So....you want to be an aviator...eh!

[Flying Trucker]

Goodly evening all...

So...you want to be an aviator eh!

Then you will need several of these and you should know a little history about them...

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/stories/scarves.html

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Webb]

But you have to be very careful.

Isadora Duncan (May 27, 1877 - September 14, 1927) was a dancer, considered by many to be the creator of modern dance. Born in the United States, she lived in Europe and the Soviet Union from the age of 22 until her death at age 50. In the United States she was popular only in New York, and then only later in her life. She performed to acclaim throughout Europe.

Duncan's fondness for flowing scarves was the cause of her death in a freak automobile accident in Nice, France. Duncan's large silk scarf, while still draped around her neck, became entangled around one of the vehicle's open-spoked wheels and rear axle, breaking her neck.

[Flying Trucker]

Nice commentary Webb...

Having logged a fair amount of open cockpit aviating I have more than a dozen silk scarves of several colours.

They are great for protecting the neck from leather and sheepskin collars on flying jackets/coats.
They also keep you warm.

I still wear a white silk scarf when I put on my best bib and tucker and take the old girl out for wieners and beans...

The military issued these silk scarves to the World War One aviators (1914 to 1918) and sometimes the pattern and colour of the scarf represented the Squadron Number.

Many engines were lubricated with castor oil and the pilot would wipe it off his face in flight along with cleaning his flying goggles.

Scarfs were issued during World War Two (1939 to 1945)
to aviators.

The Scarf like the Cravat do have their place in Military History and Aviation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cravat

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascot_tie

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[whitley]

Nice commentary Webb...

Many engines were lubricated with Castor oil and the pilot would wipe it off his face in flight along with cleaning his flying goggles.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

The face wasn't the only part of the anatomy to be wiped by the scarf. If the sheer terror of combat in The Great war didn't cure your constipation, the Castor oil usually did and on landing their was quite often a race to the latrine, sometimes close, but quite often lost.

A long since departed neighbour, who was a Sopwith Camel jockey in the RFC, had us rolling on the floor with laughter with some of his stories, one of which explained the origins of the term 'debrief' after a sortie.

As mentioned above, the first port of call upon landing was the toilet, if it could be reached in time before an unfortunate premature voiding of the bowels occurred and if a pilot was seen in full flying gear running away from his machine shedding his attire, including trousers and underwear, he was said to be going for a debriefing.

I remember once snorting beer out of my nostrils when he said that pilots debriefed in the bog (toilet) and defecated in the officers mess because that was where most crap was talked.

We were never sure if his stories were completely true or embellished, but they did get funnier the less sober he was.

[patchz]

Doug, it might interest you to know, that for a short time, our uniform attire was changed from the traditional tie to an ascot. It was more comfortable,

as the top button of the shirt was left undone and looked rather cool. BTW, the traditional tie was always a clipon, to keep from giving a weapon to

someone resisting arrest.

[Flying Trucker]

Goodly morning "whitley"

I would take most of his stories as gospel as I have heard similar from both grandfathers and several great uncles who came from the cavalry into the Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force and Royal Naval Air Service.

These stories were told around the kitchen table amongst the men like my father who flew overseas during World War Two.

Unfortunately as these warriors got older the memories of the different wars they served in got suppressed and many were not even written down.
Now it is too late as most veterans from both World Wars are gone.

My parents and grandparents used to say:

-War is started by politicians and finished by generals.

-War is too important to leave to politicians.

-Politicians will vote against new equipment for the military and then take their son's and run and hide when the shooting starts.

Getting back on topic now it was interesting to read several articles on the United States Cavalry.

I was interested in what Neckerchief they wore and why.

It would appear yellow is the Cavalry colour as seen on the uniform of the officers.

However the yellow neckerchief was never part of the United States Cavalry Uniform.

It was a Hollywood addon...HMMM

Hollywood put a yellow neckerchief on all the cavalry men, perhaps to add colour, not sure.

Shades of Rin Tin Tin

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046576/

Anyone have any information on this please post it here if you would.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[Flying Trucker]

Now that makes sense Larry about the clip on tie.

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

[whitley]

Shortly after the old RFC pilot, his name was Billy, moved into he village, he was in the pub and was introduced to a chap named Capel. Billy said he served on the Western Front with a Capel. Capel said his dad was a pilot in the RFC and flew BE2's, DH2's and Sopwith Camels.

It turned out that these two men, who lived less than 300 yards apart had served together in the same squadron 70 years earlier. Unfortunately Old Mr Capel died a few weeks later well into his 90's

What is makes this story even more amazing is when I told my dad about it, he said there was a Capel in his Dakota (C47) squadron in Singapore and Malaya in 1945/6 and guess what, it was the same Capel. They has spoken to each other several times in the village but didn't realise they had served together.

[Webb]

And don't forget General Jack D. Ripper (Dr. Strangelove)

(French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau) said war was too important to be left to the generals. When he said that, 50 years ago, he might have been right. But today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

[patchz]

BTW Webb, re: your sig, apparently, you've never seen me play golf.  

[Webb]

[quote]BTW Webb, re: your sig, apparently, you've never seen me play golf.

[patchz]

[quote][quote]BTW Webb, re: your sig, apparently, you've never seen me play golf.

[TacitBlue]

[quote][quote]BTW Webb, re: your sig, apparently, you've never seen me play golf.

[Flying Trucker]

Good morning all...

I can see that happening "whitley".

We were in a fine dining establishment just a couple of years after I retired and I thought the old grey matter was still working.

A young man came up to me with an older gentlemen and introduced himself and his father to me.

Apparently twenty years prior I was his check pilot, I did not even recognize him but I made the best of it...

I find myself talking to someone on the street who I know but can not put a name to, it drives the old girl nuts when she asks:
Who was that?
And I answer I don't know their name... :-?

Myself I think there were just as many aviators killed on training flights as were lost to dysentery.

Well you will not believe this.

Yes they are forecasting for more snow here today...and I thought it was Spring.

Now where is my white silk scarf, leather flying jacket and tear drop sunglasses?
I want the old girl to know I am still an aviator without having to tell her ten times a day....

I dress like that, sit in my rocking chair in front of the bay window and it just drives the old girl nuts...she mutters quite a bit now...

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug