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"S"

SAAF = South African Air Force

SAC = Senior Aircraftman

SACW = Senior Aircraftwoman

SAFO = Senior Airforce Officer

SAN = School of Air Navigation

SAR = Search And Rescue

SofAS = School of Air Support

SATC = School of Air traffic Control

SC = Support Command

"Schooly" or "Schoolie" = Education Officer

"Scrambled Egg" = Oak leaf decoration on the peal of a senior officer's cap

"Screaming Downhill "= Executing a power dive

"(to) Scrub" = To wash out or Abort

SCSR = School of Combat Survival and Rescue

SCU = Servicing Command Unit

SD = Special Duties

SEAAC = South East Asia Air Command

"Second Dickey" = Second pilot

SF = Station Flight

SofFC = School of Fighter Control

SFF = Service Ferry Flight

SFPP = Service Ferry Pilots Pool

SFTS = Service Flying Training School

SGR = School of General Reconnaissance

Sgt. = Sergeant

SHAEF = Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force

"Shaken" = To be suddenly taken aback

"Shaky Do" = A dangerous operation or Event

"Shagging" = Making love

SHAPE = Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe

"She a night-fighter" or "That's where the night-fighter's were"

                = Night-fighters were "prostitutes"

SIC = Signals Intelligence Unit

"Shooting A Line" = Exaggerated talk, generally about ones own abilities

"Show Down In Flames" = Crossed in love or Severely reprimanded

"Show" -good/poor/bad = Anything can be a "show" - a dinner party, outing, operation

"Sicky Dog" = To feel ill

S/L or S/Ldr or SQN LDR = Squadron Leader

SLAW = School of Land-Air Warfare

"Snake About" = Operational aerobatics

SMO = Senior Medical Officer

SNCO = Senior Non-Commissioned Officer

"Snowdrop" = RAF Police

SO = Senior Officer / Section Officer

"A"

AFTDU = Airborne Forces Tactical Development Unit

AF(T)S = Advanced Flying (Training) School

AF(T)U = Advanced Flying (Training) Unit

AFS = Advance Flying Unit

AFU = Advance Flying Unit

AG = Air Gunner

AGT = Air-work and General Trading - a firm undertaking work as part of the

          Civilian Repair Organisation

AGITS = Air Gunner Initial Training School

A&GS = Armament & Gunnery School

AGS = Air Gunnery School / Aircrew Grading School

AIS = Air Interception School

AIU = Air Investigation Unit

AM = Air Ministry / Air Marshal / Albert Medal / Air Mechanic

AMES = Air Ministry Experimental Section

AMG = Advanced Maintenance Group

AMO = Air Ministry Order

ANBS = Air Navigation and Bombing School

ANS = Air Navigation School

AO = Administrative Order

AOC = Air Officer Commanding

AONS = Air Observer and Navigation School

AOS = Air Observers School

AOTS = Aircrew Officers Training School

AP - Air Publications / Aircraft Park

APO = Acting Pilot Office

APS = Armament Practice Section

AQ = Air Quartermaster

ARD = Aircraft Repair Depot

Arthur Mitchell = A.M. or Air Ministry

ARU = Aircraft/Advance Repair Unit

AS = Air Staff

ASC = Air Support (Service) Command / Advanced Staff Course

ASO = Assistant Section Officer

ASP = Air Stores Park

ASS = Air Signals/Signallers School

AST = Air Service Training

ASU = Aircraft Storage Unit

ATA = Air Transport Auxiliary

ATAF = Allied Tactical Air Force

ATC - Air Training Corps / Air Traffic Control / Armament Training Camp

ATFERO = Atlantic Ferry Organisation

ATS = Armament Training School/Station / Air Training Squadron /

            Apprentices Training School

ATU = Aircrew Training Unit / Armament Training Unit

ATW = Apprentice Training Wing

AVM = Air Vice Marshall

AW/CN = Awaiting Collection

AWI = Air Warfare Instructor

AWOL = Absent Without Leave

Royal Air Force

Slang and Abbreviations

Updated: February 2009

"A"

