The ONE piece of kit..
 

.. the one, the ONLY one piece of kit you want (wanted) to leave with? And did you get away with it?

WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

Mine was a rather spiffing Seiko watch with lots of shiny dials on it and a compo tin opener (ok, thats two).

Does Dignity count?
I left it ages ago when I got a job photografing fat turists...

Great comeback! :)

I got issued one fair and square and seeing as I haven't worn one (or any other watch for that matter) for about 14 years, its a fair bet to say that, no.. I wouldn't be 'selling it on ebay' (how terribly gauche to do such a thing). That is, if I had one anyway, which of course, I don't. Seen below, a photographer's impression.

http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i2...Picture015.jpg

AI R - as we could work out who you were from your rather individualistic watchstrap, you may not be getting away with it as easily as you think...:=


SMT

Didn't everyone have Animal straps in the 90s? ;)

For general interest of course, I attach a link which may be of mild interest to all MoD Japanese wrist watch afficienados.

http://www.thewatchforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=9346

I got away with an 18'' Nav Plotter, but I don't use it as a rule.

Helmet, plain old GS Mk 6. No, I didn't get away with it.

Almost everything else though. Can't for the life of me work out why, but the de-kit storeman wanted my green plastic mug, and my helmet.

Everything else was mine. After 15 years' total service, blagging left right and centre, and all he wanted was a worthless used green plastic mug, and the ONLY thing I really wanted to keep, since it kept me safe. If only I had just paid the bill and kept it.

The specification for "Stop Watches 1992" is a riveting read

Got the helmet, g suit, leg restraints etc when they were written off by flying clothing. Seemed like a great idea at the time but apart from watching the odd 9 year old playing fighter pilot they just block up my wardrobe.

Ghostflyer:

Sell it to a fighter controller. The majority have the same mental age as a 9 year old and they would play with it more often.

Light blue touch-paper and retire to a safe distance.........:E

I've still got my pusser's Mk2A bone dome, and just about everything else from Flying Clothing store ;)

All except the string vests, which had to be returned, and the RAF blue boxer shorts, one pair missing which cost me £1.30 :rolleyes: I'm sure that they re-issued the one pair that I returned :p

never mind the stop-watch specs.

what a master stroke to link the permitted strap colours to the building paints colour charts.

I've still got a compo tin opener, and a pair of long johns issued to me in 1978 that were made in 1953. A compo tin opener is a great "what's this for" quiz item.

There was a time (Seiko) that I would have 'lost' my watch, but now that it has been replaced with a cheap Pulsar; when the day comes, they can have the lot back.

I in turn will rejoice at getting the ammount of garage space that is presently filled with crap that I cannot meanwhile return. Such as AR5, issued in 1987 and timex decades ago, but cannot be returned as nobody on my unit can 'service it' before the blunties will take it.

Aaah, the long johns. I lied of course, I have more than one item. I have (annoyingly) just the one puttee (still beautifully pressed), a ghillie suit (great for hide and seek), and a few other odds and ends.. :=. Who remembers 'FoFaD'? This ('F#ck off, fire at Donnington') was the answer you always used to get from the stackers in the early 80s whenever you went to Stores to get something. They should have come to me instead.

Ok, you mentioned quiz questions. What is the proper term for a compo sweet? In fact, don't waste valuable time fretting, I'll tell you. Its 'Confectionary/ General Service Issue/ Hard boiled/ Colour various/ Suck or chew'.

Isn't it just? While you're on that page, people who have read that have also enjoyed this:

http://www.dstan.mod.uk/

Hows this for a catchy strapline? Is not 'Achieving Interoperability Through Standardization Excellence' a right royal belter? Aside from their inability to standardise standardization with the rest of the MoD, I would have a little more confidence in them if they could at least standardise use of the fullstop on their home page.

- another from that era was "Falklands Air Bridge" - the standard reply from June 82 until the opening of MPA when any request for AT was submitted, particularly if it involved Albert.

The only item I handed in when I demobbed was my No2s. Since they'd lasted 18 years, with several tailorings, they weren't missed.

The storeman at Lisburn couldn't find any of my records. Probably because they were handed to me several years earlier. To be fair, the growbags had only sentimental value, and the two bonedomes only collect dust these days. The watch became a birthday gift for a mate, but the socks, both aircrew and G10 are still in use 11 years after leaving.

About time they were washed? :p

My flying boots, issued 1974, are still used for aviating :ok:

Very funny, John. The big surprise is that they've survived repeated boiling in the rig laundry.

On reflection, the biggest prof has to be a certified copy of my complete medical records, very handy when it came time to make a disability claim, as the originals had 'disappeared'.

My father's 'housewife,' I think that's the right term. Issued to him when he joined the RAF during the war (39-45) and in use by me on every posting since joining in early 70s albeit with newer contents. Still got a couple of years to go until we both retire (the housewife and I not my father and I - oh never mind).

Most useful - the superb comp can opener! Also some nearly new combat highs which they didn't want back.

Oldest - the astonishingly resilient 1968-issue black nylon socks which are still intact nearly 40 years later.

Still have the green plastic mug, mess tins - but proper BA cutlery to go with it as befits han hossifer!

Really miss the S10 gassie........NOT!!

.. respirator!! :=

My grandfather managed to keep the bullet that shot away his tongue in WW1. However he never spoke about the incident.

