Fighting Irish Forums

There is a good account of life in East Africa with the SAAF at this time in the excellent SAAF Golden Jubilee Souvenir Book "Per Aspera ad Astra", published in January, 1970, which reads: "The average life of a wooden propeller with fabric covering was twelve take-offs. Living conditions were equally trying, with the pilots and aircrews sleeping out under tarpaulins hung between trees and bushes, with meals consisting of bully beef, black coffee and biscuits. Water was stringently rationed, only a gallon a day per person being allowed for all purposes. In typical undergraduate fashion the pilots adopted various outlandish nicknames. There was the Buna Kid, the Sultan of Osamandela, the Sheik of El Wak, the D.C. of Dalaki and there were the Ginsbergs. On one occasion the Sultan of Osamandela was sitting in a tree, clad only in a singlet, when a scramble came for an air raid. He rushed through the bush to his plane and was soon mixed up in a scrap with a group of Italian planes. A Caproni bomber was shot down. It crashed and burst into flames, four of the crew being killed. One of the survivors, burned and severely wounded, hobbled to a field dressing station. Even after the crash he still looked smart in his Italian Air Force uniform. Asking to meet the pilot who had shot him down he was presented to the Sultan. He took one look, shook his head sadly and remarked: 'To think that an ace of the Spanish War should be shot down by boys who fly naked!'

:FI:Heloego wrote:I'm kinda partial to "Hey, y'all! Watch this!"

guys, guys! where are you?