AAF: Army Air Forces
Abort: Turn back from a mission before reaching the target.
Ace: Pilot destroying 5 or more Enemy Aircraft in the air.(In Germany The term used was "experten")
A/C: Aircraft
AFB: Air Force Base
AM: Air Medal
Angels: Altitude in thousands of feet.
API: Armor-piercing Incendiary ammunition
Bandit: Enemy Aircraft
Belly-in: (Belly Landing) Slang for Wheels-up/Landing gear-up landing.
Big Friend: Friendly Bombers
Bird: Aircraft
Bogey or Bogies: Unidentified Aircraft
Bounce: Attack, by surprise, another aircraft.
Briefing: Detailed instructions given to Combat Pilots/Crews prior to a
mission.
Buster: Maximum Emergency Power
"Caterpillar Club": (Unofficial,) Anyone who has parachuted from stricken aircraft to save their life
C/C: Crew Chief
Chandelle: Reversal of course by a sharp climbing turn.
Chattanooga: Code Name for a mission against rail targets.
C.O.: Commanding Officer
Contrails: Vapor trails behind engines of high flying aircraft.
Deck: Ground Level or very close to the ground!
Deflection Shot: Firing at an aircraft from a side angle, "leading" the
target.
Ditch: Crash-landing into water.
DFC: Distinguished Flying Cross
Dry run: Rehearsal
Element: The basic Fighter Unit of two aircraft, Lead and Wingman.
E.T.O.: European Theatre of Operations
FG: Fighter Group (Ftr. Gp.)
Flak: Anti-aircraft Fire. From the german - Flieger Abwehr Kanonen.( Also called ack-ack)
Flight: Formation of two Elements or four aircraft.
Fort: Nickname for the B-17 Flying Fortress Heavy Bomber.
Frags: Fragmentation Bombs
FS: Fighter Squadron (Ftr. Sq.)
FW: Fighter Wing
Fw or FW: Focke-Wulf (German Aircraft)
FW-190: One of the primary single-engine German fighter aircraft of the war.
Gaggle: Collection or assemblage of loose flying/organised aircraft.
"Gold Fish Club": Unofficial, Survival after "ditching"
Group: Three or four Squadrons, usually 48 aircraft.
(H): Heavy
Hq or HQ: Headquarters
Jerry: Slang for German soldier.
KIA: Killed in Action
Kraut: Slang term used by US personel for the German Soldiers.
(L): Light
Lead or Leader: First Aircraft and Pilot in an Element
Little Friend: Allied Fighter
"Lucky B***ard Club": Unofficial, Bomber crewman completing Tour of
Operations
Lufberry: Tight turning offensive or defensive circle ( named for Raoul Lufbery of
WWI)
(M): Medium
Mae West: Slang for inflatable life-vest.
Me or ME: Messerschmitt (German Aircraft)
ME-109 (often Bf-109): One of the primary German single engine fighter aircraft of the war.
ME-110: A twin-engined German fighter/bomber aircraft with a crew of three.
MIA: Missing in Action
Milk Run: An easy mission.
MTO: Mediterranian Theatre of Operations
OD: Olive-Drab Color
OLC: Oak Leaf Cluster - for additional Awards to a Medal.
O'Clock: Reference Direction. 12 O'Clock - directly ahead; 6 O'Clock -
directly behind.
P-38 Lightning: Twin engined, tailed fighter aircraft (US)
P-51 Mustang: One of the primary single-engine allied fighter aircraft.(US)
POW: Prisoner of War
Ramrod: Bomber Escort mission
Rhubarb: Strafing Sweep by a few aircraft.
Section: Formation of Two Flights or eight aircraft
Silk: Slang for parachute.
Split-S: To half-roll into the inverted position and pull the stick back to
dive vertically.
Squadron: 12 to 20 aircraft; three Squadrons, sometimes four, to a Group.
WIA: Wounded in Action
Wingman: Second Aircraft and Pilot in an Element.
ZI: Zone of the Interior (U.S.A.)
A BRIEF GLOSSARY