AA = Air Attache / Anti Aircraft Fire

A/C = Aircraft

A&AEE = Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment

AAC = Anti Aircraft Co-operation

AACU/F = Aniti-Aircraft Co-Operation Unit/Flight

AAF = Auxiliary Air Force / Anti-Aircraft Flight

AAFCE = Allied Air Forces Central Europe

AAFNE = Allied Air Forces Northern Europe

AAFSE = Allied Air Forces Southern Europe

AAGS = Air Armament and Gas School

AAITS = Airmen Aircrew Initial Training School

AAP = Aircraft Acceptance Park / Air Ammunition Park / Advance Aircraft Park

AAPC = Anti-Aircraft Practice Camp

AAS = Air Armament School

AASF = Advanced Air Striking Force

AATE = Air Armament Trails Establishment

AATT = Anti-Aircraft and Target Towing (Flight)

AAU = Air Ambulance Unit / Aircraft Acceptance Unit / Aircraft Assembly Unit

ABF = Airborne Forces

ABGS(ME) = Air Bombing and Gunnery School (Middle East)

ABTF - Air Bombing Training Flight

AC = Aircrafman

AC2/AC1 = Aircraftman Second/First Class

ACAC = Aircrew Allocation Centre

ACC = Allied Control Commission

ACCF = Army Cooperation Command Communication Flight

ACDC = Aircrew Dispatch Centre

A/CDRE - Air Commodore

ACDU = Army Co-Operation Development Unit

ACDU(ME) = Army Co-Operation Development Unit (Middle East)

ACDW = Air Crew Disposal Wing

ACE = Allied Command Europe

ACFAWF = Air Command Fare East All Weather Flight

ACFE = Air Command Far East

ACGS(OR) = Assistant Chief of the General Staff (Operational Requirements)

ACH = Aircrafthand

ACHU = Aircraft Holding Unit

ACP = Air Crew Pool

ACM = Air Chief Marshal

ACRC - Air Crew Reception Centre

ACRS = Air Crew Refresher School

ACS = Aircrew School / Airfield Construction Squadron / Armoured-Car Section

ACSEA = Air Command South East Asia

ACW = Airfield Construction Wing / Air Component Wing

AD = Air Depot

ADC = Aircraft Disposal Company

ADCS = Air Defence Cooperation Squadron

ADF/U = Aircraft Delivery Flight/Unit

ADGB = Air Defence of Great Britain

ADJ = Adjutant

ADLS = Air Dispatch Letter Service

ADRU = Aircraft Delivery and Reception Unit

ADU = Aircraft Delivery Unit

ADUME = Aircraft Delivery Unit, Middle East

AE = Aircraft Establishment

AEAES = Air Electronics & Air Engineers SchoolAEAF = Allied Expeditionary Air Forces

AEF = Air Experience Flight

AEM = Air Engineering Mechanic

AE = Air Engineer

AES = Air Electronics School / Aerial Erectors School

AFAP = Air Forces Arabian Peninsula

AFC = Air Force Cross (medal)

AFCENT = Air Forces Central (Europe)

AFDU = Air Fighting Development Unit

AFEE = Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment

AFM = Air Force Medal

AFME = Air Forces Middle East

AFNORTH = Air Forces Northern (Europe)

AFRU = Advanced Flying and Refresher Unit

AFS = Advanced Flying School / Auxiliary Fighter Squadron

AFS(ME) = Air Fighting School (Middle East)

"B"

(B) = Ballon Branch Officer

BADU = Beam/Blind Approach Development Unit

BAFF = British Air Forces in France

BAFO(G) = British Air Forces of Occupation (Germany)

"Balloonatics" = Personnel in Ballon Command

BANS = Basic Air Navigation School

BATDU = Beam Approach Training and Development Unit

BAFT = Beam/Blind Approach Training Flight

BBOC = Brought Back On Charge

BCFU = Bomber Command Film Unit

BCBS = Bomber Command Bombing School

BCOF(J) = British Commonwealth Occupation Forces

BD  = Bomb Disposal

BDE = Balloon Development Establishment

BDTF = Bomber Defence Training Unit

BEM = British Empire Medal

"Best Up" = To attack, either playfully or seriously and place or thing

BFTS = Basic/British Flying Training School

BGS = Bombing and Gunnery School

"Big Nose" = Important Person

"(to) Bird Dog "= Stealing another guys girl

"C"

CATCS = Central Air Traffic Control School

CAW = College of Air Warfare

CB = Companion of the Order of the Bath (medal)

