Nicknames
Gentleman Aviator
A boastful guy who would always top your stories was called “Seven Toes”.
The logic was that if you said you had six toes, he’d have seven.
The logic was that if you said you had six toes, he’d have seven.
Back in the days of dinosaurs - the late60s/early 70s we had a nav on 30 known as Vick 'cos he got 'right up your nose'.
Last edited by Brian 48nav; 23rd Jun 2021 at 09:51. Reason: spelling
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We had a Polish Master Nav (came to UK in 1940) on Meteor 12/14's in the 1950's who was known as "XYZ" as no one could pronounce his name. Great guy with a liking for Polish Spirit who would often have a flask with him on night flying. One night following a PI over the Western Channel close to France and above cloud the pilot asked for a steer but the only response was snoring from the back seat. Following a bit of violent flying and still no response from what was now a passenger in the back seat the pilot checked fuel states and called an emergency. Duly the French ATC came up and gave him a steer to one of their bases where they landed safely. I don't remember what the final outcome was but I seem to remember "XYZ" somehow talked his way out of it following a rather difficult conversation with the Boss.
Those were the days!
Those were the days!
Gulf Aviation/Gulf Air had a Captain known to all as Fingers to acknowledge his jumbo sausage-sized digits.......he was a whizz with the DC3 and F27, but found the BAC 1-11 a challenge. I don't remember if he ever transferred to the B737-200.
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When I joined the LTF at Binbrook, there were two of us on the course. The Squadron boss who had a dubious sense of humour, for some reason, named us Scunge and Bucket! Luckily they did not stick after we left the LTF!
There was the fellow known as "The Black Sardine"....who when heard said in the Crew Room one morning that he had fallen from his roof and injured himself.....the voice from behind a newspaper quipped...."Nothing Minor I hope!".
The erstwhile Group Captain at 2 FTS whose surname was the same as the maiden name of the next Queen was universally known as 'Pippa'. Apparently he hated it, which merely ensured its wider promulgation.
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A long-time colleague of mine (4 tours together) called Richard objected strongly to being called Dick It became such an issue that the Stn Cdr had, reportedly, referred to him as “Dick Richard”.
Ah! yes, Polish gentlemen from the war, at Topcliffe c, 1966 on Varsities.
****slinger and Smackyourarse.
Acknowledge by a third Polish colleague as a very good approximation to pronunciation.
****slinger and Smackyourarse.
Acknowledge by a third Polish colleague as a very good approximation to pronunciation.
Away from aircrew, the Headmaster of Guildford Royal Grammar School [this is hearsay, I may have the wrong school] was caller Noel.
Mr Fluck, of course.
Mr Fluck, of course.
The chemistry teacher at my (boys only)secondary school was a short, plump, rather shy, self-effacing chap called Mr Grocock. Yes, really. "Mighty Mouse" was one of the kinder nicknames for him.
Arguably he was in the wrong profession; he committed suicide one night in the lab.
Arguably he was in the wrong profession; he committed suicide one night in the lab.