Glossary parts: 1250 – CSDE · Danesbury – KT66 · L Fitt AR – runs · SA – zobbit
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| 1250 | RAF identity pass, taken from the form number. 1250 must always be carried by service personnel. Loss of 1250 is a ‘capital’ offence. |
| 1771 | Subsistance Claim form |
| 23:59 to 00:01 | Midnight. |
| 252 | Form used to record a charge against an offending airman. Taken from the form number. |
| 36 | Short for 36 hour leave pass, normally over a weekend. (Service personnel are officially on duty 24 hours a day and 365 days a year).(See: 48). |
| 48 | Short for 48 hour leave pass, normally over a weekend. (service personnel are officially on duty 24 hours a day and 365 days a year).(See: 36). |
| A/C | AirCraft; AirCraftsman. (See: rank, erk, A/C plonk); Alternating Current. |
| A/C plonk | AirCraftsman. (See: erk). |
| AA | Aircraft Apprentice; Anti-Aircraft. |
| ace | Good. |
| ADGE | Air Defence Ground Environment. |
| admin | Administrator; Office for administrators. |
| AE | Air Engineer. |
| AEOp | Air Electronics Operator. |
| AEO | Air Electronics Officer |
| aero | Aeronautical. |
| AEW | Airborne Early Warning. |
| AFB | Air Force Base (USA). |
| AFCENT | Allied Forces Central Europe(NATO). |
| AFPG | Armed Forces Pension Group; AFPG link Air Force Planning Guidance. ?? |
| AI | Airborne Interceptor radar. Fitted to the nose of fighter aircraft to enable targets to be tracked and destroyed using air-to-air missiles. AI17 was fitted to the Javelin and was taught at 4T block at RAF Locking. Aircraft radar link |
| AIHHP | Association of Independent Hearing Healthcare Professional s. |
| Air Form 700 | Aircraft maintenance log, referred to as ‘the 700’. Always a time for concentration when signing off maintenance tasks. Interned for investigation if the aircraft is involved in an incident, especially crash. |
| Air Officer Commanding | Senior officer in charge of a group of stations. (See AOC). |
| Air Traffic Control | Air Traffic Control personnel located in control tower responsible for controlling all aircraft. Air Traffic Control have overriding authority on a station when flying is in operation. Headed by SATCO. (See: ATC). |
| Air Training Corps | RAF organisation for training young civilians. (See: ATC). Air Cadets link |
| Aircraft Apprentice | The aircraft apprenticeship traine d young men, between the ages of 15 and 17, to become highly-skilled wireless and radar fitters who would service the RAF ‘s sophisticated electronic equipment. Entrance to the scheme involved passing a general examination, intelligence test, aptitude test, and a medical examination. The Royal Air Force assumed legal guardianship of the apprentices ‘in locum parentis’. The three year course covered theoretical, practical, and military training. A few Apprentices came from Commonwealth and other countries. LEARNING |
| Aircraft crypto | A typewriter known as KL7, similar to the German war time Enigma, which operated on 28 volts and had 5 code drums. Shackletons carried them, as did most aircfaft in the 60’s. |
| Aircraft Servicing Flight | A unit on an RAF station, independent of a squadron, which services aircraft (eg: squadron, visitors, target-towing, chase aircraft). (See: ASF). |
| ALCM | Air Launch Cruise Missile. ALCM link |
| ale | Strictly speaking, beer with no hops, but generally understood to mean beer too. The ‘ CamRA ‘ is a misnomer. |
| ALFENS | Automatic Low Flying Enquiry and Notification System; Automated Low Flying and Flight Planning Enquiry & Notification System. |
| AN/CPN-4 | See CPN4. |
| Andrew | Royal Navy. |
| AN/MPN-11 | See CPN4. |
| anorak | Person with few social graces, dedicated to a particular subject. (eg: train spotting); Outdoor jacket. |
| Anson | RAF (1948 to 1968), UK (Avro) twin piston engine (Cheetah V) transport aircraft. 11,022 Ansons (Mk I & II) were manufactured, more than any other UK aircraft. There was an Anson Mk II at Weston Airport which was used for apprentice Air Experience flights. Anson link |
