Achtung! Spitfire!!

Today was one of *those* Umlaut days.. Listened to Iron Maiden ("Aces high!") on the iPod and then happened upon the classic Monty Python "RAF Banter" skit on BBC America... All of which tied together Umlaut's lifelong fascination with Iron Maiden, Monty Python, and World War II aircraft (natch).

CAPTION: 'SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND, 1944'

The squadron leader enters an RAF officers' mess and takes off his helmet.


Bovril (Terry Jones): Morning, Squadron Leader.

Squadron Leader (Eric Idle): What-ho, Squiffy.

Bovril: How was it?

Squadron Leader: Top-hole. Bally Jerry, pranged his kite right in the how's your father. Hairy blighter, dicky-birdied, feathered back on his Sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harper's and caught his can in the Bertie.

Bovril: Er, I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Squadron Leader.

Squadron Leader: It's perfectly ordinary banter, Squiffy. Bally Jerry... pranged his kite right in the how's yer father... hairy blighter, dicky-birdied, feathered back on his Sammy, took a waspy, flipped over on his Betty Harper's and caught his can in the Bertie.

Bovril: No, I'm just not understanding banter at all well today. Give us it slower.

Squadron Leader: Banter's not the same if you say it slower, Squiffy.

"Live to fly, fly to live, do or die..."