Jump to content

Banter


Sid

Recommended Posts

  • 1. DDz Quorum

It's an English Bank Holiday, it's chucking it down with rain so I'm taking the opportunity to catch up on the important things....

For those that are familiar with the RAF banter and those that aren't, here are some examples of those commonly used by RAF personnel in wartime and, for a lot of them, present day general conversation. I appreciate that some of the definitions will require another definition but, hey, on a rainy day it's what Google is for :laughing7:

Arse End Charlie, rear gunner

ATTABOY, member of Air Transport Auxilliary

Angels, height, eg. Angels 13 equals 13,000ft

Bags of Swank, to do something with pride

Banana Boat, aircraft carrier

Bandit, enemy aircraft

Bang On, to be correct

Beer Lever, joystick

Belly Flop, to land with undercarriage retracted

Binding, to whine about conditions

Binder, someone who complains unduly

Black Outs, WAAF knickers, navy blue winter weights

Blighty, the UK

Blue, anything red

Body Snatcher, stretcher bearer

Bomphleteers, airmen engaged in leaflet drops

Brassed Off, extremely unhappy

Brasshats, commanding officers

Brolly, parachute

Bumph, useless paperwork

Bus Driver, bomber pilot

Canteen Cowboy, ladies' man

Clapped Out, nearing end of useful life

Close The Hangar Doors, stop talking 'shop'

Cooler, guardroom

Corker, an attractive woman

Court a Cat, take out a girlfriend

Deck, the ground

Desert Lilly, urinal made from tin can

Drink, an ocean, river or lake

Fish Heads, the Navy

To Remove one's Finger, to hurry or pay attention

Fizzer, disciplinary charge

Flaming Onions, anti aircraft tracer

Flannel, to avoid the truth

Flap, a chaotic event

Frozen on the Stick, paralysed with fear

Fruit Salad, medal ribbons

Gardening, sowing mines in water from low height

Gippy Tummy or 'Screaming Hab Dabs', gastroenteritis

Goggled Goblin, night fighter pilot

Goolies , testicles

Goolie Chit, paper or cloth notice issued when flying over enemy territory that offers reward for safe return of pilot to nearest Allied unit

Ground Wallah, officer who did not fly

Gubbins, equipment

Half Pint Hero, a boaster

Iron Lung, Nissen hut

Jankers, to be put on a charge for Service violation

KRS, Kings Regulations

Kite, aircraft

LMF, lack of morale fibre

Low Down, inside information

Mahogany Spitfire, desk 'flown' by Ground Wallah or Penguin

Old Man, squadron CO

Catch a Packet, receive offensive fire

Pancake, to land

Penguin, ground officer with no operational experience

Piece of Cake, easy target with little opposition

Play Pussy, hide in the clouds

Prang, to crash or to hit a target well

Plonk, A/C 2, Aircraftsman 2, the lowest rank in the RAF

Press on Regardless, unofficial motto of the RAF

Quick Squirt, sharp burst of gunfire

Rocket, a reprimand

Sardine Tin, torpedo carrying aircraft

Sawn Off, short

Scrambled Eggs, gold braid on officer's hat

Shufti, to have a look

Silver Sausage, barrage balloon

Spoof, a diversionary raid or operation

Square Bashing, drill or marching

Sprog, a 'new boy' fresh from training

Target for Tonight, girlfriend

Twilights, WAAF underwear, light coloured summer weights

Vegetables, acoustic or magnetic mines

WAAF, Woman's Auxiliary Air Force

Wizard, Wizzo, first class, excellent

Yellow Doughnut, collapsible dinghy

Over and Out, radio communication completed and ended, no reply required

Cheerzen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lovely and sunny here 'darn saarf' in kent.

'Half-wing half-wit' = Navigator (possibly any other aircrew with a half wing)

'hedge monkey / fence monkey' = plane spotter.

'Nigel' = British airways pilot....used widely in aviation not just RAF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Who's Online   0 Members, 0 Anonymous, 111 Guests (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
×
×
  • Create New...