CBE = Central Bomber Establishment

CC = Coastal Command

CCGS = Coastal Command Gunnery School

C and B - Cook and Butcher

CF = Communications Flight / Conversion Flight

CFS = Central Flying School

CGIS = Central Gliding Instructors School

CGM = Conspicuous Gallantry Medal

CGS = Central Gunnery School / Central Gliding School

"Civie Street" = Civilian Life

"Civvies" = Civilian Clothes

"Clobber" = To beat up, damage or destroy

CME = Central Medical Establishment

CNS = Central Navigation School

C of E = Church of England

CO = Commanding Officer

"D"

(D) = Dental Branch Officer

D of PE = Duration of Present Emergency

DAF = Desert Air Force

DBF - Destroyed By Fire

DBR = Damaged Beyond Repair

DCM = District Court Martial

DCM - Distinguished Conduct Medal

"Dead Beat" = RAF non-flying personnel

Det = Detachment

"(crack down on the) Deck" = To crash-land an aeroplane

"(down to the) Deck" = Flying close to the ground

DFC = Distinguished Flying Cross (medal)

DFM - Distinguished Flying Medal

"E"

(E) = Equipment Branch Officer

EAAS = Empire Air Armament School

EAC = Eastern Air Command

EASSU = Enemy Aircraft Storage and Servicing Unit

EANS = Empire Air Navigation School

EATS = Empire Air Training Scheme

EBTS = Elementary and Basic Training School

ECFS = Empire Central Flying School

E/F = Engine Failure

EFS = Empire Flying School

EFTS = Elementary Flying Training School

"F"

FA = Flying Accident

FAA = Fleet Air Arm

"Fan" = Propeller

FB = Flying Battle (damage)

FBDF = Flying Boast Development Flight

FBSU = Flying Boast Servicing Unit

FC = Ferry Control

FCS = Fighter Control School

FCTS = Fighter Controllers Training School

FE = Far East / Flight Engineer

FEAF = Fat East Air Force

FEC = Far East Command

FFAF = Free French Air Force

FFS = Fire Fighting School

FFU = Film Flight Unit

F/O or Fg Off = Flying Officer (rank)

"(Mr.) Fireworks" = Armaments Officer

FIS = Flying Instructors School

"Flak" = Anti-Aircraft Fire

"(to) Flannel" = To seek favour by fawning

"Flap" = A disturbance or Other general excitement

"G"

(G) = Gunnery Officer

"Gallopers" = Warrant Officers rank badges

GAL = General Aircraft Limited - Part of CRO

GAS = Ground Armament School

GC = George Cross (medal)

GCB = Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

GD = General Duties

"Gen" = Information of any kind

"George" = The Automatic Pilot

"Get Cracking" = Get Going

"Get Some In" = Get some service (time) in

"Get Weaving" = Get Cracking

GGS = Ground Gunners School

"Glamour Badge" = Brevet

"Glamour Boys" = Fighter Command pilots

GM = George Medal

"Gone For A Burton" = Air Crew whose has been killed

"H"

HAD = Home Aircraft Depot

"Harbour Master" = Commanding Officer of a Station

"Have Had It "= To have been killed or if said ironically to mean the opposite -

                      NOT to have been killed

HC = Home Command

HCB = Heavy Conversion Base

HCU = Heavy Conversion Unit

HD = Home Defence

HE = Home Embarkation

"Hedge Hoping" = Flying so low that the aircraft appears to be flying over hedges

"I"

(I) = Intelligence Officer

IAF = Indian Air Force

IANS - Initial Air Navigation School

IAM = Institute of Aviation Medicine

IFTS = Initial Flying Training School

ITS = Initial Training School

ITW - Initial Training Wing

"J"

JAPIC = Joint Air Photographic Intelligence Centre

"Jankers" = Duties performed while confined to camp (form of punishment)

JARIC = Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre

JATE = Joint Air Transport Establishment

"Jink" = A sharp manoeuvre or sudden evasive action

JSSC = Joint Services Staff College

"K"

"Kee-toi-ing" = Crush of any kind - often an sudden crush "in love"

KF = King's Flight

"Kipper Kite" = Coastal Command aircraft, which convoy fishing fleets in the North and Irish Seas

