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G'Day All.
New to the board (thanks for the add).
I had a bit of a look to see if this was covered, but didn't find anything.

Do other countrie's (US included) air arms have formal or dedicated in flight rations?
Ours (RAAF - '74-'83) wasn't a sealed and bagged ration per se, but was somewhat formalised along the lines of aircraft type/mission.
My first introduction was my first day as a 16 year old appie in the air force, which was also my first plane ride (an 'A' model Herc). We flew Sydney (Mascot) - Wagga - Melbourne (Laverton).
I was mightily impressed because waiting for each of us on those webbing seats was a little white box containing some sandwiches, a small waxed cardboard container of milk, and a piece of fruit - which it turns out was the standard short trip transport aircraft ration. Intended to replace a meal if you were missing a meal while flying.
Other aircraft had different ration build based on their mission - P3s for example had quite a good galley and more or less a full meal could be cooked - circumstances allowing.
An F-111 might just be a thermos of soup and another of coffee.

Any other experiences of in-flight rations?

Wow, your first flight ever was on a C130 Hercules?? Awesome!

I have no experience with in flight meals, but am trying to acquire ww2 US flight rations. My Grandpa was a b17 gunner 42 to 45 and i'm hoping to find something that he would have had.

I really just wanted to say Welcome to a great community of people! There's lots of knowlegde here.

I also remember the "shoe box" inflight meals with fondness. I only got them as a passenger (and that rarely). As a Forward Air Control pilot, we would always take water on our 4.5-hour missions, but seldom any food. When we did, we'd take a can from an MCI and warm it up by wedging it into our gunsight (the bulb in that thing was HOT!) But the plane was small, there was no auto-pilot, and eating while flying was awkward at best.

I have retired from the AF for more than 25 years now, and have not flown since 1976. Today's meals are radically different, I'm told. No more white shoe box with sandwiches, fried chicken, an apple, milk, and more. Sigh...