![]() Glamour boys – derogatory term for fighter pilots.Gen – information of any kind, e.g., "What's the gen?" This could either be reliable information, ( Pukka Gen) or unreliable, ( Duff Gen).Gash – used by all three services to describe something that is rubbish, but additionally, in the RAF, is used as a meaning of anything free e.g., "any chance of a gash job to check the brakes on my car".FOD plod - Walking the runways/aprons picking up litter, foreign objects.Fruit salad - a large array of medal ribbons on someone's uniform.Flap – to panic, or a disturbance on station, i.e., "What's the flap?".(Mr) Fireworks – an armaments officer.Erk – old RAF nickname originating in the First World War it started out as 'airk' (short for aircraftman), and came to mean any low or basic rank person or beginner.(to) Ditch (or Ditching) – to either bale out into, or land an aircraft, in the sea (also known as In the drink).Chip-bag hat - A forage cap, which resembled a grease proof bag that chips were once served in.Clot – archaic, mildly derogative term used to describe someone prone to idiotic tendencies.Chauffeurs Electronic – pilots of Shackletons, Nimrods etc.(The) Chair force – desk-bound, ground personnel, see also: 'shiny'.Bean Stealer - One who eats in the mess but is not actually entitled to.Bus driver – a slang term used by fighter pilots to describe bomber pilots.Burton, gone for a – a widely used term, but in RAF slang meaning someone who has gone missing, or more likely, had been killed on operations.Originally used to describe leaflets dropped as a means of psychological operations over enemy territory the term derives from 'bum-fodder'. Buckshee – something that was free, gratis.Brolly – a parachute, particularly when used to 'Bale out'.Bought it – to be killed, or shot down by enemy fire.Bogey – an unidentified aircraft, suspected of being hostile.Bimble – a wander around "We'll just bimble down to the mess".Best Blue – the Number 1 uniform worn by RAF personnel, usually for parades, but also when an airman is 'under restrictions' (see: Jankers).Bang-on – right on target, a direct hit on a target by a bomb, bullseye.Bale out (or Bail out) – to jump out of a stricken aircraft and parachute down to earth.Backroom Boys – term used for military scientists ( boffins).Auggies – (pronounced oggies), members of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force (RAuxAF).Apron – the tarmac or concreted hardstanding area surrounding a hangar.All arms and legs – a term for weak beer.Air officer – a term used to describe the top five ranks in the RAF (from lowest to top rank) air commodore, air vice-marshal, air marshal, air chief marshal, and marshal of the Royal Air Force.It is followed by a list of nicknames of aircraft used by, or familiar to, the RAF. ![]() There were a number of codes used within the RAF, not now under the official secrets act, some of which are included. Other slang was used by British and Empire air forces. Often common colloquial terms are used as well by airmen, in addition, some terms have come into common parlance such as "I pranged the car last night". The slang of the RAF (sometimes referred to as Slanguage), developed partially from its antecedents of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service, however, some phrases developed with less certainty of their origin. The following is a comprehensive selection of slang terms and common abbreviations used by Royal Air Force from before World War II until the present day less common abbreviations are not included. The Royal Air Force ( RAF) developed a distinctive slang which has been documented in works such as Piece of Cake and the Dictionary of RAF slang. ![]()
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