| AOC | Air Officer Commanding. |
| AOC Inspection | Air Officer Commanding Inspection is a major inspection of each station, normally once a year. A time of much bull on a station. |
| AP | Air Publications are technical bibles for air vehicle and equipment theory, operation and servicing. (See: AP3302). |
| AP3302 | RAF bible of radio theory. Well written, well structured. |
| ape shit | Angry. (eg: “he went ape shit”). |
| app | Short for aircraft apprentice. |
| AR15 | Plessey Mobile Surveillance radar (airfield). |
| ARI | Air Radio Installatio n; Aircraft Radio Installation. |
| armourer | One of the technician trades. Responsible for all explosive devices on aircraft: guns, missiles, ejector seat etc. The armourer enables the weapons before take off and makes the aircraft safe on landing and before servicing. |
| arse | Posterior; Exclamation (eg: “Arse!”); Fool (eg: “what an arse he is”); Rubbish (eg: “he is talking arse”). |
| ASAP | As Soon As Possible. |
| ASF | Aircraft Servicing Flight. |
| Astra | RAF station cinemas are always called Astras. They are quite unlike any civilian cinema. |
| ASV | Air to Surface Vessel. Radar on board maritime patrol aircraft. Displays a map of the surface and detects ships and submarine snorkels. ASV17 on Varsity at Weston Airport. ASV21 was taught at 4T block at RAF Locking. |
| ATC | Air Traffic Control; Air Training Corps. |
| ATC cadet | Young civilian member of Air Training Corps. |
| Atlantic Hotel | The venue for apprentice dances. On Weston sea front and still there. |
| Aussie | Abbreviation for Australian. |
| Austin 10 | Pre WWII 1000 cubic centimetre family saloon with side valve engine. Separate body and chassis. Wire spoke wheels. |
| Austin 8 | 800 cubic centimetre smaller brother of the Austin 10. |
| Austin A30 | Small family saloon. Cheap and economical. |
| Austin A35 | Development of the Austin A30. |
| avionics | Contraction of aviation and electronics. Avionics covers all electronic and electrical systems on an aircraft. |
| Avo 8 | Standard RAF multimeter of the 1960s. Named after the manufacturer. AVO Multimeters link |
| Avonmouth | Estuary of river Avon leading to the Bristol Channel; Large dock and industrial area, north west of Bristol. Avonmouth Dock link |
| AWACS | Airborne Warning and Control System. AWACS link |
| AWG | Ferranti-built gun control radar system. Fitted to the Phantom aircraft. |
| AWOL | Absent WithOut Leave (permission). |
| BAC | British Aircraft Corporation. Now BAE Systems. |
| BAe | British Aerospace. Now BAE Systems. |
| Bamboo, The | Weston lads’ coffee bar on the Centre in Weston. No longer there. |
| bandwidth | A range of frequencies. |
| bang | Intercourse. |
| bang on | Perfect. |
| bang out | To eject from an aircraft. (See: bang seat). |
| bang seat | Aircraft ejector seat. (See: bang out). |
| banged up | Ill; In prison; Pregnant. |
| banger | Sausage; Dilapidated car. |
| bangers and mash | Sausages and mashed potatoes. |
| banging on | Labouring a point. |
| Banwell | Village one mile south of Locking Camp on A371. Banwell link |
| barber | Camp barber. A person who removes hair. Not to be confused with ‘hairdresser’; The room where hair removal takes place. |
| base | (See: station; camp). |
| bash | To curve the top of SD cap; Group heavy drinking session; Dance; Social occasion. |
| Basher | Nickname, normally for strong person; Nickname for person with First name William (Bill); Small building with wooden framework covered in palm leaves (hot countries); Person who attempts to impose a concept. (eg: Bible basher). |
| basic light bulbs | Lessons in 2 technical block covering basic electrical theory, with practical exercises. |
| Bath | City 28 miles (45km) north east of Weston. |
