Piano Burning
 

Can anyone help me out, i am trying to find out why we burn pianos at dining in/out nights and in the memory of our fallen friends.
I have recently been involved in a few at Isk and would like to know the reasons behind it.
Many thanks in advance.

Because its a bloody good grin!! Why else?

yeh fair one legalapproach. just wondering if there was anything deeper to it.

Be patient, one of the PPRuNe Military Aircrew senior management will be with you shortly. Especially as you've been doing it for the correct reason.

During the war.....

Having been there when many a piano has been burnt, I can vouch for the "Bl00dy good grin" reason, but I went hunting on t'internet and found this......

http://www.vanceairscoop.com/story.p...4b89c356c75a9b

Bapty, are you out there? If so explain to the chaps will you.

I was told that it stems from the Battle of Britain. If the guy that normally played the mess piano didn't return from flying duties that day they would burn 'his' piano as a sign of respect.
Of course the old codger that told me that could have just been making up an excuse to burn our piano after a BoB dinner. It would have been rude not to help them though ;)

It isn't just pilots who burn pianos.
"The Chalet Club" (NAAFI) at Changi was a three story building with the Sports Store occupying the ground floor. The Pig's Bar (Fans) and Smoothies Bar (Air-Con) were located on the top floor. The staircase ran straight across the front of the building, meaning you could see all the way up as you ascended. There was a landing on the second floor, half way up. Ascending the stairs one pay night, I was half way up the first flight when a blazing piano appeared at the top landing, courtesy of 205 Sqn Male Voice Choir, and began the descent. I ran up the rest of the first flight and just made it into the safety of the second floor doorway as the blazing piano passed by on its journey to the sports store.

Two months later a new piano was installed in the Pig's Bar, safely ensconced in a protective cage with two holes provided for the driver to put his arms through, and a cut out below for access to the accelerator and brake pedals. (Some wag later used the holes to paint it pink.)

I think it stems from a primeval need to congregate around a camp fire and re-affirm the tribal bonds. But I'm sure Cro-magnon man didn't have blunties to bait.

Anyone at Cranditz 1986 remember the fake burner? 57(??) Cse swapped the v. expensive real one for a ringer which was dragged out as a burner. CFI - Mike Cross(??) seen throwing studes off it only to be panned by one of them. PMar - god bless him - still got a tune out of it as it got thunderflashed.

Strange it seemed funnier then.

Re: Dunhovrin

About the same era, the CFI's Mini (Green, yellow stripe) replaced by scrap one and burnt outside THOM one Dining In. He was pretty upset and it's still funny!

On another note, at least it was on a Friday; last week went to DIN at Cranditz on a Thursday - it's not the same!

I agree with the tribal campfire theory. However theres a combined analogy with the concept that if you have to ask the price of a Rolls Royce you can't afford it...and the oft quoted words of Sir Edmind Hilary. Theres nothing complex to it, its a lark.

Funniest sight was when one eventually set fire to the newly laid tarmac at Aldergrove.

A Royal Marine passing through a RAF base once told the Groupie/PMC the morning after he would like his residual Viking genes to be taken into consideration before the punishment was decided !

Didn't Bader buy a piano for a Mess which was then wheeled blazing out of a first floor window as he wasn't an all too popular chap with those who misunderstood him? Did that start the tradition or follow it?

Seem to remember reading it somewhere.

Ray

'High jinks' or 'criminal damage', I guess it depends which mess you reside in.:rolleyes:

I believe the mess at Locking went through a few pianos.

Never get stupid and waste Highland Park
Tesco "value vodka" at £6.39 a bottle, is a pretty reliable starter, plus the odd peice of mess kit and ladies underwear to promote the flames

Aaah...happy memories....Heinz skin burns and redhot nail marks on the soles of the feet.....anyone remember CXX's very own hot-piano-coal walker? nee-naw-nee-naw!!!!

Dunovrin',

I remeber the fake burner at Cranditz, but I also remeber the bill for the carpet as well! As it was being pushed across the mess foyer to the car park, one of the wheels came off and the corner of the piano gouged a huge furrow in the carpet.

I also remeber that when the fire brigade came to put out the fake car burner, one of us (name withheld to protect the innocent) got into a punch up with a fireman who wanted to put it out but couldn't due to the number of pilots standing on his hose!

Aaah, happy days. But wasn't THOM a cr@p Officer's Mess. Bluntie baiting was the only real amusement.

Trenchard Hall OM was known as the 'Congo Hilton' when I was a Flt Cdt.

Dreadful 1960s straight line box with no atmosphere. To make it worse, it was full of spanner-w**kers!

Perhaps some truth? Why pilots torch pianos at club by Lt. Col. Miles Crowell...

Piano Burning
 

Was involved a couple of times with a certain Jag Sqn out of Norfolkshire who had a habit of shipping an upright piano each time they went on a det. Piano was for burning at the det farewell party. The first encounter was when I noticed the piano on a pallet ready for loading. Slightly puzzled, I checked the load manifest -no piano listed. Discussed with the movers & sqn rep and advised that if not on the manifest, it doesn't go on the aircraft. := Left them to get on with the loading. Had a final check down the back prior to pax loading, no piano listed on the manifest and no sight of a piano in the freight load.

On taxiing out after off-load at the destination, was somewhat surprised to see one upright piano being wheeled into Jag sqn det hangar.... Ba$$tards..., how did they manage that?:ugh:

Anyway, about a year later in support of the same sqn on another det. This time, I spoke with the movers who were accompanying us to make sure that no pianos were "smuggled" aboard. On arrival at said sqn airfield dispersal, all freight was laid out ready for the movers to inspect prior to loading. Keen to try and spot any disguised piano - it was a matter of pride now, I walked round with the mover team leader, and we agreed that given the amount of kit being presented, there was no way any piano could be included in the load. :O Happy with this I wandered off and let them get on with the loading. On returning the loading was almost complete, and mover team leader was adamant that there was no piano on board. All that remained to load was some baggage, and that would be loaded on the ramp. Happy with that, I left the movers to complete the paperwork.

Arriving at our destination, we had a night stop, so did not see the off-load. However, next morning prior to departing, I was in the sqn det hangar and spotted THE PIANO! :D Hats off to them...., they had done it again!

Suspect that they had dismantled the piano and shipped in pieces in the various boxes and containers, then re-assembled. Either that, or they hide it under the crew bags that were presented on a ready to load weighed and netted pallet, rather than the usual loose bag loads for stacking on the ramp.

Interested to hear if any PPruners were involved in moving sqn pianos on other dets.

The last (and final ???) catapault launch in the RN was the Wardroom
piano in Dec 78 off Gibraltar from the 'Old Ark' after the fixed wing had departed; twas borrowed a few years previously from the light blue I believe.