Are These Missiles Live?

[Mentalguru]

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/3bb67c170696872c_large

[Richard E]

I can't see any yellow bands so, no, I think they're all inert rounds.

[Pilgrim_UK]

What are those big white planes in the distance?

[rod mcq]

What are those big white planes in the distance?

They look like C-141 Starlifters.

[Alex Gordon]

G'day folks,looks like Drill Rounds on the Phantom.On the ground the top left job looks decidedly C 130esque to me.There doesen't seem to be a great deal of manouvering room on the ramp there either.

EDIT. Phantom looks very unmucky in a wraparound scheme.The Sidewinders look like AIM 9 G to me.All missiles appear to be inert as carried.Just wondering about the date of this photo,possibly 1976?

I look forward to being corrected.

Edited February 6, 2010 by Alex Gordon

[hatchet]

Looks like AIM-9P or Js. If memory serves, the G doesn't have cranked front fins.

On the AIM-7s, there's a yellow band just behind the front fins, like in this picture

(Click for hi-res)

If the Sparrows are live, it's a good bet that the Sidewinders are too, even if there's no visible yellow bands. There is what appears to be a fuse on them, a metallic band right in front of a black band. On the pic I've posted, that's covered by an RBF collar.

Edited February 7, 2010 by hatchet

[phantomfixer]

RS Tail code was from Ramstein AB, picture probably taken sometime in the Cold War. Too far to tell for me , MK.I IBALL not what it used to be. Yellow means that the warhead is live, or better stated is high explosive. Brown band indicales "LOW" explosives (not kidding) ,the propellant for the rocket motor. But its hard to tell at least for me the colors on the bands. They could just be black bands with INERT stenciled on the missile and loaded for a foto op. My bet, those are live Sparrows and Sidewinders.

Oh Yeah, the big white planes in the background, they are called TARGETS

[Jaffe284]

Missiles are AIM-9P's and AIM-7E's. Although hard to tell, they appear to be live

AIM-7E's can be distinguished by the L-line on the forward fins.

As for time period, the SEA wrap-around was introduced early in the 80's, but replaced by wrap-around Euro1 scheme by mid-80's. So the proper time period is 1982-83ish.

On a general note, Blue bands on a missile indicate training round. Yellow is live missiles, with the yellow indicating the war head. Brown is used in combination with Yellow, but indicate the live motor of the missile.

[Alex Gordon]

Thanks to all for correcting me.

[Julien]

They look live to me. Dont forget the Yeloow band for the AIM-7 is not at the front but in the middle where the fins are as the warhead is behind the seeker and electonics.

I really cant see any blue in those pics to indicate inert warheads or rocket motors. One combo you can have which is not mentioned is Brown for the motor and Blue for the warhead, I have seen missiles like this for training shots.

Now here is an interesting pic,

Photo Paul Minert collection

Airshow bird with a live weapon in front??

Julien

Edited February 11, 2010 by Julien