| battle dress | Working uniform with waist-length jacket made from thick hairy material. Darker blue colour than best blue. (See: working blue; number two). Example |
| bayonet | The RAF used either a knife blade or round pointed (pig sticker) bayonet. The bayonet was carried in a frog on a webbing belt or fitted to the end of a rifle (fixed bayonets). Bayonets were very tightly controlled by the authorities and apprentices were only issued with the blade bayonet for special parades. They never used the pig sticker bayonet.(See: frog, rifle). |
| BBMF | Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. |
| bbmf | Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. |
| BD | Battle dress. (See: working blue; number two). Example |
| Beach Coffee Club | Members only club on Weston sea front. The 100 th Entry club. Soft drinks, tea, coffee and snacks served. Small dance floor in cellar with juke box, pinball machines, and one armed bandits. Excellent place for meeting young ladies. Always referred to as ‘The Beach’ by the 100 th Entry. Link1 Link2 |
| bean counter | Accountant; Logician; Estimator. |
| Bean stealer | Married airman ‘living in’ for free. |
| beat up | Where a pilot flies low over an area, normally the runway, at high speed. Particularly impressive when performed by a Lightning or Vulcan. |
| Beatles, The | UK singer-songwriter pop group from Liverpool. The Beatles caused a world-wide sensation in the 1960’s. The group line-up was: John Lennon (deceased) (rhythm and lead electric guitar), Paul McCartney (electric bass guitar), George Harrison (deceased) (lead electric guitar), Ringo Starr (drums). Every group member could sing, but the lead singers were Paul and John. The group even appeared at the Odeon cinema at Weston. The Beatles were extremely popular with the 100th Entry (See: the fab four, Parlophone, Rolling Stones). |
| Beatle Jacket | Medium length, high button jacket with no collar. First worn by the Beatles. Often made of black corduroy. A few of the 100 th Entry had one. Highly illegal. |
| Beatle Wig | Male wig in the Beatles style. Normally a complete rip off with poor quality and high price. Two were known in the 100 th Entry. Contraband. |
| bed pack | Apprentices stripped their beds every morning, except Sunday, and made a bed pack which was placed at the top of the bed. The bed pack comprised four blankets and two sheets. Three blankets were each folded into a square and the two folded sheets placed between them like a sandwich. The fourth blanket was wrapped around the, blankets and sheets. The bed pack had to be square and neat to pass inspection. Bed Pack photo |
| Bed pan mechanic | Medic. |
| bee’s knees | The best. |
| beer | Alcoholic drink (1% to 6% by volume) that has hops. In the UK there are three broad categories of beer: barrel (real ale), keg (metal, pressurised barrel), lager. |
| Beetle | Volkswagen small family saloon. Air-cooled horizontally opposed engine. Well built and dead reliable. |
| beetle crusher | Large shoes (See: teddy boy, brothel creeper). |
| belly flop | Aircraft landing with wheels up; Aircraft very hard landing; To dive and hit water with front of body (painful). |
| bender | Drink to excess, normally over a long period. |
| bent | Corrupt; Homosexual. |
| beret | Working RAF headgear made of felt. Replaced the much-loved forage cap in 1950s (reintroduced in 1970s). No two berets were the same due to extensive shaping and modification. Examples |
| best blue | RAF uniform with long belted jacket. Made of barathea. Worn on formal occasions. (See: number one; blue). Best Blue link |
| BFO | Beat Frequency Oscillator. |
| Biggles | Naive person deeply interested in aircraft and the RAF; Pilot of transport aircraft (rare). Alludes to the hero in Biggles books. |
| bike | Motorbike. Strictly forbidden for apprentices although some apprentices had them hidden around the Weston area; Pedal bicycle; Promiscuous female (‘ station bike’). |
