Page 1 of 2
MEAL, FLIGHT FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 2:50 am
by mreheater72
Hi guys,
yesterday I found in the web some interesting photos about a so-called MFF-Ration:
MEAL, FLIGHT FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL.
I have never seen that before.
The pictures can be found in context on the following site:
http://10.studio-web.net/~phototec/mre85.htm
Here is the main site, I think it is really interesting, katojapan has mentioned that before:
http://10.pro.tok2.com/~phototec/
A similar thread was discussed in regard with the term “NOT FOR PRE-FLIGHT/FLIGHT USE” some time ago.
viewtopic.php?t=394
viewtopic.php?t=851
Does anyone have some more information (in English language) or photos about that MFF or can someone translate the Japanese information??
So long mreheater72
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:05 am
by German_EPA
Posted: Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:20 pm
by Nawt
Hello Mreheater72,
wowie, nice pics! I've never seen those before, very interesting. I'll have to read the other topics too.
Yes, nice how things come together German _EPA

.
Enjoy your evening,
Nawt.
MMMmmm
Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 7:20 pm
by DangerousDave
That sounds good. I'm going to jump on the next Blackhawk that comes along. Do they serve the little bottles of Jack Daniels and so forth, with that?

Re: MEAL, FLIGHT FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL
Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 6:13 pm
by mreheater72
Hi guys,
today I received a parcel from a recent ebay purchase with a mix of different vintage US rations. Among other things I found the following empty ration pouch

:
I know that these rations exist (see also here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3708&p=27458&hilit= ... ing#p27458) but I have never seen an single pouch before with the designation "MEAL, FLIGHT, FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL"

. According to the appearance and the Menu No. 5 "BEEF STEW" I guess it was packed between 1981 and 1985.
That empty pouch is a really rare collectible

.
So long mreheater72
Re: MEAL, FLIGHT FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL
Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 11:29 pm
by Firestar
I might be wrong but, I think these came about due to the beans in the MRE's at the time causing a lot of gas for people. I do remember the "not for preflight use" label on all of the MRE's that had those nasty beans in them. At was awful to have to work with the Armor Units in the field when they ate these darn beans. After awhile the fun of farting wore off for even those guys.
Being a Maintenance Unit guy, we always had "pogie bait" (our stash of civilian food) in our trucks and vans that we ate. The MRE's with beans were saved for trading for the good MRE's that didn't have beans. The last thing you wanted to do was eat three of these bad MRE's in one day. You would have gas the rest of the week. They also seemed to "impact" your bowels. Some guys wouldn't be able to have a "movement" for a whole week.
Of course, the dehydrated pork and beef patties were not a lot better. But they are another story......
Re: MEAL, FLIGHT FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL
Posted: Sun Feb 09, 2014 1:01 pm
by RockyRaab
I had never seen or heard of those meals. But you may take my word for this as a guy who flew UNpressurized jets - you do NOT want to eat "gassy" foods before you fly! The pain can be excruciating. (At 18,000 feet, the atmospheric pressure is 50% of sealevel, which means any trapped gas will expand to twice its sealevel volume.) Smart pilots avoid soda and even gum (because gum makes you swallow a lot of "air") before flying.
Interesting stuff. Thanks!
Re: MEAL, FLIGHT FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL
Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2014 4:47 pm
by rationtin440
My father-in-law was a B-52 tailgunner in the Vietnam War, and about 15 years ago he and I were discussing rations. He mentioned about the meals that were carried on the planes, but I cannot recall any details, and he died in 2002 so I cannot ask him again. Does anyone have any info on the rations carried by SAC bomber crews? Thanks in advance, and of course part of me thinks I've probably asked this exact question at least once before so please forgive my senility!!

I knew I should not have let the non-stick pan coating into my food for all those years.....

Re: MEAL, FLIGHT FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 2:21 am
by dirtbag
It was my understanding (possibly wrong) that since most Buff's flew out of 'Civilized" airfields (Guam, Thailand) that Box Lunches were used almost exclusively.
They were very long flights, often crews had several each.
They carried survival rations in their bail out gear, candy and such.
Having eaten Box lunches on MAC flights, they are Bland, Boring, and Basic.
Dry sandwich (no mayo or mustard), a piece of cold fried chicken (Boiled, then Baked, and called 'Fried'...), a piece of fruit, and a pint of milk.
And a Napkin. Which tasted very much like the sandwich...
The in-flight MRE'S were much later, and not a general issue item, as they were specialized, and therefore expensive.
The US military will spend top dollar on equipment, but are cheap Bast*rds when feeding the troops.
Re: MEAL, FLIGHT FEEDING, INDIVIDUAL
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 10:54 am
by RockyRaab
I remember those white Inflight Lunches more positively. There were packets of mayo and mustard in the box for the sandwiches (two), I thought the fried chicken was just fine, and there was always a hard-boiled egg and a candy bar of some kind besides the fruit. All together, it was almost two light meals worth, all packed in a shoebox. I never flew a plane with passenger seats, and the ones I did fly had no room to carry a box lunch, much less eat one. Besides, as the "driver" I was always busy! The few times I flew as a passenger on larger Air Force planes, I did look forward to the Inflight Lunch, though.