"Kite "= Aeroplane

"L"

(L) = Legal Branch Officer

LAC = Leading Aircraftman

LACW = Leading Aircraftwoman

"(to) Lay on" = To arrange or produce anything

"Left, right and center" = All over the place

LSGM = Long Service and Good Conduct Medal

"M"

(M) = Medical Officer

MAAF = Malayan Auxiliary Air Force / Mediterranean Air Force

MAEOp = Master Electronics Operator

"Mae West" = Life-saving vest, which can be inflate if the wearer

                      falls into the water

MALM = Master Air Loadmaster

MAMS - Mobile Air Movements Squadron

MASAF = Mediterranean Allied Strategic Air Force

MATAF = Mediterranean Allied Tactical Air Force

MBE = Member (of the Order of the) British Empire

MBF = Mobile Balloon Flight

(Mc) = Marine Craft Officer

MC = Military Cross (medal)

MCC&FF = Maintenance Command Communications and Ferry Flight

MCCS/F = Maintenance Command Communications

MCRS = Marine Craft Repair Section

MCS = Metropolitan Communications Squadron

MCTC = Military Corrective Training Centre

MCTS = Marine Craft Training Centre

MCU = Mosquito Conversion Unit / Meteorological Conversion Unit

ME = Middle East

MEAF = Middle East Air Force

MEAS = Middle East Armament School

"N"

(N) = Navigation Instruction Officer

NAAF = NorthWest African Air Forces

NACAF = NorthWest African Coastal Air Forces

NATAF = NorthWest African Tactical Air Forces

NATS = National Air Traffic Services

NCO = Non-Commissioned Officer

NEA = Non-Effective Airframe

NEC = Near East Command

NEAF = Near East Air Force

NFLS = Night Fighter LEaders School

"Nothing On The Clock Except Smiths" = To run out of altitude, fuel, etc.

                  (nothing showing on the instruments except the markers name

                  "Smiths")

"O"

OADF/U = Oversea Delivery Flight / Unit

OAFU = Overseas Delivery Ferry Unit

(O)AFC = (Observer) Advance Flying Unit

OASC = Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre

OATS = Officers Advanced Training School

OBE = Officer (of the Order of the) British Empire

OCC = Officer Command Course

OCTU = Officer Cadet Training Unit

OCU = Operational Conversion Unit

OFU = Overseas Ferry Unit

"Q"

QCS = Queen's Colour Squadron

QF = Queen's Flight

QGM = Queen's Gallantry Medal

QFI = Qualified Flying Instructor

QNI = Qualified Navigation Instructor

"Queen Bee" = Senior WAAF (Administrative) Officer on a Station

"Quick Squirt" = Short burst of fire (machine gun)

"Quickie" = A quick anything

"R"

"Rack Ape" = RAF Regiment

RAF = Royal Air Force

RAAA = Repaired and Awaiting Allocation

RAAF = Royal Australian Air Force

RACP = Reserve Air Crew Poll

RAE = Royal Aircraft Establishment

RAFC = Royal Air Force College

RAF FC = Royal Air Force Flying College

RAFG = Royal Air Force Germany

RAFO = Reserve of Air Force Officers

RAFVR = Royal Air Force Volunteers Reserve

RAFTC = Royal Air Force Technical College

"Rang the bell" = Got good results

RATG/W = Rhodesia Air Training Group/Wing

RAuxF = Royal Auxiliary Air Force

RC = Recruits Centre

RCAF = Royal Canadian Air Force

RDAF = Royal Danish Air Force

RDFS = Radio Direction Finding School

RDP = Recruits Disposal Pool

REAF = Royal Egyptian Air Force

REC = Release Embarkation Centre

Res = Reserve

RFC = Royal Flying Corps

RFS = Reserve Flying School

RFTS = Refresher Flying Training School

"T"

(T)(a) = Armament Officer

(T)(e) = Engineering Officer

(T)(s) = Signals Officer

TAF = Tactical Air Force

"Tail-end-Charlie" = Rear Gunner in large bomber

"Tapes" = Non-Commissioned Officers "stripes"

"Tate And Lyles" = Warrant Officers rank badges

TC = Transport Command / Training Command

TCG/W =Troop Carrier Group/Wing

TCU = Transport Conversion Unit

TDY = Temporary Duty

"Tear A Strip Off" = Reprimand severely, a dressing down, a speaking too

TFP = Training Ferry Pool

TG = Trade Group

"U"

U/S = Unserviceable - anything that is broken

UAS - University Air Squadron

"V"

VAD = Voluntary Air Detachment

VC = Victoria Cross (medal)

VGS = Volunteer Gliding School

"View" = RAF Personnel always take a "view of things" - good, poor, dim, etc.

