Piano Burning Tradition

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron gather around a burning piano as black boots and Battle Dress Uniforms burn on top of it. The piano burning ceremony served as a farewell to the BDU era as all Airmen transition into the Airman Battle Uniform, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Oct 28, 2011. Piano burning is a fighter pilot tradition, which began during the Battle of Britain during World War II. The Royal Air Force pilots were to be gentlemen and proposed the solution to have anyone who wasn?t trained in piano to be given lessons. One day the pilots? squadron club was burned to the ground for an unknown reason, spreading the word to other squadrons and thus beginning ignition of pianos. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Tabatha Duarte/Released)

PHOTO BY: Airman st Class Tabatha DuarteReleased

VIRIN: 111028-F-NG544-105.JPG

FULL SIZE: 4.56 MB

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