Just found this site,

Hi Guy's,

I am a regular lurker on TZ & MWR . As a serving soldier (Helicopter Pilot) please feel free to ask me to try and find out any Mil watch query's you have, i have very little knowledge myself but i do have access to the military network.

[mindbender]

Welcome to TZ-UK Grant. Hope you enjoy yourself here.

So, what watches do you own?

[Ming Thein]

Welcome, Grant!

One quick question: if you 'loose' your standard issue watch, do you have to pay to have it replaced? :wink:

Ming

[mindbender]

Welcome to TZ-UK Grant. Hope you enjoy yourself here.

So, what watches do you own?

Sorry, just saw your other post.

Yes I?m afraid we do have to pay, it?s not much in monetary terms (I'll find out the Seiko Chrono price tomorrow). The problem arises due to the nature of the issued item, a watch is classed as a 'starred' item, this means that a board of officer's must sit to establish the cause and blame of the loss, most get blamed on broken straps or misplacement (quite a few got lost in Iraq this year). The findings of the board can range from writing off the item to charging the individual involved (discipline charge)

[Ming Thein]

Thanks for the update. I would imagine straps break quite often - so that should be no surprise. Not sure what would happen if you had a higher than average rate of strap breakage though :shock: :lol:

Ming

[Crusader]

Hello Grant,

and welcome to the Forum.

I do not mean to exploit your generosity, but I would be interested to learn what proportion (in your guess) of flight personnel wear isseud watches and what proportion relies on watches purchased by themselves - I'd also be interested to learn which market watches will be favored by light personnel.

Thank you and best regards,

Crusader

[Afx]

Yes I?m afraid we do have to pay, it?s not much in monetary terms (I'll find out the Seiko Chrono price tomorrow). The problem arises due to the nature of the issued item, a watch is classed as a 'starred' item, this means that a board of officer's must sit to establish the cause and blame of the loss, most get blamed on broken straps or misplacement (quite a few got lost in Iraq this year). The findings of the board can range from writing off the item to charging the individual involved (discipline charge)

hi gaz, welcome aboard!
yup, I'd forgotten about the old starred items term...but some of the stupidest things used to appear as starred...weren't/aren't adjustable spannners classed as starred? I do remember the C class, BR and BLR though...handy if you are buds with the SQMS and after a few bits n bobs he can write off ;)

[Stan]

Grant,

I would be interested to know which watches are issued to serving forces at this time and what the opinions of said watches by the people that use them. :)

It would be good to keep up to date on these things. :wink:

Thanks.

[abraxas]

Welcome to the watchpit Grant. Let us know if we drive you crazy with too many questions. What watches do you have? Any good stories to tell?

Grant,

I would be interested to know which watches are issued to serving forces at this time and what the opinions of said watches by the people that use them. :)

It would be good to keep up to date on these things. :wink:

Thanks.

The subject was partly handled in this thread:

Current issue (British) military watches
http://www.tz-uk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2214

Unfortunately they all seem to be quartz. :cry: But it will be good to know what people who use them feel about them.

A long time ago I heard that there are some military environments (cockpits, gas filled rooms) where a phenomenon called 'sparking' is not allowed to happen - so quartz watches are banned - and they use Speedmasters. Anyone heard of this? Do British military use Speedmasters?

JD

Here's my best one



I will post some pics tonight.

[swanbourne]

Welcome to the forum Grant. If you have explored the other sub-forums, you will have discovered that we're not a particularly PC lot on here and that most threads eventually go way off topic and inevitably a picture of Kylie gets worked in somehow.

Are you AAC? I used to work in PB6, which was next door to PB14 in the MoD but that was a few years ago now and most of the people I knew then were seconded to the Wright Brothers project :wink:

Eddie

[Crusader]

Unfortunately they all seem to be quartz. :cry:

Weren't there a few Sea-Dwellers for those submarine-rescue-parachutists (can't remember their correct label)? All the other ones, including the Seamasters, are indeed quartz.

Crusader

[mindbender]

Beautiful watch Grant. Can you tell us anything about your Mil Sub? I don't really know anything about them.

[Ming Thein]

I love the look of that Milspec Sub :D

Just out of curiosity, Aren't the new ones 300 not 200m? Jocke?

Ming

Hi,

Crusader, most Aircrew seem to buy their own watches although some still were Seiko Chrono's. The majority wear Seiko flight computers and there is a spread of Brietling's, Tags and a few of us that wear Rolex. I don't recall hearing of issued Sea Dwellers.

Stan, I've posted some pics taken today in another topic.

Eddie, Yes i am now Army Air Corps, when i first joined (84) i was in the 17th/21st Lancers. I bet your glad your not up Glasgow with the rest of the MCM Div (we used to call them KGB14).

[Terry]

Grant,

Welcome and I'm sure your input will be highly appreciated at BMW.

Are the CWC's, Hamiltons and Smiths W10 mechanicals still in service?

Terry

[Crusader]

Hi,

Crusader, most Aircrew seem to buy their own watches although some still were Seiko Chrono's. The majority wear Seiko flight computers and there is a spread of Brietling's, Tags and a few of us that wear Rolex.

Hello Gazpilot,

Is the "Seiko flight computer" a type of Seiko watch, or a Seiko-made aviation instrument?

Anybody else know anything about it?

Many thanks and best regards,

Crusader

I think i may have mislead you, the flight computer it is in fact the seiko chrono with the slide rule bezel.

Hope this clears things up.

Terry, i have not seen any in the store, but the storeman wears a mechanical issue watch (not sure which one, but i'll try to get details).

[Mrcrowley]

Yet another question

What 'copter do you fly, & have you ever been in an Apache? I love those & will find some way of obtaining one if I win the lottery.

What? Someone had to ask a non watch question...............

Hi Paul,

At the moment I Fly gazelles mainly in the Forward air control, Artillery fire direction role. I have just been selected as a Apache simulator instructor, infact i am going to our training school on monday to start my course.

[Mrcrowley]

Are you allowed to have pics of the simulator? I watched a programme on them a while ago. Apparently the missiles when fired go from standstill to 1200mph :shock:

[Mrcrowley]

Just getting questions across i've always wondered. At the age of 8(before A level failure & my illness kicking in) I was determined to join the RAF.