Royal Air Force

Abbreviations And Slang

 

Updated: February 2009

"C"

(C) – Coastal
C&SM – Sheet metal & Copper Smith
CA – Controller, Aircraft (Air Ministry)
CAACU – Civilian Anti–Aircraft Co–operation Unit
CACS – Central Air Command Section
CACF – Coast Artillery Co–operation Flight
CACU – Coast Artillery Co–operation Unit
CAEU – Casualty Air Evacuation Unit
Cal Flt – Calibration Flight
CF/Unit – Camouflage Flight/Unit
C&M – Care and Maintenance
Cam–ship – Catapult–armed Merchant ship
CAMO – Camouflage Unit
CANS – Civil Air Navigation School
CAP – Captain
CAOS – Combined Air Observers School
CARD – Central Aircraft Repair Depot
Casevac – Casualty Evacuation
CASTS – Combined Anti Submarine Tactical School
CAT – Damage Category
CAT – College of Air Training

CATCS – Central Air Traffic Control School
CAW – College of Air Ware fare

CB – Companion of the Order of the Bath (medal)

C&B or C and B – Cook and Butcher
CBE – Central Bomber Establishment
CBCF – Coastal Battery Cooperation Flight
CBCS – Coastal Battery Cooperation School
CC – Coastal Command

CCAPMF – Coastal Command Aircraft Preparation& Training Unit
CCDU – Coastal Command Development Unit
CCFATU – Coastal Command Fighter Affiliation & Training Unit

CCGS – Coastal Command Gunnery School
CCRC – Combat Crew Replacement Center
CCSDF – Coastal Command Special Duties Flight
CCF/U – Check and Conversation Flight/Unit
CCGS – Coastal Command Gunnery School
CC(F)IS – Coastal Command (Flying) Instructors School
CCLPP – Coastal Command Landplane Pilots Pool
CCPP – Coastal Command Preparation Pool
CCTDU – Coastal Command Tactical Development Unit
CCTF – Coastal Command Training Flight/Combat Cairo Task Force

Cd – Command
CD – Coast Defence
CDCF – Coastal Command Cooperation Flight
CDDU – Coast Defence Development Unit
CDG – Croix de Guerre
CEDIT – Command Engineering Development & Investigation Unit
CEF – Casualty Defence Flight
CF – Communication Flight  / Conversion Flight (number Prefix)
CFCCU – Civilian Fighter Control Cooperation Flight
CFCS – Ventral Fighter Control School
CFE – Central Fighter Establishment
CFF – Combined Forces in France
CFI – Communications Flight Iraq
CFI – Chief Flying Instructor
CFI&P – Communication Flight Iraq & Persia
(C)FPP – Civilian Ferry Pilots Pool
CF(S) – Communications Flight (Squadron)
CFS – Central Flying School
CFWD – Communication Flight Western Desert
CGIS – Central Gliding Instructors School
CGM – Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
CGMF – Central Glider Maintenance Flight

CGS – Central Gunnery School / Central Gliding School
CH – Chain Home (Radar chain)

"Chiefy" – Ground Crew Flight Sergeant
CHL – Chain Home Low (Radar chain)

"Civie Street" – Civilian Life

"Civvies" – Civilian Clothes

 CLE – Central Landing Establishment

“Clobber” -  to beat up, damage or destroy
CLS – Central Landing School

CME – Central Medical Establishment
CMF – Central Med Forces
CMU – Civilian Maintenance Unit
CN&CS – Central Navigation & Control School
CNS – Central Navigation School
CNVTS – Central Night Vision Training School
CO – Commanding Officer (can also be OC)
Comm(s) Communication(s)

C of E – Church of England
Conv – Conversion

"Completely Cheesed" – At a complete loss or Completely fed up

"Completely Surrounded" – No hope at all

"Cookhouse Waller" – Anyone of the staff in the cookhouse

"Corkscrew"  – To take evasive action during a fighter attack

COTU or (C) OTU – Coastal Operational Training Unit

CPE – Central Photographic Establishment
CPF – Coastal Patrol Flight

Cpl - Corporal
CRD – Controller of Research & Development
CRF – Controller of Research & Development
CRE – Central Reconnaissance Establishment
CPF – Coastal Patrol Flight
Cpl – Corporal
CRO – Civilian Repair Organisation
CRP – Civilian Repair Party

CPSU – Carrier Pigeon Service Unit

"Crabbing Along" – Flying near to the ground or water

"Crate" – An Aeroplane

"Crawler" – One who suck's up to someone of superior rank

CRS – Control and reporting school
CS – Communication Squadron

CS(A) – Controller of Supply (Air)
CSDE – Central Servicing Development Establishment
CSE – Central Signals Establishment
CSF – Central Signals Establishment

CSFU – Church of Scotland and Free Churches
CSE – Communications and Support Flight
CSS Communications and Support Squadron
CSU – Communications and Support Unit
CSPDE – Combined services Project Development Unit
C/T – Chief Technician

CTTS – Communications & Target–towing Squadron
CTTS – Civilian Technical Training School
CTU – Combat Training Unit / Crew Training Unit
CTS – Combat Training School
CTW – Combat Training Wing
CU – Conversion Unit/Camouflage Unit / Communications Unit
Cu – Converted
CW – Communication Wing
CWGC – Commonwealth War Graves Commission
CWP – Contractor's Working Party

CWS – Central Wireless School / Chemical Warfare School

"Cypher-queen" – Senior Cypher Officer (WAAF)
CzTU – Czechoslovak Training Unit