| Billet | Large room, part of a block, where each apprentice had a pit. The pits were in two rows each side of a central walkway. After the first six months the 100th Entry moved from wooden huts to the brand-new, brick-built, E block and F Block. |
| bimbo | Not too bright young lady, often blonde. |
| bind | Uninteresting, boring or difficult. (eg: “ironing this shirt is a right bind”) |
| bint | Attractive young lady or ladies. |
| biog | Biography (abbreviation used on the 100 th web site). |
| bird | Attractive young lady; Aircraft. |
| bird strike | Damage caused to aircraft by impact with birds (flying type). Bird Strike link |
| birk | Fool. |
| bit of stuff | Attractive young lady. |
| bitter | Light coloured beer. |
| black box | Aircraft flight recorder; Unit of equipment. |
| Blanco | Thick, greasy paste applied to webbing. Grey-blue Blanco and white Blanco used by the RAF. |
| Bleadon Hill | Area in the south of Weston. Posh young ladies bred here. |
| blighty | United Kingdom. |
| blimey | Exclamation like “wow!”. |
| block | Building, normally large. |
| Block,1T | Hangar divided into rooms. (Subjects taught: ground equipments). |
| Block,2T | Hangar divided into rooms. (Subjects taught: basic electrical practical, basic radio practical, ground equipments). |
| Block,3T | Hangar with two stories divided into classrooms. (Subjects taught: electronic theory, maths, general studies). |
| Block,4T | Hangar divided into classrooms and workshops. (Subjects taught: air equipments, metalwork, wiring, waveguide theory). |
| Block,5T | Low rise brick building to the north of F Block), behind the parade square. (Subjects taught: computer techniques, cryptology). 5T block was completed in 1964 and was not used by the 100th Entry. 5T block foundations were the site of ‘the crane mystery’ |
| Block,E | 100th Entry billet facing the sports field. To the west of F block. |
| Block,F | 100th Entry billet facing the sports field. To the east of E Block. |
| bloke | Man. |
| blood | Dry, rough farmhouse cider mixed with blackcurrant juice. (See: screech, sweet). |
| blow a gasket | Lose temper. |
| blue | RAF uniform. (See: best blue, working blue, number one, number two, battle dress, hairy blue, SD (cap), beret, boot, webbing belt). |
| blue job | Airman. |
| Blue Silk | Navigation radar installed in V bombers. Upgraded Green Satin. V Bomber link |
| bod | Man. Short for ‘body’. |
| bog standard | Basic. |
| bogs | Wash room. |
| bollocks | Nonsense; Testicles. |
| bomber | Aircraft capable of dropping bombs; Nickname for person with surname ‘Harris’. After Air Vice Marshall Harris, head of bomber command in WWII. 2WWharris |
| bonk | Sleep; Copulate. |
| bonkers | Mad; Angry. |
| Bonni | Short for Triumph Bonneville. |
| bonse | Head. |
| boot | Apprentices were issued with a pair of boots and a pair of shoes. The boots were of old design and extremely uncomfortable when new but, after about two months of wear, became acceptable. Apprentices always wore boots while on duty and only wore shoes with best blue when off- camp. The toes and heel-back of boots were polished (bulled) to a high gloss by spit and polish. Generally, in the RAF, boots would only be worn on parade. Specialist boots were issued for: combat, flying, servicing aircraft and fire fighting. WRAFs were discouraged from bulling their footwear because of the mirror-like finish. Bulled Boot |
| Boots | Nickname for person with surname Brown. |
| booze | Alcoholic drink. |
| booze up | Group heavy drinking. |
| boozer | Pub. |
| bounced | Rejected. |
| Bourneville | Large estate in southern Weston. Many house parties at the Bourneville. |
| Borough Arms | Pub at the junction of Locking Road (A370) and Locking Moor Road (A371). Near to Weston Milton Halt railway station. Large imposing old building with public bar, lounge, and skittle alley. Folk club and live music. For a time it was renamed ‘The Heron’ but The Borough Arms is more appropriate. Rarely visited by the 100 th Entry. |
