Flight Cap/Cover wear

[Guest deweygcc]

Im wondering why do some guys crush the backs of their flight cover, so the back sticks up? Others will make a the back flatten out in the back. If you arent seeing what Im saying. When you put the cover on push the back down, it creates a tail look. Can anyone tell me why?

I heard a few things. In WWII the flight caps were crushed by the headset, and it stuck.

Another one was that guys with tons of hours "can" do it.

Then I heard that fighter/bomber guys wear the crushed-back-tail-sticks-up (USN speak ducktail)

And the heavy drivers wear the one with the back flatten and sticking out back.

If anyone knows the reason please let me know, and the correct names.

Also how much of a sierra do higher ranking officer give if you cover isnt two fingers from your brow...etc?

I ask because someone asked me why I did the 2nd one to my cover. I didnt even notice I did that. I would try to make the top peak and in doing that the back ended up sticking out.

[Toro]

Take your pick, but the two stories I've always heard have to do with the WWII idea about the headset crushing the hat and the "fighter tuck" where guys with a bunch of hours do it.

[Guest deweygcc]

So do only fighter guys do it? If so why do USN Academy Pilots/NFOs do it?

Which airframe does this? I know its usually fighter guys, but I saw a Bone and Buff driver at the HAWC wearing it, I don't think they had the hours. Also you need a buy a much bigger cover ,eh ?

Do you know anything about the other way? or is that like a said, doing it without knowing it?

[WHAP]

A friend of mine is learning 16s and he told me the dovetail is something that fighter pilots who are done with training do.

[HerkDerka]

Regarding the flight cap crush, it's one of those things that has no certain origin or qualifications

It's common to see fighter guys do it, but I know plenty of heavy drivers, to include flight engineers and loadmasters who wear it as well.

Regarding the origin, the crush most likely came from a combination of two things in WWII. The first is how pilots wore their headsets over their flight caps resulting in a crush after some combat time. The second being that Army Air Corps officers took the structure out of their wheel cap to distinguish themselves from infantry officers.

As to who wears it and why. There is no set reason, qualification, or flight hour minimum to wear the notch. Just be careful who you wear it in front of.

In my opinion, I'm all about it. It's an old tradition of a fighting corps that encourages morale and espirit-de-corps.

HD

[ 30. May 2004, 01:02: Message edited by: HercDriver24 ]

[Scooter14]

Nice talk, HD. I'm sure all the future female aviators and spouses that read this board are gonna love to see the moniker you used for the flight cap in your post, because chicks dig the C word. :eek:

[Scooter14]

I completely agree that the cap does resemble the anatomy. Those who know me know about my copious use of colorful language to describe things. I've calle the UHF antenna on the SOF truck the "Donkey Dick" and used the term "Tits Up" repeatedly, but in my 30 years on this earth, I've never ever seen a favorable reaction to the C word. Ever.

I can say **** all day long around my house (but not on this board apparently), but heaven help me if I refer to it as that. Just pointing it out, best of luck to ya and I hope you never meet my wife in a bar...

[ 23. May 2004, 22:00: Message edited by: PAB ]

[Guest jtpuro]

Come on HD, clean it up a little. There's no reason to use the "C" word on a public message board. It's totally unnecessary. I know you're married and I assume you're 20-something, so I would hope that your sense of humor is past the stage where you point and laugh at things that slightly resemble genitalia. Call it what you want at home, but not on a message board that potential pilots/officers read.

[Gravedigger]

I respectfully disagree with you jtpuro. While I agree that laughing at resemblence to genitalia is somewhat overdone and kinda stupid, I find nothing wrong with the names people use to describe things that might resemble something. I love that the military is full of slang names and things that only those in the military understand. It kind of separates those in the service from civilians. I look forward to learning all of these terms while I'm in the Air Force.

[Guest THE10MAN]

For the better and worse, it ain't your father's Air Force anymore. Just keep that in mind to help you keep the SA up. There's a time and a place, in other words.

[M2]

Hell, I was more offended when it was called a "cover." Please don't use ****ing Army terms for Air Force things.

Whoops, can't say "****ing"...sorry!

Thanks! M2

[HerkDerka]

Originally posted by jtpuro:

I would hope that your sense of humor is past the stage where you point and laugh at things that slightly resemble genitalia.

Oh yeah? Wait until you get into the flying community. There's a reason that we say things like "cranium" and "container".

I also find it interesting that you were offended by me saying "cunt" but not by PAB saying "dick" and "tits". They're all body parts aren't they? Let's get a little standarization here.

HD

[Guest ELan]

Didn't the term "C@#$ cap" come from WWII?? I thought that was the case, however I don't know if that is based in fact. If it's good enough for the WWII boys, how can it be wrong???

OH yeah, and if the C word offends you, the aircrew world isn't for you....

[Guest deweygcc]

Hey I like the word flight cap better but im new and didnt want to offend.

[zrooster99]

I don't think the use of the word ###### is age dependant either...my Dad still calls it a ###### cap and he's in his 50s...brits use the term all the time as in "you ######", or "look at that fat ######"...I guess some people are just more sensitive to the term...

