'Aircraft Armed' Signs

[AjD]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone out there can answer a question on 'AIRCRAFT ARMED' signs often seen in front of Tornados and other RAF fast jets. Specifically, what I'm trying to establish is what the little interchangeable boards mean on the bottom right of the signs as seen below...

AIRCRAFT ARMED

An educated guess might land me at the conclusion that they designate the exact state of the aircraft's weapons/power/etc, or something of that nature.

Anyone (Merv?) able to shed some light on this for me?

Thanks!

Andy

[Hawkkeeper]

the blue one means a respirator must be worn the orange one is related to fire fighting explosives & the amount of stuff that goes bang

blue one bottom right

http://visual.merriam-webster.com/society/...protection11138

orange one

http://www.ordnance.org/fire.htm

Firefighting guidance symbols

There are two types of symbols which give guidance for firefighting forces and other personnel, fire and chemical hazard symbols.

a. Fire divisions. There are four fire divisions. Fire division 1 indicates the greatest hazard.

The hazard decreases as the fire division numbers increase,

b. Fire division symbols. Each of the four fire divisions is indicated by one of four distinctive symbols recognizable to the firefighting personnel approaching the fire scene. The applicable fire division number is shown on each symbol. For easy identification from long range, the symbols differ in shape

Edited April 24, 2012 by Hawkkeeper

[AjD]

Couldn't ask for a better summary or a more useful answer!

Many, many thanks indeed.

That leaves me with only one question...which symbols are displayed for a Tornado armed with RAPTOR, fuel tanks and possibly Sidewinders/ASRAAM?

Andy

[Phil]

HD 1 is used fo HE weapons, it means Mass Detonation Hazard. Generally the highest hazard division is the one listed, so I'd assume that for sidewinder it would be 1 as well (since the warhead contains 1.1D). Fuel tanks don't count as they are not class 1 (being flamable liquid they are class 3 and the cartridges in the ejector racks the tanks are attached to are only 1.4S).

[Julien]

Sidewinders etc would be 1.1E, 1.1F or 1.2E depeniding on the UN number. These entries are for Rockets, and according to the IMO this definition includes guided missiles.

Julien

[Evalman]

I'm not sure about the correct number for your Tornado, these signs were with some Jaguars armed with small practice bombs. The other thing to note is that the two small warning / hazard signs can be on either side.

[AjD]

Thanks guys! I wasn't expecting answers that informative so you've all been really helpful. I'm now significantly better armed in terms of knowledge so hopefully I'll be able to come up with a suitable representation for the model I'm working on.

Very much appreciated.

Andy

[Phil]

Sidewinders etc would be 1.1E, 1.1F or 1.2E depeniding on the UN number. These entries are for Rockets, and according to the IMO this definition includes guided missiles.

Julien

The rocket motor might be, but the warhead would be 1.1D, which I would have thought would be the highest hazard division and therefore the one used? I could check at work (assuming we still have sidewinders in our explosive tables) but I think the AGM-65 is 1.1D.

In any even, the sign would say 1.

For the sign above with a 4, it indicates that the highest hazard division loaded is 1.4, probably 1.4G, although I'm not familiar with RAF practice bombs so I'm not 100% certain on the G.

Edited April 26, 2012 by Phil

[AjD]

What does the letter denote?

[Selwyn]

What does the letter denote?

If you are referring to the letter as in 1.1A This is the Compatability Code used when storing Explosives.

Basically two Explosive items may be both Hazard Division 1.1 (Mass explosion) but it may not be sensible to store them in a building together.

A perfect example is Plastic Explosive(PE) and the Detonators used to set the PE off. Both are 1.1, but anyone with any common sense would not store them together for obvious reasons!

The Compatability Code differentiates between the two. There is a Compatability Code table in Explosive regulations that show which Codes can on can not be safely stored with others.

Selwyn

[Julien]

The rocket motor might be, but the warhead would be 1.1D, which I would have thought would be the highest hazard division and therefore the one used? I could check at work (assuming we still have sidewinders in our explosive tables) but I think the AGM-65 is 1.1D.

In any even, the sign would say 1.

For the sign above with a 4, it indicates that the highest hazard division loaded is 1.4, probably 1.4G, although I'm not familiar with RAF practice bombs so I'm not 100% certain on the G.

Rocket motors on there own come under 1.3 as I have shipped them at work.

Julien

[AjD]

I see. Thanks guys...for the 'simple' folk such as myself this has proved to be a bit of an education!

