Another Lossie piano story from '83 or '84. After a prolonged fund raising effort, the Theatre Club received additional SIF funding (about £5K) to buy a new piano suitable for our fine musical productions on the proviso that the old piano, which had been valued at £1,500, was given to the Officers' Mess. Needless to say, a very nice piano was torched by one of the Bucc Sqns within a couple of weeks. Shortly afterwards, the Theatre Club secretary received a phone call from the Mess Ents member who also happened to be on the same Bucc Sqn. Could the secretary open up the Theatre Club for him as the Officers' Mess needed a piano for a forthcoming Burns Night (sic) and his Wing Commander told him that the Theatre Club had one? He went on to say that there was no problem about transportation as he had already organised a 4 Tonner to take said piano to the Mess.

He was most put out by the refusal - especially when told the values of both the new piano and of the instrument that had been torched just a couple of weeks before. I believe that in the end, the mess hired an instrument with an enormous insurance premium.

There was always 29(F)s leaving bash in the mid 80s at Coningsby - awesome, unforgettable night. The Mail on Sunday were a pain the following Saturday sniffing around for their greasy rag when I happened to be the SDO!!

Those were the days!

When CFS was at Scampton, naturally, the Piano was a burner. The Course that did it was subsequently informed that it was a priceless heirloom presented by Guy Gibson's widow and they had better make good very soon. So a very nice expensive repalcement was purchased at great personal expense.

Naturally, three courses later...........

Right, Mrs Flash has released the target. If anyone wants to organise a weapons comp, I have a upright piano of indeterminate vintage and serviceability that has DMPI written all over it. (Well it hasn't, yet, but I can get busy with a spray can). Anyway, it's avbl for any Mil aviation charity fund raising effort. Inner Moray Firth, free to a good home (on the Tain range), user collects. It might get in the back of a Landrover, definately a van or LDV. Please PM me if interested.

Been involved in a number of events, where we have scrounged the local area for a burner for the Mess. Then at the appointed hour set fire to it. All good fun.

But.

Can any one shed any light as to why and how this custom came about? Yes I know our brown and dark blue brethren will claim we light blue have not been around long enough for tradition, we only have bad habits, but it is a serious question. Did the RAF "invent" this, or adapt it from the Army, Royal Navy or from else where?

Didn't RAF Lossiemouth used to have a competition on Tain Range in the late 80s? IIRC the target (Piano) was placed on Tain Range and the Lossie sqns took it in turns to destroy the target. Jags and Buccaneers attacked with practice bombs, the Shackleton attacked with smoke and flame floats (?) all unsuccessfully (why oh why oh why did they take the nose guns from the Shack?).

I believe the winners were the Sea King crew who lowered the crewman on the winch armed with an axe and a Zippo.:D

Roland

See Svens post at #14 (nice post Sven!:ok:).

Well I did find this:

http://www.vanceairscoop.com/print.p...e36d7560359751

Through the Power of Google, but how true....

Pianos? How tame.

In my days we overturned aircraft and possibly removed the wings too. But in retrospect I think it was probably an instructional airframe of some sort.
See here:
http://groups.msn.com/TonyHawesRAFSe...to&PhotoID=101

Tony

For greater Oooomph try placing a few catering sized tins of NAAFI beans inside the piano first, stand well back. (Advise RAF Police to stand well back when they arrive..................)