Bambini-Code

The Bambini-Code was a brevity code used for tactical radio voice communications by the Swiss Air Force (SAF). It was developed by the SAF during World War II and was used until 1998. It is sometimes referred to as the "fifth national language" of Switzerland.

The Bambini-Code was a brevity code used for tactical radio voice communications by the Swiss Air Force (SAF). It was developed by the SAF during World War II and was used until 1998. It is sometimes referred to as the "fifth national language" of Switzerland. ==History== The code was developed from the need to communicate via poor-quality radio links in the noisy environment of the aircraft then in service with the SAF. It was used by the SAF from around the start of the Second World War until 1998. As the SAF started to have regular communications with foreign air forces in Switzerland and abroad, the Bambini-Code was no longer suitable. For example, with the retirement of the Hawker Hunter from SAF service in 1994, SAF pilots in the United States learning to fly its replacement the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet found they could not be understood when using the Bambini-code. So in 1998 the SAF changed to the NATO standard multiservice tactical brevity code. This was also at the time the SAF switched from using the metric system of measurement to the Imperial units of feet and miles per hour, although it kept the use of litres rather than gallons as the measurement unit for fuel. The NATO Brevity Code is now the standard code for the SAF at any time. ==Code words== The Bambini-code comprised a vocabulary of about 500 words. The code words were chosen so that they were phonetically as clear and distinct as possible. Vowel-rich words meet this requirement best and Italian words tend to have this characteristic, so many of the codewords sound Italian. For example, "Bambini" is the Italian for "Children". ===Examples of code words=== Some of the words are given below with their meanings in English. Addio = Dispersal, disengagement ALA = Flaps Alarme = Alarm Altezza = Altitude above sea level in hectometers Alto = Top, high Angeli = Friendly aircraft (Ängeli is Swiss German for little angel) Atlanta = West Attaco ident numero = Tactical attack to read the aircraft Serial No. Attaco ident Timonella = Tactical attack to force an aircraft to land Attaco Siwa = Attack with Sidewinder missile Attendez = Wait Attendez campo = Wait on the airfield Avanti = Start attack, attack curve Aviso = Message, information Bambini = All our aircraft Basso = Below Bello = Friendly aircraft are safe Bibi = Fighter Bingo = Fuel remaining on reserve Camille = Fuel at 1000 lbs / l Campari = Fuel (Campari is an Italian apéritif). Campo = Airfield, base Capito = Understood Carello = Landing gear (caRrello is Italian both for shopping trolley and landing gear) Casino = Home base Clearance = Release, authorization Colonna = Column Color = Landing lights Condor = Unidentified aircraft Conditione = Weather conditions Corso = Compascurs Demitour = Reverse curve Descenze = Descent Diaboli = Enemy aircraft Domanda = Request Finale = Final approach Finito = End of the radio traffic, closed end Formazione grande = Wide formation Formazione picco = Close formation Gardez = Watch it, watch Inferno = Rain In posizione = In position In siesta = In peace Lago = Lake, water Libero = Not used, free Lili = Left Lilitour = Turn 90° left Mekka = East Meteo = Weather Montare Pece = Maximum afterburner climb Montare sec = Climb at full throttle Nase = straight ahead (Nase is German for nose) Nobis = No Nobis capitonnage = Not understood Norwega = North Partenza = Start, departure Pece = Afterburner Piano = Slow, slower Piccolo = Little, small Positione = Location = Probably Positione = Partenza location Pressione = Speed Presto = Fast, faster Pronto = Ready Rendezvous = Meeting time Repetez = Repeat the message Rera = Right Reratour = Turn 90° right Reravolte = right turn Riposo = Land Riposo direkt = Direct approach Risponde = Reply Ritorno = Return Sec = Full throttle Silencium = Radio silence Siwa = AIM-9 Sidewinder missile Sopra = Over Stabilo = Back Stuka = Dive brakes ("Stuka" is an abbreviation of Sturzkampfflugzeug, the German term for a dive bomber) Subito = Immediately Sudan = South Timo Ella = Call for landing Tiralto = Pull command Touchez Repartenza = Touch-and-go landing Vista = View, sight ==References== ===Citations=== ===Bibliography=== ==External links== Bambini-code in use between a Dassault Mirage III and a TFC on the Florida Radar System at 5:35 on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKNMMVK7ym4]

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1261143455 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.