The Berlin Airlift was notorious for the banter among crews and between crews and controllers. Almost all veterans remember with amusement the wit that filled the airwaves. Unfortunately, very little of that chatter was recorded -- and much of it would probably have been unprintable anyway! This essay can only provide a faint echo of the lively repartee by reporting what veterans remember and shared. Surprisingly, General Tunner, otherwise a terrible stickler for flying “by the book” and following rules to the letter, recognised the importance of this “wisecracking” and joking. Professional that he was, he realised that bored pilots are more likely to get careless and so more likely to make mistakes – particularly in an environment like the Airlift where precision counts. The fact that he tolerated the flippancy and non-regulation communication that filled the airwaves during the Airlift is testimony to its importance. And everyone who flew the Airlift remembers it with affection.