Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Military Aviation
Reload this Page >

TOP GUN : Inside the RAF (where did it go?)

Wikiposts
Search
Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

TOP GUN : Inside the RAF (where did it go?)

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 30th Aug 2023, 05:52
  #61 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: where-ever nav's chooses....
Posts: 834
Received 46 Likes on 26 Posts
Noting the SWO had either a QCVS, MiD or QCB on his HERRICK medal ribbon.
alfred_the_great is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 10:08
  #62 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,037
Received 2,911 Likes on 1,247 Posts
What was with all the AC's or what ever they are called now at Lossie, did they import them in for the parade from basic training?

First ever meeting with a Swo was at Odi arriving as a new LAC, knocked on the hatch of the guardroom and an elderly gent answered and asked me If I knew anything about tomatoes as he was having problems with his in the greenhouse around the back..he invited me in and made me a coffee.. That was the SWO then, ever such a nice person.
NutLoose is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 10:12
  #63 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,037
Received 2,911 Likes on 1,247 Posts
Originally Posted by minigundiplomat
volleyball player = fireman

Walk around any fire section and there is a volleyball net.
We used to call them the boys from Trumpton "Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub"
NutLoose is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 10:39
  #64 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Elgin
Posts: 126
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by 212man
well, there were two obvious routes - the pipes or the lead (as in lead tipped rounds).
As mentioned PB = Lead, by extension = Plumbers

At least that is why Plumbers that fix your pipes and toilets etc are called that (not that lead is used today)
spanners123 is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 11:00
  #65 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,037
Received 2,911 Likes on 1,247 Posts
Plus you screw a length of tube into a fitting... machine gun barrels
NutLoose is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 11:26
  #66 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Berkshire, UK
Posts: 188
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
SWO

Nutloose
That wouldn't have been in the early 1970s, I presume? The fearsome Bogbrush of Cranwell repute, Jack Holt reigned in ODI then.
I have memory of Mr Holt in action. He was riding in the Station Commander's (we didn't refer to him as "Staish" in my day, nor did we drink beer out of the bottle!) car with the SC pennant flying proudly from the bonnet, when they drove past a usually scruffy Flying Officer (but top of the range helicopter pilot) shambling in the opposite direction. There was no salute from the USFO, and the car was brought to a rapid standstill. Mr Holt exited, and called the USFO to heel. Was he not aware of the SC's pennant, and the obligation to recognise it with a salute? The USFO acknowledged that he had missed that, and waved to the SC in his car with a "Hi there" salutation. Result, USFO had a week of extra Orderly Officer duties.



/one, notably casual officer (but excellent Helicopter pilot)

Wwyvern is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 11:43
  #67 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,037
Received 2,911 Likes on 1,247 Posts
Originally Posted by Wwyvern
Nutloose
That wouldn't have been in the early 1970s, I presume? The fearsome Bogbrush of Cranwell repute, Jack Holt reigned in ODI then.
I have memory of Mr Holt in action. He was riding in the Station Commander's (we didn't refer to him as "Staish" in my day, nor did we drink beer out of the bottle!) car with the SC pennant flying proudly from the bonnet, when they drove past a usually scruffy Flying Officer (but top of the range helicopter pilot) shambling in the opposite direction. There was no salute from the USFO, and the car was brought to a rapid standstill. Mr Holt exited, and called the USFO to heel. Was he not aware of the SC's pennant, and the obligation to recognise it with a salute? The USFO acknowledged that he had missed that, and waved to the SC in his car with a "Hi there" salutation. Result, USFO had a week of extra Orderly Officer duties.



/one, notably casual officer (but excellent Helicopter pilot)
Twas 76 and he was ex aircrew at the time, lovely gent. When Jack Holt arrived he charged me for failing to stop at the barrier... a Ł5 fine dished out by our flight commander that also used to ride through the gap in the barrier really pissed him off.

