Fleet Air Arm allowance for pilots to grow beard
- Thread starter Jenisch
- Start date
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FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
It's hard to get a good fit in an O2 mask with a beard and breathing O2 tends to give you a rash when you have facial hair.
parsifal
Colonel
It does, and for that reason many pilots in the RAN were not permitted to grow a beard. In the RAN you had to apply to grow a beard, and for the aircrew, it depended on your job spec as to whether you could get permission.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I think during the war the grooming standards were relaxed in combat zones, I know there are pictures of Joe Foss with a go-tee. In the 70s and the USN allowed longer hair and beards but they went by the wayside
- Thread starter
- #6
It appears we have another one here:
Picture found on this link:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8270787@N07/2833230822/lightbox/
Unfornately I also cannot confirm it's authenticity.
BTW, I already heard that the U-boat crew members could not shave off their beards during their combat tours. Anyone knows if this is truth, and if yes why they could not do this?
Maybe just to save water?
Crimea_River
Marshal
It's true and that's exactly the reason. Fresh water was very limited on the boats.
- Thread starter
- #9
Of course that a British carrier can't be compared with a U-boat and this might well be a silly question, but we can trutly reject this for the FAA carriers?
Beards are a tradition in all Navies. The modern services are getting away from those traditions though.
Just think of standing a watch on a very cold night with a bare face.
I've never had a beard, but when I'm deer hunting from a tree stand, I can certainly think of a good reason for one. Those bare cheeks and chin can get pretty miserable in cold weather.
Just think of standing a watch on a very cold night with a bare face.
I've never had a beard, but when I'm deer hunting from a tree stand, I can certainly think of a good reason for one. Those bare cheeks and chin can get pretty miserable in cold weather.
yulzari
Staff Sergeant
The Royal Naval ruling generally is that one needs permission to both stop shaving and to take up shaving afterwards. If the beard is not up to standard then the sailor may be instructed to recommence shaving.
In the Falklands conflict, IIRC, all naval personnel were instructed to shave off beards once they were deemed to be in the battle zone. This was to ensure any breathing masks used in damage control would seal properly. I cannot comment on aircrew in particular but the order was universal. As an ex NBC instructor I can assure you that a beard does not let a respirator seal and exposure to CS smoke will convince even the most sceptical who will agree with tears in their eyes; if only they could open them......
In the Falklands conflict, IIRC, all naval personnel were instructed to shave off beards once they were deemed to be in the battle zone. This was to ensure any breathing masks used in damage control would seal properly. I cannot comment on aircrew in particular but the order was universal. As an ex NBC instructor I can assure you that a beard does not let a respirator seal and exposure to CS smoke will convince even the most sceptical who will agree with tears in their eyes; if only they could open them......
Obviously you are someone who would know, but thanks for getting that correct.
Cheers
Steve
Glider
Captain
I totally agree with this. When we tested our gas masks by the simple and effective process of going into an air raid bunker before they chucked a load of CS gas in, the Instructors had a lot of fun at the expense of those who hadn't shaved their beards off.
What people say. The former JNA (Yugoslav Peoples Army, and that includes navy and air force) was strict that mustache is allowed to grow only above the down upper lip joint, for servicemen. The beard was allowed, for the reserve officers, to be of such small size that allows for a non-obstructed gas mask use.
Token
Senior Airman
Facial hair in the USN was more or less a standard thing up until about 1984 or so for enlisted personnel and officers in none pilot billets. Even flight crew, as long as not PIC or AC, could often have facial hair, for example I knew many an ECMO in the Prowler who had a facial hair. There were a couple of short periods prior to that when they revoked permissions for facial hair, but in general it was allowed. In either 1983 or 1984 the USN started clamping down. Officers lost beards first, then enlisted below E4. Eventually enlisted of any rank lost beards, and had limited mustaches. The stated reason for these changes were mask and breathing apparatus fitment and seal.
As for the other question of water on board carriers, yes, water was ALWAYS in short supply up until the advent of the CVNs. Even 1000 foot long Forrestal's and Kitty Hawks had trouble keeping up with water needs, let alone the little Essex class ships, or worse yet the "jeep" carriers (CVE's). The CVE's would have been the closest to the FAA carriers of WW II I would think.
T!
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
Thanks for that. When I was in the reserves I remember some of the older guys referring to that time as the "Zimwalt Navy." For a spell they were making having a moustashe difficult, measuring if it exceeded the egde of your lips.
Sydhuey
Airman
Commander "Sharkey" Ward , 3 kill Sea Harrier pilot
Ah good old CS. I think I left part of my lungs in the chamber.
The road right outside was known as chilimac road.
IIRC, Sharkey got the only aerial gun kill in the Falklands, against the Pucarra?