| box | Television set. (See: idiot box, tube). |
| boy | Short for boy entrant. |
| brass | High ranking service person; Prostitute. |
| brasses | Buttons and buckles, made of brass, which required constant polishing. (See: Brasso, Duragilt) |
| Brasso | Propriety liquid polish. Used on brasses. |
| brat | Apprentice; Boy entrant. |
| Brean Down | Promontory to the north of the river Axe with derelict fort on the end. Site for 100th Entry exercises. |
| Bren | ‘Brno’ light machine gun (Bren Gun link). Deadly accurate. Apprentices fired Brens at Locking camp rifle range. |
| brewers droop | Unable to perform due to the effects of alcohol. |
| Brinkley stick | Conductive rod with insulated handle to discharge high voltages, normally from capacitors. Once dangerous voltages had been discharged the equipment was safe to work on.(See: de bollocking rod). |
| Bristol and Exeter | Pub, near the Odeon, on the corner opposite the Centre. Fairly small and basic. Now called the Town Crier. |
| Bristol | The aircraft and engine manufacturer; The historic city 20 miles (32km) north east of Weston on the river Avon. The water at Burton on Trent is excellent for brewing beer, the water at Bristol is similarly excellent for breeding attractive ladies. (See: Ten Bars, Cellar Bars, Newmarket Bar, Rummer, Colston Hall). |
| bristols | Breasts. (Cockney rhyming slang ‘ Bristol City’ with ‘titty’). |
| brit | British person. |
| Britannia | Pub at north end of high street in Weston. Popular with the 100th Entry. The Britannia is still there. |
| Brothel creeper | large shoes. (See: teddy boy). |
| brown | Brown ale. Not an ale in fact, but a dark brown beer. |
| brown job | British Army Person |
| brown split | 50:50 split of brown ale and mild or light ale. |
| brown top | (See: brown split). |
| BSA Gold Star | Beautiful, race-bred single cylinder British motorbike. 350cc and 500cc versions. Not for slow speed riding. |
| BSA Road Rocket | Lusty, solid 650cc vertical twin cylinder British motorbike. Made by the Birmingham Small Arms Association (BSA). |
| BSA Shooting Star | 500cc motorbike. Smaller brother of the BSA Road Rocket. |
| bucket | Transport aircraft. |
| buckshee | Free. |
| buff | Person deeply interested and knowledgeable in a particular field; To polish. (See: boot); Colour of official envelope or file. |
| bull | To polish etc; The result of polishing etc. (See: boot). |
| bull night | An evening devoted to cleaning and polishing billet and equipment. Friday night was always bull night at RAF Locking, but other nights could also be deemed bull nights. The billets were inspected every morning while the apprentices were at tech. Apprentices stood by their beds for an inspection of themselves and the billet on Saturday morning. |
| bull shit | Bragging nonsense; Cleaning polishing etc. |
| bum fluff | Adolescent facial hair. |
| bumf or bumph | Information, normally printed. Derived from ‘bumfodder’. |
| bumper | Floor polishing implement comprising a long pivoted handle with a heavy square base on the bottom, covered with a felt pad. Used for polishing floor. Bumper link |
| bun in the oven | Pregnant. Amusing term in 1960’s but now a cliché. |
| Burrington Combe | Gorge 10 miles South East of RAF Locking. The Hymn ‘Rock of Ages’ was written in a cave at Burrington Combe. Site for rock climbers from the 100th Entry. |
| bus | Car; Transport aircraft. |
| Butch | Nickname for person with surname Butcher; General nickname for person. |
| button stick | Contraption for cleaning buttons while keeping the underlying cloth free of polish. Photo |
| buzz | Drinking game. (See: Fizz Fuzz Buzz); Rumour. |
| C BUHF | Ground wireless equipment. |
| C of E | Church of England. |
| CA | Corporal Apprentice. (See: CAA, rank). |
| CAA | Corporal Aircraft Apprentice. (See: CA, rank). Civil Aviation Authority. |