Just to clarify then, would something like 1.4 mean the sign would show 4 or is there a 4.0/4.1 etc which would cause the sign to display that number (with all the sub-categories, such as .1/.2/.3 etc falling in to that group? Equally, would the sign say 2 for a 1.2 or is there a 2.1/2.2 etc? And so on...

Does that make sense?

(I'm starting to confuse myself now!!!)

[Selwyn]

I see. Thanks guys...for the 'simple' folk such as myself this has proved to be a bit of an education!

Just to clarify then, would something like 1.4 mean the sign would show 4 or is there a 4.0/4.1 etc which would cause the sign to display that number (with all the sub-categories, such as .1/.2/.3 etc falling in to that group? Equally, would the sign say 2 for a 1.2 or is there a 2.1/2.2 etc? And so on...

Does that make sense?

(I'm starting to confuse myself now!!!)

Example

1.1

1.1 The First number denotes Dangerous goods Class 1 (which are Explosives)

1.1 The Second Number 1 Identifies that the item contains "Articles or substances that have a mass Explosion hazard." (obviously 2,3,&4 have different meanings!)

This second Number is often seen on its own as a Fire symbol to aid firefighters as to the Hazard .

So the signs can be seen as:

the figure 1 on its own as a fire warning symbol.

As 1.1 To Identify its a dangerous goods item and its Nature (Explosive) and the type of explosion hazard expected.

And as 1.1A (for example) Which identifies the hazards and adds a compatability group letter for explosive storage purposes.

Hope this clarifies.

Selwyn

Edited April 26, 2012 by Selwyn

[AjD]

Selwyn

Crystal clear. Thanks for the breakdown! I won't be storing any Sidewinders in my garage in the near future but all that will certainly help with my diorama!

Thank you all,

Andy

[Phil]

Rocket motors on there own come under 1.3 as I have shipped them at work.

Julien

Challenging to load just the motor onto your Tornado though...

[Phil]

I see. Thanks guys...for the 'simple' folk such as myself this has proved to be a bit of an education!

Just to clarify then, would something like 1.4 mean the sign would show 4 or is there a 4.0/4.1 etc which would cause the sign to display that number (with all the sub-categories, such as .1/.2/.3 etc falling in to that group? Equally, would the sign say 2 for a 1.2 or is there a 2.1/2.2 etc? And so on...

Does that make sense?

(I'm starting to confuse myself now!!!)

All the explosives are 1.something.

The number displayed on the sign is the second number (1.1 or 1.4 in the photos in this thread).

Here's a rundown on the subject, note that there are local variations in transportation rules but the classes should all be the same:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dangerous_goods

[Julien]

Challenging to load just the motor onto your Tornado though...

What I was trying to say is that is not as simple as some make out. Someone said a warhead was 1.1D, maybe if stored on its own? likewise the rocket motor is 1.3 if shipped on its own.

Moving hazardous materials is one of my jobs at work. The missiles them selves come under 1.1E, 1.1F or 1.2E I could find none under 1.1D though not saying its not there as I only had a quick look. All depends on the UN number and how they are classified. We have moved stuff for the RAF and the USAF so I am conversant with the rules.

Also moved a ammunition in my previous job for a couple of European Navies.

Julien

[Selwyn]

What I was trying to say is that is not as simple as some make out. Someone said a warhead was 1.1D, maybe if stored on its own? likewise the rocket motor is 1.3 if shipped on its own.

Moving hazardous materials is one of my jobs at work. The missiles them selves come under 1.1E, 1.1F or 1.2E I could find none under 1.1D though not saying its not there as I only had a quick look. All depends on the UN number and how they are classified. We have moved stuff for the RAF and the USAF so I am conversant with the rules.

Also moved a ammunition in my previous job for a couple of European Navies.

Julien

A lot of Missiles or complex ordnance can be delivered as seperate explosive components.

As an example the AIM 9L sidewinder. You would get seperately the guidance, which has a squib in it that was classified as 1.4, the rocket motor as 1.2 and the warhead as 1.1. these items could then be stored seperately under these classifications.

The rule is when all the parts were assembled into an operational missile, it takes on the greatest explosive risk, so a built up AIM9L missile would be classified and stored as 1.1. as the HE warhead is the greatest explosive risk.

It obviously also works the other way on missile dissasembly, as the parts revert to their individual explosive risk.

Now to make things more interesting you cannot give a built up item a hazard label (it might blow off in flight! So that is why explosive items have different Painted coloured bands, to identify High explosive warhead, (yellow band) or Low explosive rocket motors, ( Brown band) etc etc. that is why you sometimes see different coloured bands on aircraft weapons. (particularly missiles!)

And its also the reason they put a general explosive hazard sign next to an armed aircraft for the firefighters !

Selwyn