Mine is my bang seat - and yes.

"Who remembers 'FoFaD'? This ('F#ck off, fire at Donnington') was the answer you always used to get from the stackers in the early 80s whenever you went to Stores to get something. "

Gentlemen, if I may elaborate on that. Yes, the two (at least) fires at Donnington did queer the pitch a bit with a lot of the kit the Army were meant to provide, especially if you drove tanks. I suspect it was their rather quaint way of resolving stocktaking discrepancies...

There was, however, a one-man crime wave at a Hampshire helicopter base which had a devastating effect on the availability of flying clothing. The culprit was flogging all the good stuff in and around Odiham, Aldershot and at a stall at Blackbushe. He even kept a book of who bought what and when, which made for good reading at the Summary of Evidence. He got 3 and a half years for burglary but the impact of his deeds resounded for a long time afterwards, much to the frustration of our (legitimate) customers.

That must be why I had a couple of flying suits on order for over 2 years. When 'they' arrived it was one flying suit, wrong size, wrong mark, wrong colour. Still waiting for the reorder.

Still waiting since the 1980's??? Have you upset somebody?

Bit more recent than that, but I'm sure some jaffa cake bribery would have greased the wheels!

hmmm, dare I tell?
 

I will admit that there is a rumour, that I have not just loads of tin opener's, but also body armour, combat suits (several), webbing, helmet, respirator, lots of boot's. the list is endless (it's rumoured anyway)but there is an item that somebody took (supposedly) that beats any so far. I just checked on the G10 watch I seem to be wearing, and there is time to type this one out.
Once upon a time, a fox armoured reconnaissance vehicle broke down while on a training exercise, so it was towed to a military base, and left for collection by it's parent unit. Somehow the paperwork got mis-layed, so it just sat there for six months. A REME craftsman sussed it would just stay forever, and decided that would be a waste, so he took it home, where it is to this day. It's rumoured that it appears regularly at military shows. Now this is only a rumour of course. But it does look good now it's been repainted!.

Jaffa cakes?? Sorry, that's possibly the wrong currency...may I suggest changing to dealing in 'slabs'... that usually worked :ok:.

:D

Good effort. I salute you. I live near this lot;

http://www.witham-sv.com/Gallery/Gallery.htm

I do like the idea of this for 7.5 k.. a 1947 Meteor powered Centurian with low miles. Did they just forget about it do you think?

http://www.witham-sv.com/infopage.php?ID=361&Overide=1

I gave this the once over. Typical cheapo MoD spec. Naff Spax shocks on it.

http://www.witham-sv.com/infopage.php?ID=1089&Overide=1

Green Goddess sir? Even the Africans don't want 'em.

http://www.witham-sv.com/infopage.php?ID=372&Overide=1

I met an East German Engenering officer who walked off with most of JG9 including two Mig 23s, a Mig 21, a Mig 19 and a Mig 15. He hid them on the third floor of a powerstation he was 'looking after' - they now form a large part of the museum at Penemunde

Well done that man Mapes. I almost forgot. Prizing the cannon from this little honey, over the course of a month or two took a bit of an effort. Covertly dissmantling the local sim however, was totally beyond the two of us.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/CNV00025.jpg http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/CNV00027.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/CNV00018.jpg

Spotters will note the early model MiGG21 UTI* - Herr Proffer (EGAF) was good, but not that good
I know this because I was reading my recci books, rather than down the gym....;)

I sat in his court martial , as an "officer under instruction"! He had his own set of keys and was nicking huge amounts of stuff to order.

I got ripped off by the system regarding my watch. I lost a clockwork one I'd had for years during an NBC trial crashout "Scramble" and got charged for an all singing all dancing electric one, which I had to give back when I left.

The only useful thing I seemed to gain was my trusty chinagraph propelling pencil and a nearly full packet of the coveted brown wax refills. They will probably last me out until I retire, the pencil still works after nearly fourteen years. Much better than the watch, as it happens!

When I left I had to hand in the watch, it was an Omega then, couldn't keep anything, not even a pair of well worn 'gloves, cape leather'. The QM had a full list of everything and demanded every item back, miserable sod.
Have several compo tin openers though, and a stable belt!:E

' morning Mapes,

.. you're quite possibly right about the variant! But where and when were the fots taken :8;)? There are some obvious clues in there.. I'd be interested to see which ones you pick up on.

With regards to the kit, I forgot about my Belstaff biking gear. Rubbish in cold weather, but it'd keep you drier than a nun in a Libyan brickyard. Great for driving small open 2 seaters too if a squall seems likely.

An early start to the day in the garden if I'm to watch the GP later with a clear conscience. A pot of tea, doves cooing through the French windows, a Porkinsons butty, the onset of a cracking day, peace and quiet.. who could ask for anything more?

http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/CNV00030.jpghttp://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/CNV00028.jpghttp://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...CNV00047-1.jpg
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/CNV00050.jpghttp://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n...1/CNV00043.jpghttp://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n.../CNV00096a.jpg

The S10 has to be the thing to go for. It's far and away the best dust mask with built in eye protection you could ever want when you're DIY-ing. (scares my cats though)

trying to recoup some money from the SoA fiasco ??

http://www.witham-sv.com/Gallery/Exh...exibishion.htm

:ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh: