Phonetic Alphabet

When I was training for my PPL I did call up Thruxton with the radio call:

“Thruxton Radio, this is Golf, Bravo, er, um, er, bugger! I can’t remember what ‘J’ is . . .”

(Thruxton, with a very tired voice) “Juliet”

Me: “Oh yes, Golf, Bravo, Juliet, November, Golf radio check and taxy . . “

Before radios it was done with hand signals at close quarter when in formation, as it was when radio silence had to be maintained. It is also possible that morse code may have been used but an Aldis lamp would have been too big and heavy for the a/c of the day.

Phonetic Alphabet

I did use the old alphabet for a bit, but there was an intermediate alphabet used for a short time. I can’t remember all the differences but It caused me some embarrasment when I went through OCU on Vampires at Pembrey in 1957. I had dutifully learned the intermediate one and at morning Met briefing one of us was nominated to stand up and spell a word on the briefing phonetically. On one day it was my turn and I dutifully went into the task, except we were by then on the new alphabet and I used the intermediate. The whole room dissolved into hilarity as one of the letters was C and instead of using Charlie I used Coca.

http://montgomery.cas.muohio.edu/meyersde/PhoneticAlphabets.htm

Not directly relevant to the question, but an interesting collection! (Might help spark some memories perhaps)