Tall tales from the RAF

[airbolt]

My late father served in the RAF in WW2 and occasionally came up with some stories. I remember some tales of pranks which sound implausible - so i'm checking to see if they hold water.

* "Get the Sergeant" - In which an aircraft undercarriage leg is held under pressure until it can be lined up with an unpopular NCO. Pressure is released , part of leg flies across the airfield like an exocet scaring the NCO. It was an "unfortunate accident" they could claim.

* " Frighten the Newbie" - In which a new recruit is told to stand between the two cannon Barrels on a Hurricane. Said Hurricane is on calibration test for the sights . Newbie stands where he is told and the Cannons are fired - said Newbie looks a little out of it!

Has anyone heard of these "pranks" which i'm sure had variations in each of the service?

[vehelpfulguy]

Not really an answer to your question, but another fairly silly army prank I heard about.

One of my rather naive relatives joined up during the second world war.

Early on in their training they were asked to go to the stores for a "long weight".

So they turned up at the stores and said "can I have a long weight" please.

The guy in the stores cottened on quickly, so said "stand over there and we will get you one"

Of course they waited and waited, and kept asking when it would turn up.

Of course eventually they realised, LONG WAIT, and they walked off feeling rather stupid.

[4GS]

Yup, we did that to recruits and had it done to us, in the late 70's when I joined up corporals thought it was hilarious to tell us to go to the stores for a tin of tartan pain, or for the bubble for the spirit level, a bucket of steam or a two ton sky hook

[4candles]

...not forgetting the left-handed screwdriver.

[Whickerman]

That long weight one still works.

I had a student on summer work standing in the storeroom for 80 minutes in July.