| CADF | Commutated-Antenna Direction Finder. Ground radar. |
| CAFNET | Combat Air Force Network. Ground wireless. |
| camp | (See: station, base); Related to ho mosexuality. |
| CamRA | Campaign for Real Ale. Movement in UK to encourage the drinking of traditional beer. The movement’s name is a misnomer. |
| can | Cell. (eg: “he is in the can”); Responsibility. (eg: “he is carrying the can for the accident”); Throw away (verb). (eg: “he canned the screw because it was bent”). |
| can-do | Can (and will) complete requested action; Positive attitude. |
| cancer stick | Cigarette. |
| Canberra | The English Electric Canberra was a jet-powered light bomber, manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. It proved to be highly adaptable, serving in such varied roles for tactical bombing, photographic, electronics, and meteorological reconnaissance. The Canberra aircraft used at Weston Airport was WD936, redesignated 7589M. A B2 variant, first delivered to the RAF on 25/05/1951. It was ‘Struck off charge’ on 28/10/1963 and delivered for training by Locking apprentices. Sold to BAC on 18/10/66, withdrawn from use 10/11/67 and finally broken up at Samlesbury in 1968. |
| cans | Headphones. Very trendy term in 1960s but a cliché now. |
| Captain’s Cabin | Pub with entrance up steps in narrow alley on sea front at Anchor Head, Weston. Small public bar and huge lounge with window giving panoramic view out to sea. The lounge also had a small stage. Often had live music with good groups. Normally packed. Quite expensive, but very popular with apprentices. Now a pleasant pub with small restaurant where the old lounge was. The steps are still a hazard when you have had a few. |
| Cardiff Arms | Basic public house with front entrance on Meadow Street and rear entrance on Regent Street. Run by formidable landlady and her brother Tommy who was very fond of apprentices. Popular with the 100 th Entry for serious drinking. |
| carpet, on the | In trouble with authority. Alludes to standing on the carpet in front of superior. |
| CasEvac | Casualty Evacuation. To transport wounded or sick personnel to hospital, normally by aircraft from overseas. |
| cat | Short for category; Bulldozer. Alludes to Caterpillar the US manufacturer of heavy earth moving machinery. |
| cc | Cubic centimetre. |
| CRDF | Cathode Ray Direction Finder. |
| Cellar Bars | (See: Ten Bars). |
| Chalky | Nickname for person with surname ‘White’. |
| chap | Man. |
| charge | Formal accusation of a misdemeanour; To replenish an electrical battery. |
| charge sheet | (See: 252). |
| Cheddar Gorge | Gorge 10 miles south east of RAF Locking. Tourist shops and pubs. Popular with the 100th Entry for social visits and mountain climbing. Also the site for exercises. |
| cherry | Female virginity. (eg: “she lost her cherry”). |
| chevron | Badge of rank for NCO. (See: stripe, hook, rank). |
| chief, chiefy | Short for chief technician. (See: rank). |
| chin wag | Talk. (See: jaw wag). |
| chinky chippy | Yips fish and chip shop on Sanford Road, Weston. |
| Chip | A nickname; Chipped potato. |
| Chippy | Nickname for person with surname related to wood; Station carpenter; Fish and chip shop. |
| chisel | Square toed shoe. Illegal for apprentices. (See: winkle picker). |
| chit | A short note; A signed voucher authorising some action. |
| chitty | (See: chit). |
| chopper | Helicopter; Penis; Cleaver. |
| chuffed | Pleased. |
| cinema, Central | Known as ‘The Flea Pit’. Grand old cinema at the south end of the high street, Weston. Often showed ‘continental’ films. Demolished in 1963. The site is now part of the Dolphin Square Shopping Centre. |
| cinema, Gaumont | Old cinema on the south side of Regent Street Weston. Cheaper than the Odeon and popular with apprentices. Favoured c inema for liaisons with young ladies. Became a Top Rank bingo hall and now the site of ‘Yates’ bar. |
