Flyboys?

Subject: Flyboys?
From: Yeff
Date: 12/16/03 8:34 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id:

On 16 Dec 2003 16:17:44 GMT, ArtKramr wrote:

Flyboy was a term of admiration and envy. Of course tone of voice had
something to do with it too.

Sort of like when your TI in basic training calls you "hero..."
("What are you, some type of he-ro?")

-Jeff B.
yeff at erols dot com


Yeah. That too. (grin)

Regards,


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

Flyboys was a generic term for aircrew. You might hear it used when you went
into a cafe in your uniform and sat down at the counter. The waitress, handing
you a menu, would say, "Hiya, flyboy!"
Or you might be at a train station trying to get transportation and the ticket
booth guy might turn to somebody and say, "Hey, I got a bunch of flyboys here
who need to get to Greenville."
No offense intended or implied.
The term is beaten into the ground in the book.
Just for the hell of it, I looked in a dictionary of slang to see if the term
is there. It is. The entry says, in part, "An aviator, esp. a glamorous,
heroic or daring aviator. In WWII usu. used ironically. Now derog., implying
snobbishness, youth and cautiousness."


Chris Mark

"Chris Mark" wrote in message
...

The entry says, in part, "An aviator, esp. a glamorous,
heroic or daring aviator".

Yup!! That would be the right one all right!!!! :-))))

Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired
For personal email, please replace
the z's with e's.
dhenriquesATzarthlinkDOTnzt

Subject: Flyboys?
From: "Dudley Henriques"
Date: 12/16/03 11:17 AM Pacific Standard Time
Message-id: t


"Chris Mark" wrote in message
...

The entry says, in part, "An aviator, esp. a glamorous,
heroic or daring aviator".

Yup!! That would be the right one all right!!!! :-))))

Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired
For personal email, please replace
the z's with e's.
dhenriquesATzarthlinkDOTnzt



Aw shucks. Tweren't nuthin'. (shy grin)


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

"Chris Mark" wrote...
Flyboys was a generic term for aircrew. You might hear it used when you went
into a cafe in your uniform and sat down at the counter. The waitress,
handing
you a menu, would say, "Hiya, flyboy!"

One crusty ol' CAG MO used to refer to us as "boy pilots" -- especially after
telling us how we broke "his" planes again...

"C Knowles" wrote:

Nope, but I have had it thrown in my face once or twice. By a ground
pounder.
Curt


I can confirm that that's the connotation in the Canadian
Military.

-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"

(ArtKramr) wrote:


Flyboy was a term of admiration and envy. Of course tone of voice had
something to do with it too.

Regards,


Arthur Kramer

That certainly wasn't my interpretation Art. Mind you, I speak
only for my impression of the Canadian Military with some contact
with other militaries, and for the 26 year period that I served.
Of course YMMV.

Can you imagine answering the question "What do you do in the
military?"...."well, I'm a flyboy" snort

-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"

"Dudley Henriques" wrote:


Although I'm sure there were those who might have used this term in a
derogatory way, it should be noted that the term itself is so generic that
it's use was certainly not limited to a negative context alone.
I'm fairly certain that there were many who used this term in an extremely
positive sense as the term related to them personally, and their positive
feelings about those who were fighting above them or for them, and in many
cases, protecting them.
I know that in my years of association with those who have flown in harm's
way, I can't remember anyone having a violent reaction to the term.
Dudley Henriques

I find it amazing that you could say that, Of course you've
amazed me before so I shouldn't be surprised I guess. I suppose I
shouldn't knock your misinterpetation here because you're
speaking from almost zero experience aren't you?. That shouldn't
surprise me by now either I guess.

I'll merely state that not once in my 26 years in the military
have I ever heard anyone call anyone a 'flyboy' with other than
derision in mind. Not once. Derision only. Sorry.

-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"

Having been a ground pounder, then an aircrewman during the 1980s, my
experience with the term is limited. As jet mechs, we called the "pretty boys"
in flight suits that never had to stand a watch or get dirty by the negative
term "fly boys". Later, when it was my time in the flightsuit, periodically I
would be approached by women that used the term with much greater affection and
appreciation. I think that the term can be used like almost every other term,
either positively or negatively.

v/r
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR

Donate your memories - write a note on the back and send those old photos to a
reputable museum, don't take them with you when you're gone.

"Dudley Henriques" wrote:


"Chris Mark" wrote in message
...

The entry says, in part, "An aviator, esp. a glamorous,
heroic or daring aviator".

Yup!! That would be the right one all right!!!! :-))))

Dudley Henriques

....and in another part:

Now derog., implying
snobbishness, youth and cautiousness."

Yep!!...that would be the right one...


-Gord.

"I'm trying to get as old as I can,
and it must be working 'cause I'm
the oldest now that I've ever been"