What was a pilots daily diet?

[Maureen Dig Aire]

Romani, that was really good!

The Brits ate "Bully beef," which was, from what my gf, Susan told me, is canned chipped beef. She said another "delicacy," one that she still enjoys, is bacon fat spread on bread and eaten open-faced. YUCK! lol But, that was something the British soldiers and airmen ate, too.

Willi, have you read Warbirds by Elliott White Springs (or J. M. Grider)? In it, Springs tells of some of them going around the countryside, securing food and other things. It's a pretty interesting book.

[coapman]

My grandfather, Lt. Edgar A. Coapman, was sent to France on Sopwith Dolphins in February 1918 (No. 79 Squadron), after 3 years in Motor Transport with the Canadians. Food was a frequent topic of his war letters and memoir, although he referred more to food he missed than Squadron fare. They received packages regularly, containing items like Hershey's chocolate bars, fruitcakes, raisins, mince meat, and fudge. He obtained an ice cream maker in Rouen and ice cream became a frequent (every other day) treat in the Squadron, soon attracting visitors from other squadrons. So, they seemed to have a good dairy supply, at least!

[Sreiko]

Originally Posted by Barrett

British: Gin and a cigarette.
French: Cognac and a cigarette.
Russian: Vodka and a cigarette.
Italian: Wine and a cigarette.
German: Schnapps and a cigarette.
American: Gin, Cognac, Vodka, Wine, Schnapps, or Whiskey and a cigarette.
Canadian: Any of the above.
Australian: All the above!

Wow!!!!

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Romani

Lots of soup, that being the most resource efficient way of feeding large numbers of troops since inmemorial time. Simply boil everything you have, meat, vegetables, flour..etc on big vats.

This is from memory as my library is at present packed in cardboard boxes after I've entered an institution. but I swear everything I write I have seen printed in black and white in some book here and there.

. . .

Also, since airmen had a hazardous duty, they probably got better rations, on par or better than those of shock troops. For example, in the Second World War, German U-boat crews had the best rations of the Wehrmacht, followed closely by fighter pilots, I think.

Now, back to the Great War, zeppelin crews did get the luxury of hearty breakfasts with eggs and bacon and other stuff, a high calory intake meal, before sailing out on a raid. That was a neccessity, since they had to endure several hours of flight at artic temperatures at high altitude.

I recall reading about one of the Zeps that was shot down on a raid over England. The British found the aluminum lockers containing the crew's breakfast that they were going to eat on the return leg of the flight. IIRC, it was bacon with "delicately sliced" potatos and some foul black bread and margerine.

I also have a German Army Feldkockbuch from WW II -- lots of recipes for soups and stews since, as Romani points out, the cook had to make limited rations feed a mob of soldiers. You can get it here if you want a copy --

German Manuals in English

Look in the section towards the bottom "Reenactor & Historical Interest, Non-Gun".

[Gregvan]

Hi,

Thanks to Tom Crean, I have now read a great article from Popular Flying of 1938, entitled "Loewenhardt's Seventh" by Canadian pilot B.B. Perry, a Bristol pilot in 22 Squadron. He was shot down by Loewenhardt of Jasta 10 on 18 October 1917, and he and his observer Bartlett were entertained by Jasta 10, eating dinner with the German pilots. He said that Loewenhardt apologized that they could not give the British pilots as good food as they were accustomed to, as their rations were limited (due to the blockade). Nonetheless the Germans tried to do their best for their 'guests'. They would have fresh eggs, as every officer in the Staffel owned a hen and there was competition amongst them to produce the most eggs!

The meal included fried eggs, "what I took to be wienerwurst", a helping of mashed potatoes, some dark bread, a small dish of applesauce and a cup of coffee. There was beer and wine also. Perry was given to understand that the meal was a little better than the ordinary meal Staffel 10 pilots were served.

In his book Wings of War, Rudolf Stark also relates a good deal about the Jasta 35b mess - for awhile they even had a female cook.

Greg

[JFM]

As far as having gas, I can tell you--although it's unromantic--that if you have gas at altitude you just let it out.

As an aside, I knew a Luftwaffe pilot who told me that when in training he and his fellow students intentionally ate food that produced the most (i.e., foulest) gas so they could reek-out their instructors.

[Darryl]

Originally Posted by Barrett

Australian: All the above!

You know us too well old mate!!!!


Somewhere (which is a large place in my world) I have a menu from, IIRC, 4Sqn AFC. I'll try to dig it out.


On the subject of "suitable flying food" I would add that I always suggest people eat banana before taking them flying aerobatics. Most ask if it is the potasium?

The reason is, of course, that they are the only food which look and taste the same on the way up as they did on the way down. ):

Darryl

[crankcase]

Thanks Romani for the food survey!
I'll go with champagne and oysters at the Adlon, subject to availability of course!
marc

[AAC Cadet Leader]

Originally Posted by Darryl

On the subject of "suitable flying food" I would add that I always suggest people eat banana before taking them flying aerobatics. Most ask if it is the potasium?

The reason is, of course, that they are the only food which look and taste the same on the way up as they did on the way down. ):

Darryl

~~~~~~

[Jeff Brooks]

Some of the folks I used to fly with were in the cav in veitnam, and they spoke of a liquid diet that left them so drunk, they couldn't find the battery switch.
They also mentioned that the only reason the stuck pedal emergency was taught was because of the number of pilots that had beer cans stuck under the pedals.