VM - Victory Medal

"X,Y,Z"

> Nothing Noted <

"W"

WA - West Africa

WSI = War Service Increment

"B"

"Bit Of Fluff" = A girl, often the fluffy kind

"(a) Black" = Something or Some Action done badly (a "bad show")

"Blackout" or "Twilights" = WAAF issue knickers (under pants)

                                  - black in colour

"(a solid lump of ) Blitz" = A large formation of enemy aircraft

"Blood Wagon" or "Meat Wagon" = Ambulance

"Bog Rat" = Recruit (a bog rate is the lower form of life the RAF can imagine)

BOU = Bomber Operational Training Unit

"Bought It" = Killed

BPD = Base Personnel Depot

"Brassed Off" = A variant of "Browned off"

"Browned Off" = Unhappy with things or Displeased

"Brown Jobs" = Army Personnel

BSC = Basic Staff Course

BTB = Balloon Training Base

BTD = Balloon Training Depot

"Bumph" or "Bumf" = Useless Information

"Bus Driver" = Bomber Pilot

"Buttoned Up" = Job or Task which has been completely mastered

BWM = Britsh War Medal

"C"

(C)OTU = (Coastal) Operational Training Unit

"Completely Cheesed" = At a complete loss or Completely fed up

"Completely Surrounded" = No hope at all

"Cookhouse Waller" = Anyone of the staff in the cookhouse

"Corkscrew" = To take evasive action during a fighter attack

COTU = Coastal Operation Training Unit

Cpl = Corporal

CRO = Civilian Repair Organisation

CRP = Contractor's Repair Party

CPSU = Carrier Pigeon Service Unit

"Crabbing Along "= Flying near to the ground or water

"Crate" = An Aeroplane

"Crawler" = One who suck's up to someone of superior rank

CS = Communication Squadron

CS(A) = Controller of Supply (Aircraft)

CSFU = Church of Scotland and Free Churches

C/T - Chief Technician

CTU = Conversion Training Unit

CWS = Central Wireless School / Chemical Warfare School

"Cypher-queen" = Senior Cypher Officer (WAAF)

"D"

"Dim" = Slow-witted "(to go like a) Ding Bat" = To travel at high rate of speed

"Do A Bunk" = To leave without permission

"(the right) Drill" = The correct method of doing something

"(go down in the) Drink" = to crash-land in the sea

DSC = Distinguished Service Cross (medal)

DSM = Distinguished Service Medal

DSO - Distinguished Service Order (medal)

"Dud" = Used to describe un-fit flying weather

"Duff Gen" = Incorrect or Bad Information

"Dust Bin" = Rear gunner's lower position on an aircraft

DWAAF = Director of WAAF

"E"

E&RFTS = Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School

EGM = Empire Gallantry Medal

EGS = Elementary Gliding School

ENSA = Entertainments National Service Association

EO = Education Officer

ERFTS = Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School

"Erik" = Aircraftman or Aircraftwoman

ERS = Empire Radio School

ETPS = Empire Test Pilots School

EWS = Electrical and Wireless School

"F"

"(in a) Flat Spin" = Complete confused

"Flat Out" = Complete exhausted

Flt = Flight

Flt Cdr = Flight Commander

F/L = Flight Lieutenant / Forced Landing

F/lt or Flt Lt = Flight Lieutenant

F/O or Fl O = Flying Officer

FM(A) = Flight Mechanic (Airframes)

FM(E) = Flight Mechanic (Engines)

FP = Ferry Pool

FPDU = Field Punishment and Detention Centre

FPP(U) = Ferry Pilots Pool (Unit)

FRU = Field (Forward) Repair Unit

F/S or F/Sgt. = Flight Sergeant

FT = Flying Training

FTC = Flying Training Command

FTFlt = Ferry Training Flight

FTS = Flying Training School

FTU = Ferry Training Unit

FU = Ferry Unit

"G"

