Abbreviations Used

During the Second World War, Bomber Command gathered a tremendous amount of data based on its overall operations.  Data was generally gathered through the completion of Air Ministry forms.  Abbreviations for specific terms were used for efficiency and to establish consistency for the data being gathered.

The following is a list of abbreviations generally used by Bomber Command:

• A/C Aircraft 

• ADU Aircraft Delivery Unit 

• AEF Air Experience Flight 

• AFS Advanced Flying School 

• AGS Air Gunnery School 

• ANS Air Navigation School 

• ASS Air Signals School 

• ASU Aircraft Storage Unit 

• ATFERO Atlantic Ferry Organization 

• AW/CN Awaiting Collection 

• AGT Airwork and General Trading – a firm undertaking work as part of the Civilian Repair Organization 

• AST Air Service Training

• BATF Beam/Blind Approach Training Flight 

• BCBS Bomber Command Bombing School 

• BDTF Bomber Defence Training Flight 

• BFTS Basic Flying Training School 

• BGS Bombing & Gunnery School 

• CF Communication Flight Conversion Flight 

• CFS Central Flying School 

• CGS Central Gliding School Central Gunnery School 

• (C) OTU (Coastal) Operational Training Unit 

• CRO Civilian Repair Organization 

• CRP Contractor’s Repair Party 

• CS(A) Controller of Supply (Aircraft) 

• DBF Destroyed by Fire 

• DBR Damaged Beyond Repair 

• E/F Engine Failure 

• EAAS Empire Air Armament School 

• ECFS Empire Central Flying School 

• EFTS Elementary Flying Training School 

• E&RFTS Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School 

• FA Flying Accident 

• FB Flying Battle 

• FBSU Flying Boat Servicing Unit 

• FEAF Far East Air Force 

• FIS Fighter Instructors School 

• F/L Forced Landing 

• FTFlt Ferry Training Flight 

• FTS Flying Training School 

• FTU Ferry Training Unit 

• FRU Fleet Requirements Unit 

• GAL General Aircraft Limited - part of the CRO GR General Reconnaissance GSU Group (or Ground) Support Unit 

• HCU Heavy Conversion Unit 

• HGCU Heavy Glider Conversion Unit HTCU 

• Heavy Transport Conversion Unit 

• IFTS Initial Flying Training School 

• MCU Mosquito Conversion Unit Meteorological Conversion Unit 

• MEAF Middle East Air Force 

• MSFU Merchant Ship Fighter Unit 

• MU Maintenance Unit 

• NEA Non-Effective Airframe 

• OADF/U Overseas Aircraft Delivery Flight/Unit 

• (O)AFU (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit 

• OCU Operational Conversion Unit 

• OTU Operational Training Unit 

• (P)AFU (Pilot) Advanced Flying Unit 

• PATP Packed Aircraft Transit Pool 

• RAAA Repaired and Awaiting Allocation 

• RFS Reserve flying School 

• RIW Repaired in works 

• ROS Repaired on site 

• RS Radio School 

• RSU Repair & Salvage Unit 

• SFTS Service Flying Training School 

• SOC Struck Off Charge 

• SoTT School of Technical Training Sqd Squadron Sqn Squadron 

• UAS University Air Squadron 

• U/S Unserviceable 

• VGS Volunteer Gliding School 

• WFU Withdrawn from use 

• WS Wireless School