failed to finish! Lauda won the race.
CG
1984 Austrian Grand Prix, 2x 230 Sqn Pumas on a jolly, er, I mean, doing support work for the Reds.
Now the sqn zap at the time was a gold (yellow) tiger's head motif on a black, square background- a close match for the JPS colour scheme Nigel Mansell was driving. When asked, he was only too happy to run the race wearing the zap just behind the cockpit. He seemed a very vice, genuine fella.
Wasn't his day, he failed to finish! Lauda won the race.
CG
Met NM at a Reds End of season guest Night - good driver but not the world's best conversationalist. David Jason, on the other hand, and at the same function, had us all in stitches, just being himself
I expect I have recounted this but what the heck.
A French Exchange squadron ?Mysteres? zapped a complete base: RAF Gutersloh, with a stencil and white paint. SHQ, Mess, Sgts Mess, Sick Quarters .......
Priapic winged wedding tackle zaps everywhere. SWO apoplectic.
Met. office window shutter had the treatment but we whipped it off and hid it behind a cupboard. This, and the cupboard itself, with original Luftwaffe stencils and ID numbers was our pride and joy.
A French Exchange squadron ?Mysteres? zapped a complete base: RAF Gutersloh, with a stencil and white paint. SHQ, Mess, Sgts Mess, Sick Quarters .......
Priapic winged wedding tackle zaps everywhere. SWO apoplectic.
Met. office window shutter had the treatment but we whipped it off and hid it behind a cupboard. This, and the cupboard itself, with original Luftwaffe stencils and ID numbers was our pride and joy.
Some groundcrew at Goose Bay once thought that it would be a merry wheeze to zap some Hercules which was night-stopping....
Unfortunately it was carrying a 'special cargo' back to the UK from the err....desert of New Mexico....
I understand that their OC had rather a one-sided chat with certain rather humourless gentlemen in dark suits shortly afterwards....
Unfortunately it was carrying a 'special cargo' back to the UK from the err....desert of New Mexico....
I understand that their OC had rather a one-sided chat with certain rather humourless gentlemen in dark suits shortly afterwards....
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Zaps
Zaps - I am a Volunteer at the RAF Museum London. On a number of our aircraft (e.g. Tornado and Buccaneer) there are zaps (stickers of other units) hidden away in the undercarriage bays etc. Plus some graffiti. I am writing a short Blog for the Museum on this subject and I am keen to learn more about the subject :-
- what is the history of zaps?
- why are zaps so popular?
- when are they used and by whom?
- does anyone have any interesting, or amusing anecdotes on the subject of zaps?
Grateful for any info!
Cheers
- what is the history of zaps?
- why are zaps so popular?
- when are they used and by whom?
- does anyone have any interesting, or amusing anecdotes on the subject of zaps?
Grateful for any info!
Cheers
See following link for a rather special zap on RAF Tornado GR1, serial ZA474.
Time when Tornado made emergency landing at Tonopah
Time when Tornado made emergency landing at Tonopah
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Back in 1986(?), there was a Nimrod Meet at Kinloss, and as well as hosting the MR2 and the R1, the Nimrod AEW3 Trials Team sent an AEW3 for the weekend (any excuse for a jolly). Overnight, a large white elephant stencil was painted on the Nimrod's rear door. GEC/Marconi were not happy, and the AEW3 was forbidden from any more such detachments.
As in the photo, the RAAF were in the habit of putting kangaroo zaps on everything. 205 Squadron (Shackletons , Changi) had a stencil of a ball and chain, which was added to all the kangaroos.
When I was on 230 OCU at RAF Scampton 1970/71, I made Snoopy zaps out of dayglo and they ended up in quite a few places, some had details painted on them, it passed the time.
Difficult to beat the winged todger and knackers that appeared all over RAF Gutersloh c. 1968 when a visiting French fighter squadron departed. They were spray-painted on stencils. The SWO man went berserk of course, and he had them disappeared before the last fighter was in the air.
BUT the one on the Met Office [ground floor of the tower] survived because it was on a window shutter. I was on morning shift, had the shutter whipped off and had it hidden.
A good few years later when I was the inspecting officer it still survived.
I wonder.
BUT the one on the Met Office [ground floor of the tower] survived because it was on a window shutter. I was on morning shift, had the shutter whipped off and had it hidden.
A good few years later when I was the inspecting officer it still survived.
I wonder.
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I do remember a time when you couldn't go anywhere in the UK (and probably further) without seeing a dayglo train stuck on roadsigns, pub bars and even the odd chimney.
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Back in WW2, the troops of the 51st Highland Division left their HD monica on everything that they could - so much so that they were known as 51st HD (Highway Decorators) Division.
Early days of The Lightning;
56 Sqn, large red and white chequers on the fin, gained a few chess pieces during a European visit.
23 Sqn 2xF6 with overwings, tanked non-stop to Toronto airshow. Gained 'Air Canada' logos; photos on web somewhere.
56 Sqn, large red and white chequers on the fin, gained a few chess pieces during a European visit.
23 Sqn 2xF6 with overwings, tanked non-stop to Toronto airshow. Gained 'Air Canada' logos; photos on web somewhere.
I was given a "combat proven" sticker by the Roland missile team at Farnborough in the early 80s after a discussion about the success of their kit down south. It was applied to the fin of my Sea Harrier!
Mog
Mog