"Gong" = Medal

"Got The Chop" = A person that was killed

GOTU = Glider Operational Training Unit

Gp or Grp = Group

G/C or Gp Capt or "Groupy"= Group Captain

GPR = Glider Pilot Regiment

GR = General Reconnaissance

GRU = Gunnery Research Unit

"Gravey" = Petrol or Gasoline

"Greenhouse" = Cockpit cover

"Gremlins" = The "little men" of the RAF or Imaginary figure that causes something to go wrong

"Grocers" = Suppliers

GSM = General Service Medal

GSU = Group (or Ground_ Support Unit

GSTS = General Service Training School

"H"

HGCU = Heavy Glider Conversion Unit

HGSU = Heavy Glider Servicing Unit

HGTU = Heavy Glider Training Unit

HMT = His/Her Majesty's Troopship

"Hooching" = Pub crawling

HSL - High Speed Launch

HTCU = Heavy Transport Conversion Unit

"Hughie" = Australian and New Zealand (informal) the god of rain and the god

                    of surf especially in the phases "send her down, Hughie!"

                    or "Send 'em up, Hughie"

"M"

MEC = Middle East Command

MECGS - Middle East Central Gunnery School

MEDME - Mediterranean and Middle East

MEFC = Meddle East Ferry Control

MET(Met) = Meteorological

METS = Middle East Torpedo (Training) School

MFH = Mobile Field Hospital

"Mickey Mouse" = Bomb dropping mechanism

MiD = Mentions in Dispatches

MOA = Ministry of Aviation

MOD = Ministry of Defence

MOS = Ministry of Supply

MRAF = Marshal of the Royal Air Force

MRT = Mountain Rescue Team

MSFU = Merchant Ship Fighter Unit

MT = Mechanical (motor) Transport

MTMS = Mechanical Transport Maintenance Section

MTU = Mechanical Transport Unit

MU = Maintenance Unit

MV = Merchant Vessel

"N"

NREF = North Russian Expeditionary Force

NS = National Service

NWAFF = North West African Air Force

NWAAASC = North West African Air Service Command

NWACAF = North West African Coastal Air Force

NWATC = North West African Training Command

NWATCC = North West African Troop Carrier Command

NWASAF = North West African Strategic Air Force

NSATAF = North West African Tactical Air Force

NWFP = North West Frontier Province

"O"

"Office" = Cockpit

"On your knees" = Too tired to stand

"One Piper" = An Army second lieutenant

"Operational" = Anything that actually "does the job".

                            For example an aircraft, fountain pen, shoes, the weather

ORB = Operational Records Book

OSC = Overseas Staff College

OTS = Officers Training School/Squadron

OTU = Operational Training Unit

"P"

'Plumbers" = Engineers

P/O or Plt Off = Pilot Officer

PMRAFNS = Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service

PNB = Pilot Navigation Bomber

POTU = Polish Operational Training Unit

PoW or POW = Prisoner of War

PRC = Personnel Reception Centre

P&SS = Provost and Security Services

(PT) = Physical Training Officer

PTC = Personnel Transit Centre

P&TJ = Palestine and Trans Jordan

PST = Parachute Training School

"Pulchritude" = Wizard wench - A glamour girl

"Pull You Finger Out!" = Stop loafing and get going

"Put You rProps Up" = To be promoted to Leading Aircraftsman or

                                    Leading Aircraftswoman - which allowed for

                                    the sewing on of a propeller insignia on the sleeve

"Prang" = Crash - usually referring to the crash of an aircraft but sometimes used to describe braking up with a girlfriend

"Plug Away" = Continue for fire or to keep after a target

"Pukka Gen" = Accurate information of any kind

"Pulpit" = Cockpit

"P"

PACT = Preliminary Air Crew Training

"Pack Up" = To cease to function

PAF = Polish Air Force

(P)AFU = (pilot) Advance Flying Unit

PAF BTS = Polish Air Force Boys Training School

"Pancake" = To land an aircraft, formally meaning a crash landing, but used

                        now to refer to any landing at all

PATP = Packed Aircraft Transit Pool

PC = Permanent Commission

PCF = Pioneer Conversion Flight

PCSS = Protectorate Communication and Support Squadron

PDC = Personnel Dispatch Centre

"(to) Peel Off" = To break formation

PFB = Preliminary Flying Badge

PFF = Pathfinder Force

PFF(NTU) = Pathfinder Force (Navigational Training Unit)

