First Limerick with Pros & Cons

By Air Commodore Krishnamurthi Rajaram

Due credit to Randhir Chadda who gave a new meaning to the term PPLR one day in 1975, when he walked into our wooden shack crew room at 31dumbell at Srinagar  and announced in his usual droll manner, “Today the Gnat has completed a 100 hours on me.” Cut to 1991. Fifteen hundred take-offs, clinging on to her controls and, fortunately, the same number of arrivals on wheels later,  she still took me for a ride!

The Gnat, she took two mins to twenty,
She hauled up to hard stop at 10G,
Bent thrust and more,
‘Gencies galore,
Log hours, she’s got twel’ hundred on me!

More limericks by Nana Menon

By Air Mshl N (Nana) Menon

It seems only few are contributing. Nevertheless, here are some more!

A Gnatty Sikh pilot, fully geared
Was on a scramble when his canopy sheared
One moment he was flying
The next he was lying
Flat on a river-bed with sand in his beard.

The Gnat sorted out men from the boys
But once airborne it flew with poise
The start-up was airy
The take-off quite scary
And the hydraulics gave one a Hobson’s choice.

Gnat and MiG-21 jocks got up in the sky
To decide which of them could the better fly
Said the Gnat jock,”You cannot do much”
” Even with your reheat and such”
I’ll be on your tail whatever you try.

If when flying your trim runs away
This is what wizened old Gnat pilots say
The nose will dip, sudden and sharp
And if you are no hurry to play the harp
Just split the tail and save the day.

The real poet into the act!

Air Mshl N (Nana) Menon

With apologies to all Hunter pilots, who are almost as good!

Hunter and Gnat pllots wanted to fight
They both climbed to their combat height
After reaching the low density air
Hunter guy could’nt see anyone up there
So he yelled,’You little runt, are you on my left or right?’

The Gnat chap said “Look 500y 3 O’clock
And I can see you abreast big as a rock
But let me give you some advice
If you want to sharpen your eyes
‘Eat more carrots you Hunter jock!’

So combat began, neither wanted to fail
Each being a red-blooded, hot a—d male
Hunter jock asked.’Now where are you?’
Have you also lost me in this expansive blue?’
‘Carry on’ said the Gnat guy, I am on your tail.’