[M2]

gearpig

Don't let the bastards get you down! You can still have a lot of fun in the USAF, you just gotta watch out for the PC types as they will stick it to you in a heartbeat. Just keep your SA on and enjoy...just don't expect to make O-6 either (or maybe even O-5!!).

Cheers! M2

[Scooter14]

Amen MajorMadMax!

I think Zrooster did set the record for the number of C words in a three line post. Four, to be exact, and he used them in varying context. Nicely done! Your 4th grade English teacher would be mighty proud.

[ 27. May 2004, 23:45: Message edited by: PAB ]

[Guest evil load]

We have to wear hats? When did this happen??

[Guest CameronW]

There are old black and white photos on the walls of my squadron of WW2 bomber pilots with the "pilot crunch" or whatever you want to call it. A lot of B-52 guys wear their flight caps like that for that reason alone- it's tradition. I'd say about 50% of us wear it, and most of those who do are the combat vets, although I haven't heard any rule, spoken or otherwise that only combat experienced aircrew can do it.

It is technically out of regs, but I have yet to have some staff weenie or uniform nazi give me any grief over it.

[ 28. May 2004, 22:32: Message edited by: CameronW ]

[Guest thebronze]

RE: The "Fighter Crush".

Or maybe some of us wear it because it looks better than the dorky way some ppl wear it

(eg., the tit out of the back, or on the very top of your gourd, w/ labia majora closed up).

RE: The "######-Cap".

Like it's been said, if those types of words offend you, you probably shouldn't be in the military, let alone flying.

Thebronze out!

[ 08. June 2004, 19:25: Message edited by: Johann ]

[M2]

Johann

Nice sentiment, but you are going to get schwacked quick if you think that the easily offended types aren't the military. The are rampant, and one offhand comment, such as using that term for a flight cap, overhead by these folks will quickly have the equal opportunity and legal folks on your *** faster than shit. A few years back at SOS we actually had a guy stand up in Polifika auditorium (a.k.a the Blue Bedroom) and in front of 700+ of his fellow CGOs ask Gen Ron Fogleman (then CSAF) what he was going to do to remove Playboy and other magazines that were, in his words, "offensive...especially to women of color" from the shelves of USAF BXs. Fogleman maintained his cool and said that decision was above his pay grade, but the sheer fact that someone felt they could stand up and ask such a stupid questions shows how bad things have gone since the days of painting naked women on the nose of aircraft.

I don't agree with it all, and luckily I work in a lovely bunker four floors under Europe with a lot of NATO types that have no idea what being PC is all about (God bless 'em); but much like Tailhook we have all learned the hard way (sts) that our profession has been infiltrated and it only takes on joke or crusty comment and the next thing you know you are the subject of the Spanish Inquisition. Personally I think it is the folly of bored minds, ‘cause it all seems to go by the wayside when the shooting starts and shit gets serious. But, in the meantime, to be forewarned is to be…well…whatever the **** that saying is!

Shit, just look at how certain words above are ****'d out on this forum. Why can I put icons in my post that pretty much say the same thing, , but I can't say shit or ****? (cool, I guess I can say shit!) Whatever happened to our right to free speech?!? I thought that was one of those part of the Constitution I have been protecting for the past 23 years! Awww....

Cheers! M2

[Scooter14]

Precisely my point. If you read my post, you'll see that it's not me that was offended, I was merely pointing out the fact that my wife (who is no longer easily offended, since she's been with me for 7+years) and other people read this board. We all have the right to free speech and the right to our own opinions, but a little SA is sometimes required. IMHO, I'll tell just about anyone to **** off, but the C word holds a special place in my heart for people I REALLY don't like.

Ah, the questions in Polifka Hall. Brings back memories. True story: we had a briefing about the Expeditionary Air Force concept. Some poor Major got up and spoke for about 45 minutes. He had slides, he had implementation dates, he had numbers. He showed what percentage of ANG/AFRC units would be integrated and when. He briefed it all ad nauseum. When he opened it up for questions, some reserve medical guy from Dobbins ARB stands up and asks, and I loosely quote...

"So, when does this expeditionary force concept start, and will it include the Guard and Reserves?"

The major just looked at him and then politely gave a 2 minute recap of the last 45 minutes of the briefing. We looked at each other and laughed about it for the rest of SOS.

[Guest Metalhead]

The way it was explained to me, the board has an 'auto-censor' that ***'s out all the naughty words. Except 'shit' apparently. The adminstrator personally doesn't mind you expressing you're self any ing way you ing want. Which is why there are all the pretty little icons. I guess when the 'auto-censor' is turned off, we get to cus, but the Air Force's 'Smart Filter' blocks the site. Or some shit like that. I don't ****'ing know.

[M2]

Metal

Thanks, ing nice of you to post that info!

Cheers! M2

[Guest CameronW]

Originally posted by Metalhead:

The way it was explained to me, the board has an 'auto-censor' that ***'s out all the naughty words. Except 'shit' apparently. The adminstrator personally doesn't mind you expressing you're self any ing way you ing want. Which is why there are all the pretty little icons. I guess when the 'auto-censor' is turned off, we get to cus, but the Air Force's 'Smart Filter' blocks the site. Or some shit like that. I don't ****'ing know.

The smart filter at work filters this forum as "porn or adult content." Are you telling me that the reason for that is the use of a few naughty words? lol