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Glossary entry

French term or phrase:

fer à repasser

English translation:

old crate

Added to glossary by Miranda Joubioux (X)
Sep 19, 2014 09:40
9 yrs ago
French term

fer à repasser

French to English Art/Literary Aerospace / Aviation / Space
Target=UK

This is a quote from a book by a photographer and air pilot, who flew in the 2nd World War.

Il prend les photos, à l’extrême réduit et le soleil dans le dos, avec toute la précision d’un pilote de chasse tournant un tonneau ou d’un bombardier posant son fer à repasser entre des vignes.

I suspect that 'fer à repasser' is used here in a sort of slangy way to refer to bombs, but I need confirmation of this.
Proposed translations (English)
3 +3 old crate
5 -3 pass it on
References
Apparemment il s'agit d'un avion très lo...

Discussion

Miranda Joubioux (X) (asker) Sep 22, 2014:
Thank you everyone for your help.
kashew Sep 20, 2014:
Confirmation www.virtualcorsair.fr/meeting/meetingdivers_4.htm
Bombardier Dash 8 Q-400 : 5, 38 Mo. Projet de Tommy ... Un fer à repasser volant ? Pas tout à fait... Il a de bonnes qualités de vol et se pose sur un mouchoir de poche. 1 zip : "skyvan". AVSIM ... Besoin d'un sulfatage de vignes ? Ce Tchèque ...
Yvonne Gallagher Sep 20, 2014:
I agree it's about a heavy plane rather than bombs and I like "old crate". Post it Colin!
Clive Phillips Sep 19, 2014:
I am with Phil and Colin. Maybe something similar to 'with all the precision of a fighter pilot performing a barrel roll or a bomber pilot landing his crate on a pocket handkerchief'.
philgoddard Sep 19, 2014:
It took me a while to work out "tourner un tonneau", but it's "do a barrel roll".
philgoddard Sep 19, 2014:
Maybe something like "delicately landing his lumbering monster of an aircraft in a vineyard".
Colin Morley (X) Sep 19, 2014:
Old Crate? My father served in WWII, albeit in the navy. Anything that was difficult to manoevre, whether aircraft or ship was affectionately referred to as "the old crate" - would this fit, as it's the right era?
Hannah Doyle Sep 19, 2014:
Could you use something along the lines of ''flying brick''? The image sprang to mind and apparently it's been used before: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuttle_Training_Aircraft

It probably isn't the most elegant solution though...
Hannah Doyle Sep 19, 2014:
Makes sense that it would be a clunky, difficult plane. Not just the weight, think of the awkward flat bottom.
B D Finch Sep 19, 2014:
Irons Irons in those days were heavy, while a plane shouldn't feel heavy to manoeuvre. I remember my father picking up an iron I'd just bought and telling me it was no good because it was too lightweight - clearly he hadn't done any ironing since before steam irons were invented.
Lori Cirefice Sep 19, 2014:
fer à repasser = avion difficile à piloter http://escadre-ms.vraiforum.com/t145-Argot-dans-l-Armee-de-l... which is also what I was thinking when I first read the text, especially because of the verb poser, it would have been larguer if they were referring to bombs?
Philippe Etienne Sep 19, 2014:
Rings a bell The only time i heard about it is in "la portance d'un fer à repasser". Which means a glider with drag and lift about as good as a raw boulder. When you throw an iron horizontally, it more or less follows the parabolic trajectory of a rock. A glider should go further.
Anyway, it means a plane difficult to pilot, and I guess "tin can" would do : http://escadre-ms.vraiforum.com/t145-Argot-dans-l-Armee-de-l...
http://actualites.forum.orange.fr/messages/index-page-4/9342...
writeaway Sep 19, 2014:
Could it refer to the shape of the plane? If so, then yes, some suitable English jargon for plane might work. Best to wait to see if a military expert chimes in. Or someone familiar with Fr (WWII?) military jargon
Miranda Joubioux (X) (asker) Sep 19, 2014:
So it would be a bit like saying 'tin can'?
writeaway Sep 19, 2014:
poser makes me think more of the plane than a bomb

Proposed translations

+3
21 hrs
Selected

old crate

See discussion entry - "old crate" as in WWII era slang for an unwieldy aircraft (or other vehicle)
Peer comment(s):
agree kashew
2 hrs
Thanks
agree Clive Phillips
2 hrs
Thanks
agree Yvonne Gallagher
7 hrs
Thanks
neutral Daryo : I quite like it, but does it necessarily mean that this airplane is not much responsive to commands, on top of being rather dated?
1 day 9 hrs
Well the term is certainly dated, and 'old crate' is a derogatory term. In terms of responsiveness I don't honestly know, but I would guess that an 'old crate' may prove difficult to fly.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "This is much better than my 'tin can'. Many thanks."
-3
3 hrs

pass it on

Fer = make
a = to
repasser = pass

The translation I did is the expression English/Americans use for this.
Peer comment(s):
neutral philgoddard : Such confidence...
1 hr
disagree Lori Cirefice : ouch! fer is not faire!!
1 hr
disagree Daryo : not in a year of Sundays
6 hrs
disagree Yvonne Gallagher : ouch again
10 hrs
Something went wrong...

Reference comments

3 hrs
Reference:

Apparemment il s'agit d'un avion très lourd ou trop chargé qui a du mal à planer...
Reference:

http://www.languefrancaise.net/bob/detail.php?id=61256

Something went wrong...
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