Glad to see you had some decorum and used a straw in the said beer bottle...
NutLoose is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 15:00
  #68 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Up Narf
Posts: 434
Received 137 Likes on 68 Posts
[QUOTE=alfred_the_great;11493963]Noting the SWO had either a QCVS, MiD or QCB on his HERRICK medal [QUOTE]

QCVS is the leaf I think.
Diff Tail Shim is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 15:12
  #69 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jul 2022
Location: Up Narf
Posts: 434
Received 137 Likes on 68 Posts
Originally Posted by NutLoose
We used to call them the boys from Trumpton "Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble and Grub"
Another nickname. Just been chatting to one of our new FOs whom was a crewman on a Wokka until recently. "What ground trade has the nick name of Volleyballers? " Fireman.." So not just me.
Diff Tail Shim is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 15:22
  #70 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Not far enough south of Cambridge
Age: 80
Posts: 208
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Me thinks it is mentioned in dispatches (where is TTN when you want him)
cliver029 is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 15:34
  #71 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,037
Received 2,911 Likes on 1,247 Posts
An oak leaf is MID

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentioned_in_dispatches

QCVS

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...8-a53f010a21f6

NutLoose is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 16:24
  #72 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Wallingford
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Because they deal in tubes eg gun barrels
racingrigger is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 17:09
  #73 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 366
Received 161 Likes on 50 Posts
From The Magnificent Seven?

Vin (Steve McQueen): "We deal in lead, Friend".
DuncanDoenitz is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 17:32
  #74 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Nevada, USA
Posts: 1,609
Received 43 Likes on 30 Posts
Armourers - "Plumbers": a lot of their work in WWII involved maintenance of hydraulics that drove the gun turrets on bombers

Last edited by RAFEngO74to09; 31st Aug 2023 at 17:28.
RAFEngO74to09 is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 21:12
  #75 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Cambs
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 2 Posts
Originally Posted by RAFEngO74to09
Armourers - "Plumbers": a lot of their work in WWI involved maintenance of hydraulics that drove the gun turrets on bombers
If memory serves it was Armourer (Guns) which included turrets and Armourer (Bombs) which included all the components. Unsure when those trades were united to become Armourers.
Slow Biker is offline  
Old 30th Aug 2023, 21:50
  #76 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Baston
Posts: 3,287
Received 715 Likes on 252 Posts
Originally Posted by RAFEngO74to09
Armourers - "Plumbers": a lot of their work in WWI involved maintenance of hydraulics that drove the gun turrets on bombers
Wrong war
langleybaston is offline  
Old 31st Aug 2023, 10:42
  #77 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Portsmouth
Posts: 529
Received 171 Likes on 92 Posts
Tales of a Gun Plumber (rcaf.museum)

Nowt to do with piping apparently......
Not_a_boffin is offline  
Old 31st Aug 2023, 13:18
  #78 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,037
Received 2,911 Likes on 1,247 Posts
Originally Posted by Wwyvern
Nutloose
That wouldn't have been in the early 1970s, I presume? The fearsome Bogbrush of Cranwell repute, Jack Holt reigned in ODI then.
I have memory of Mr Holt in action. He was riding in the Station Commander's (we didn't refer to him as "Staish" in my day, nor did we drink beer out of the bottle!) car with the SC pennant flying proudly from the bonnet, when they drove past a usually scruffy Flying Officer (but top of the range helicopter pilot) shambling in the opposite direction. There was no salute from the USFO, and the car was brought to a rapid standstill. Mr Holt exited, and called the USFO to heel. Was he not aware of the SC's pennant, and the obligation to recognise it with a salute? The USFO acknowledged that he had missed that, and waved to the SC in his car with a "Hi there" salutation. Result, USFO had a week of extra Orderly Officer duties.



/one, notably casual officer (but excellent Helicopter pilot)

Said Station Commander's wife driving his car with the pennant on stopped to berate some airman for not saluting her... complaint was made, pennant was removed and said wife was never seen driving it again.
NutLoose is offline  
The following users liked this post:
Old 31st Aug 2023, 15:00
  #79 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Threshold 06
Posts: 576
Received 25 Likes on 16 Posts
Cool

Originally Posted by superplum
Yes, but you sat alongside, or on top of, the ground support eqpt being freighted to B'Foss. I once went to Saudi for the day (!) by Herc, those who used their sleeping bags on the floor found them frozen tight to the ac when woken.
ahah! The trials and tribulations of Fat Albert airways!.

3 days to get from Laughin Laarbruch to Naughty Nellis, but it was fun when we got there….
oldmansquipper is offline  
Old 31st Aug 2023, 15:04
  #80 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: where-ever nav's chooses....
Posts: 834
Received 46 Likes on 26 Posts
Alexa, show me why active duty personnel rarely post on pprune…
alfred_the_great is offline  
The following 2 users liked this post by alfred_the_great:


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.