Acronyms, Abbreviations and Terms

Air Force Personnel/Ranks

CAS

Chief of Air Staff

A/C/M

Air Chief Marshall

A/M

Air Marshall

A/V/M

Air Vice Marshall

A/C

Air Commodore

G/C

Group Captain (Groupy)

W/C

Wing Commander (Wingco)

S/L

Squadron Leader

Sq/O

Squadron Officer

F/L

Flight Lieutenant

F/O

Flight Officer

P/O

Pilot Officer

WO1

Warrant Officer 1st Class

WO2

Warrant Officer 2nd Class

F/S

Flight Sergeant (Chiefy)

Sgt

Sergeant

Cpl

Corporal

LAC

Leading Aircraftsman

LAW

Leading Aircraftswoman

AC1

Aircraftsman First Class

AC2

Aircraftsman Second Class

RAAF

Royal Australian Air Force

RAF

Royal Air Force

RCAF

Royal Canadian Air Force

RNZAF

Royal New Zealand Air Force

USAAF

United States Army Air Force

WAAF

Woman's Auxiliary Air Force

WD

Woman's Division (RCAF)

B Cmd

Bomber Command

PFF

Path Finder Force

MU

Maintenance Unit

SHQ

Station Head Quarters

Sqn

Squadron

SSQ

Station Sick Quarters

AG

Air Gunner

AOC

Air Officer Commanding

BA

Bomb Aimer

CAN/RAF

Canadian in the RAF

CO

Commanding Officer

FE

Flight Engineer

i.c.

in charge

MB

Master Bomber, pilot controlling a bomber raid

NCO

Non Commissioned Officer

OC

Officer Commanding

ORs

Other ranks

RG

Rear Gunner

POW

Prisoner of War

WAG

Wireless Air Gunner

WOp

Wireless Operator

Training

AAS

Air Armament School

ACTS

Air Crew Training School

AFU

Advanced Flying School

ANS

Air Navigational School

AOS

Air Observer School

BCATP

British Commonwealth Air Training Plan

B & GS

Bombing and Gunnery School

CFB

Canadian Forces Base

CFS

Central Flying School

CGS

Central Gunnery School

EFTS

Elementary Flying Training School

ETS

Empire Training School

FIS

Flying Instructors School

FTS

Flying Training School

HCU

Heavy Conversion Unit

ITS

Initial Training School

MD

Manning Depot

OTU

Operational Training Unit

SFTS

Service Flying Training School

TTS

Technical Training School

Common References

AA

Anti-aircraft fire

ACHU

Aircrew Holding Unit

Ack-ack

Anti-aircraft fire

AFC

Air Force Cross

AFS

Auxiliary Fire Service

ASR

Air Sea Rescue

BAT

Blind Approach Training

BEM

British Empire Medal

BD

Battle Dress

CB

Confine to Barracks

CDB

Coastal Defence Battery

CGM

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal

DBR

Damaged Beyond Repair

DFC

Distinguished Flying Cross

DFM

Distinguished Flying Medal

DSO

Distinguished Service Order

E/A

Enemy Aircraft

ENSA

Entertainments National Service Association

ETA

Estimated Time of Arrival

FIDO

Fog investigation dispersal operation

Fishpond

Airborne Radar warning for bombers

Flak

Ack-ack

GC

George Cross

GEE

Medium range radio aid for navigation and target identification

GM

George Medal

HAA

Heavy anti-aircraft

HE

High explosive bomb

H/F

Heavy Flak

IC

Incendiary bomb

ID

Identification

IFF

Identify friend/foe

K

Decoy day time airfield (spoof)

KIA

Killed in action

KIFA

Killed in flying accident

LAA

Light anti-aircraft

L/F

Light Flak

LMF

Lack of moral fibre

MBE

Member of the Order of the British Empire

MC

Medium casing (bomb)

MIA

Missing in action

MiD

Mention in Despatches

Monica

Airborne tail warning radar

MT

Motor transport

NAAFI

Navy, Army & Air Force Institute

NFS

National Fire Service

Nickel

Propaganda leaflet

OBE

Officer of the Order of the British Empire

Oboe

Blind bombing and target marking system controlled from ground radar stations

Ops

Operations

ORB

Operations Record Book

Q

Decoy night time airfield

QL

Decoy night time light site

QF

Decoy night time fire site

RDF

Radio direction finding

RT

Radio Transmitter

S/E

Single engined

SBC

Small bomb container

SOC

Struck off charge

T/E

Twin engined

TI

Target indicator

U/S

Unserviceable

UXB

Unexploded bomb

V1

Flying bomb

V2

A4 artillery rocket

VC

Victoria Cross

Window

Metallic strips dropped from aircraft to confuse enemy radar

W/T

Wireless transmitter

Slang

Ammo

Ammunition

Apron

Tarmac surrounding the hanger

Bale out

To leave the aircraft in mid air using a parachute

Belly landing

A landing made with wheels up

Blackouts

WAAF issue knickers

Blood wagon

Ambulance

Bought it

Killed or shot down

Bumf

Leaflets dropped from aircraft

Buzz bomb

V1 flying bomb

Circuits and bumps

Practicing landings

Circus

Fighter escorted short range bombing attack

Cookie

4000 lbs bomb

Flip

A short flight

Gardening

Mine-laying

Gen

Any kind of information

George

Aircraft auto pilot

Goose neck

Wicks soaked in drums of parafin

Grand Slam

22000 lbs bomb

Halibag

Halifax aircraft

Kite

Aircraft

Mae West

Inflatable life-saving vest

Office

Cockpit or rear gunners position

Op

Operation

Pancake

Crash land with wheels up

Prang

Crash

Queen Bee

Senior Admin WAAF/WD Officer

Scotch mist

Implies bad eyesight

Scrub

Cancel

Shaky do

Dangerous operation

Sprog

Newly commissioned officer

Stooge

Stand in

Tail end Charlie

Rear gunner

Tall-boy

12000 lbs bomb

Tiddly

Intoxicated

Vegetables

Air dropped mines

Wimpey

Wellington aircraft

Wizard

First class

Write off

A crashed aircraft beyond repair