Author Seeking Accurate Information Regarding RAF Terminology
 

I am a medically retired US Marine that is working on a book, that has 2 important characters who are former F-35B pilots in the RAF.

Obviously, I am trying to portray these professionals in the most accurate light possible, and have some small questions that are honestly probably too unimportant to post here regarding basic terminology.

So, if anyone out there has experience with the model, and wouldn't mind talking shop with someone that knows absolutely nothing about the subject... please message me!

TScar
 

I honestly mean no offence but I would be amazed if any current F35B pilot will answer any questions via an internet forum.

BV

What level are you talking about?
”Three Greens*”, “Happy Hour” or detailed operating stuff?

* “Four Greens” for Harrier, IIRC ;)

Just remember 'good show', 'wizard prang' and 'tally ho!' and you won't go wrong.

Happy to help.:ok:

Writing a book on "former F35 pilots in the RAF".

Hard to imagine how one could write accurate shop talk and terminology on something that hasn't even happened yet...

It's fiction. He/she can write whatever he wants.

Give the guy a break! If it’s anything with Opsec implications, I’m sure our Jarhead friend would understand!

No offense taken brother, just 'casting the lines' so to speak. :ok:

I was looking more for basic verbiage for terms like 'mission'. Obviously American pilots refer to them as 'SORTIE's". I wasn't sure if it's different in the UK. Likewise for the term 'wingman'. And I was even curious if there is a nickname (derogatory or otherwise) for RAF Military Policemen?

Thanks! :ok:

Have they taken on the term “Bona mates”, or did that get scrapped with the last of the Harriers?

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3v9z74

meleagertoo does make a good point, but I'm trying to keep my eyes on the horizon in the realms of technology throughout the series, as I don't know how long it might take to be published.

Pro Tip for our new / Leatherneck friend: if you click on the 'Quote' button at the bottom right of the post you are replying to, it will allow you to reply to that particular post.

Many, many derogatory terms for RAF Police but 'Snowdrop' is a fairly safe one.

Unfortunately it is becoming more and more common to see exactly the same word used here in the UK. A decreasing number of us still use the correct word, which is "Sorties" ;) We call that the "grocer's apostrophe" here in the UK by the way- is there an American equivalent?

In a similar vein, do Americans differentiate between that, which and who when linking clauses?

To be clear, RAF Police are always just that and are referred to as Snowdrops and others. Military Police are the Royal Military Police from the Army, known politely as MPs or less so as Monkeys.

And RedCaps, of course. Due to the colour of their hats, IIRC. ;)

Snowdrops??? Always Snoops!!!!

TScar001

Mission means raid. Sortie the same, albeit of a more temporary nature. Still, I believe, in current use tho' others will no doubt correct me, are; 'bandits' and 'angels' equivalent to your 'bogy' and 'altitude'.

A few more general equivalents may be of help. I wouldn't venture to offer slang terms, because these go out of date very quickly and my info is well out of date. But here are a few more random general terms (US first)

Flight suit - flying suit
Base commander - station commander
Visor cap - SD cap
214th squadron - 214 squadron
Afterburner - reheat (but that may have changed since "my day")
Enlisted men - other ranks (or more commonly airmen in the case of the RAF)

There will be lots more which others can suggest, without having the specialised F35 experience you mention

Just wondering if you meant "grocers' " ?
:cool:

Officer's and their Ladies

SNCO's and their Wives

Airmen and their women

At Wyton in my day, we started calling them 'Spoons'.
They seemed very bemused at this and couldn't work out why.
One day one of the lads told them - and they were not happy when the realised that we had successfully taken the p1ss.

What about that fashionable new RAF term 'skillfade'?
:ugh:
And g-pants (US) are 'turning trousers'.

Haven't we all become so PC these days.....that the RAFP's more derogatory nickname (it's not that bad!) hasn't been mentioned yet!!

no longer Plods?

Fashionable new term my rear end!

'Skillfade' was an extant term as long ago as the 1980s!

To which one instantly adds:

O Club = Officers Mess
Base Housing = Married Quarters (is it now called Families Accommodation?)

... oh, there are dozens like that. The OP needs to send a shopping list of terminology to obtain translations!

From one post in another thread, never,never, never “kites” or “stood up”

If, when it formed, a squadron "stood up" (US style), can it be said to have "fallen over" (or "sat down again") on disbandment?

As opposed to 'stood down'?

I’ve fallen over at a few disbandments!

Formed, disbanded, reformed.

Exactly. Though some might say re-formed. When I were a lad, there were things called 'reform schools' for wayward youths.

Meanwhile, whatever happened to ops/operations, once part of the RAF's standard lexicon? Mission(s) now seems to be the preferred term.

Exactly. Though some might say re-formed.

Quite correct, although I have seen some squadrons that needed reforming.

Banned Phrases: The Aircrew Dictionary (of unacceptable cliche and overused phrases)
Try this,
I have just looked and the formatting was awful, but the info is still there.
It dates from 2001 and is VERY light hearted but may give you ideas

Message me
 

TScar, tried to message you, but your intray was stuffed full. Feel free to send me a message with your email address.

No, I was only think about one grocer ;)

Billetting -= does not exist
transportation = ​​​​MT
Commisary = nix
BX = nix
Touch and Go = Roller
Low and Go = Overshoot
Huge number of diffs name for same facilities really