PFTS = Polish Flying Training School

(Ph) = Photographic Officer

"Pickled As A Newt" = Tiddly or Slight drunk

"Piece Of Cake" = A gift from the gods something easily obtained or completed with little effort

"(to) Play Pussy" = To hide in the clouds

"Pleep" = A Squeak, similar to a high pitched klaxon

"Plonk" = Recruit

"R"

RHAF = Royal Hellenic Air Force

RIAF = Royal Indian Air Force

RIMU = Radio Installation and Maintenance Unit

"Ring Conscious" = Conscious of rank (officer)

"Ring" = Rank designation on an officers cuff

RIW = Repaired In Works

RLC = Rest and Leave Camp

RMAF = Royal Malaysian Air Force

RMU = Radio Maintenance Unit

RNAS = Royal Naval Air Service

RNethAF = Royal Netherlands Air Force

RNoAF = Royal Norwegian Air Force

ROC = Royal Observer Corps

"Ropey" = Uncomplimentary adjective - rope landing, ropey type,

                    ropey evening

ROS = Repaired On Site

RPAF = Royal Pakistan Air Force

RRAF = Royal Rhodesian Air Force

RS = Radio School

RSU/S - Repair and Servicing Unit/Section / Repair and Salvage Unit

"S"

S of A = School of Administration

S of AC = School of Airfield Construction / School of Army Co-Operation

S of AE = School of Aeronautical Engineering

S of AG = School of Air Gunnery

S of AN = School of Air Navigation

S of AP = School of Air Pilotage

S of AS = School of Air Support

S of ASR = School of Air Sea Rescue

S of AT = School of Air Transport

S of ATC = School of Air Traffic Control

S of C = School of Catering

S of CSR = School of Combat Survival and Rescue

S of FC = School of Fighter Control / School of Ferry Control

S of GR = School of General Reconnaissance

S of JSPT = School of Jungle Self Preservation Training

S of LAW = School of Land/Air Warfare

S of MR = School of Maritime Reconnaissance

S of N&BN = School ot Navigation and Bomb Dropping

S of NC = School of Naval Co-Operation

S of P = School of Photography

S of RF - School of Refresher Flying

S of RT = School of Recruit Training

S of SF = School of Special Flying

S of TT = School of Technical Training

SOAF = Sultan of Oman's Air Force

SOC = Struck Of Charge

SOE = Special Operations Executive

SOM = School of Music

(SP) = Special Duties Officer

SP = Starting Point / Service Police

"Spun In" = Any bad mistake

"Sprog" = Brand new in uniform - newly commissioned officer

"Squaff" = Squadron Officers (WAAF)

Sqd or SQN or SQDN or Sqn'd = Squadron

Sq O = Squadron Officer

SRAF = Southern Rhodesian Air Force

SSU = Special Signals Unit / Special Servicing Unit

SSVAF = Straits Settlements Volunteer Air Force

STC = Strike Command

"Stooge" = A sind-in, a deputy, anyone who does something for someone else

"Stooging About" = Patrolling, flying slowly over an area, usually looking for

                                   trouble

SU = Signals Unit

SupO = Supply Officer

"T"

TP = Test Pilot

TSCU = Transport Support Conversion Unit

"The Sky Pilot" = RAF Chaplin

"Tick Off "= Slight less serve than a "tearing a strip off"

"Tiddly" = Slight drunk

"Touch Bottom" = Crash

"Toys" = A great deal of training equipment

"(driving the) Train" = Leading more than one squadron into battle

"Type" = "Classification" = often referring to people: good, bad, ropey, etc

TT = Technical Training

TTC = Technical Training Command

TTD = Technical Training Depot

"0-9"

1PRC = No 1 Personnel Reception Centre
11RC = Recruitment centre at Skegness
101 PDC at " Warton"
101TW at Scarborough
2TAF = Second Tactical Air Force
3204 S = 3204 Servicing Commandos served in the Middle East
4 AGS = Air Gunnery School At Morpeth