Call signs

Mudge · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 1:10 pm

OK...no laughing...I don't wanna' hear..."Boy, what a dumb question"
Now with that caveat out of the way, here goes...
Am I correct that during WWII, Pilots/Aviators did not use "call signs" but used their actual names in radio communications. That the only "call signs" that were used were the base/squadron/flight call signs?
Anyone?...Bueller?...anyone?

Mudge the semi-informed :roll:

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Fri Sep 30, 2005 9:40 pm

Squadrons usually had callsigns and individual flights used colors and then pilots in each flight numbers leader, 2,3 or 4 depending on their position in the flight.
Example, since were talking 79th FS if Capt Jack Ilfrey was leading red flight then he'd be Primrose Red Leader and ihs wingman Duane Kelso would be Primrose Red 2 and so on and so forth.

Raven · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2005 6:56 am

Depends on which air force you are talking about, but I believe generally in the British, Commonwealth and US forces Jack's answer is correct.

As we know, all German pilots could only say "Die Englander Pigdog" and Japanese pilots seemed to manage with "Bonsai! Arrrghhhh."

These facts may bear revision though.

Mudge · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2005 3:26 pm

Raven...All due respect but the correct cry is Japanese is "BANZAI".
A BONSAI is a small tree.
And wouldn't the German be "Würfel-Englischschweinhund"?

Mudge the cunning linguist

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2005 4:14 pm

Quote:

As we know

I didn't know that!

Quote:

all German pilots could only say "Die Englander Pigdog" and Japanese pilots seemed to manage with "Bonsai! Arrrghhhh."

Maybe that's why they lost?! I doubt if Japanese pilots say much of anything has about 99% didn't have radios. Has for the 'Pigdog' thiing I'll ask a fellow I known here in town who flew 110 nightfighters.

Raven · **Posted:** Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:48 pm

Quote:

BONSAI

Ay, Mudge the streightfaced - Is joke my fren'. :roll:

The serious point I wuz tryin' to make was we know a lot about 'our own' (whoever that may be) and precious little about the other guys way of doing things. There wuz a lota nationsd and arial forces in W.W.II, and they mostly did stuff diferent to t'others. What did (no nation stated) do during W.W.II is a bit vague...

Jack - for other reasons I'd really like to know what your Bf-110 guy can add. We have a lot on allied nightfighters, but I'm completely unaware of the German experience. I know they were ground directed and then locked on with their own radar - how did that all work; what did they say to each other? (Tracking the career of one Willi Morlock, Luftwaffe Bf-110 nightfighter ace.)

Roger, roger!

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