| cinema, Odeon | Art Deco main cinema in Weston near the floral clock on Alexandria parade. Many apprentice liaisons with the opposite sex. The Odeon now has four screens, but still retains some of its modern grandeur. It is the only remaining cinema proper in Weston, but the Playhouse Theatre often shows films. |
| circus | Shambles. |
| CIS | Communications and Information Systems. |
| civvies | Civilian clothes; Civilians. |
| civvy | Civilian. |
| civvy street | Outside the armed services. |
| clanger | Mistake (eg: “he dropped a clanger”); Cell in guard room (eg: “he is in the clanger”). |
| Clevedon | Quiet small seaside town ten miles north of Weston. |
| clink | Cell in guard room; Civilian prison. |
| CO | Commanding Officer. Each station has a CO who would normally be a senior officer. Equivalent to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a civilian company. |
| Coach House | Public house in Locking Village. Strictly out of bounds to apprentices. Occasionally visited by apprentices. |
| coffee swindle | (See: swindle, tea swindle). |
| Colston Hall | Theatre named after Bristol 1800s entrepreneur. Many famous artists appeared. Because Mr Colston was involved in the slave trade, there is now a move by do-gooders to change the name of Colston Hall. |
| Columbia | One of the EMI Ltd group of companies. Music and records. (See: HMV, Parlophone). |
| Commodore, The | Hotel, restaurant, bars, and function rooms. Located at Sand Bay, Weston, near the end of the Toll Road. In the 1960s classy and reserved. The place to take the girlfriend for a special occasion. It is owned by a large ‘chain’ now but has still retained some of its charm. |
| corp | Short for corporal. |
| corporal | Junior NCO with two stripes. (See: rank). |
| counterpane | Cover on top of bed to brighten pit space. |
| CPN4 | CPN4 is a Ground Control Approach (GCA) road and air transportable radar. Designed around 1945 by the American Gillfillian Brothers, it comprises three subsystems: search radar, precision approach radar (PAR) and wireless communication sets, normally both VHF and UHF. All three subsystems are housed in the ‘operations trailer’ which also has three ground controller bays. In 1957 the RAF had 34 CPN4s deployed at airfields in the UK and overseas. CPN4 normally operates from the station mains supply but it can also be powered from generators housed in a separate trailer. Normally the complex also has a ‘crew trailer’ and a ‘workshop/stores trailer’. The official nomenclature for CPN4 is AN/CPN-4. The later MPN11 (AN/MPN-11) is the same except that the cabin panels are riveted and welded, rather than being bolted. This provides better weather sealing. The terms CPN4 and MPN11 tend to be used interchangeably in the RAF. |
| CR, C/R | Control and Report. Describes all the long range ground radars. |
| CR787 | Airfield control ground radar by Cossor. |
| crab | RAF person. Alludes to ‘ crab fat grey ‘. |
| crab fat grey | Official description of RAF uniform blue colour. |
| crack | Vagina; Indeterminate for anything (eg: “it was a good crack”). (Word has no connection with ‘crack cocaine’). |
| cracked it | Sorted out a problem. |
| crap | Nonsense; Rubbish; Bad; Excreta. |
| crash | Sleep after much partying. (See: crash out). |
| crash out | (See: crash). |
| crate | Dilapidated aircraft, normally transport; Dilapidated car. |
| creep | Fawner. |
| crew | Aircrew; Members of a team. |
| crypto | See Aircraft crypto. |
| Criterion, The | Small public house on the north side of Upper Church Road, Weston. 200 yards inland from the sea front at Knightstone, nearly opposite the Raglan Arms. Popular with some of the 100 th Entry as an out-of-the-way watering hole. |
| crumpet | Attractive young lady or ladies. |
| CSDE | Central Servicing Development Establishment. Used to be based at RAF Swanton Morley. |
Glossary parts: 1250 – CSDE · Danesbury – KT66 · L Fitt AR – runs · SA – zobbit