Wednesday 8 August 2018

Osprey mystery hatch

I consider myself to have a reasonable grasp of much of the blizzard of acronyms generated by the military but I confess that from time to time I am lost.  While clambering round the V-22 Osprey at RAF Marham recently I spotted this strange round hatch.  While this is, of course, hugely entertaining I wonder what it actually means....


16 comments:

Martin Rapier said...

Given the other signage around it I would hazard a guess at 'Airborne Refuelling Speed Equipment' or similar.

David Crook said...

Hi Tim,

I can offer no clue but I am sure you will get to the bottom of it....:-)

All the best,

DC

Robert (Bob) Cordery said...

I did wonder if it was to give relief to USAF personnel after a particularly hot curry whilst visiting an RAF mess. ;^)

All the best,

Bob

Wg Cdr Luddite said...

Is there another panel somewhere marked ELBOW ?

Tim Gow said...

Martin Rapier
It's a thought - but shoving a refuelling probe through the hatch would give the co-pilot a rude shock!

Tim Gow said...

David Crook
Once again I am the butt of your jokes...

Tim Gow said...

Bob Cordery
That might explain the proximity of the fire extinguisher...

Tim Gow said...

Wg Cdr Luddite
Probably, but I couldn't tell them apart...

David Crook said...

Hi Tim,

I am sure that after careful anal-ysis you will solve the mystery. Most modern aircraft have piles of labels but I hope you did not touch anything in either of the two pictures as you might have rectum....

I should be on the stage (the next one out of town methinks...)

All the best

DC

Don M said...

I have to agree with Martian on this one it's an anagram for something...god knows what.

Tim Gow said...

StuRat
I once nearly sold my then employer the renaming of my department to Best Advice Surveying Team And Related Duties. We got rumbled just short of board level....

Steve8 said...

Is there an elderly, deranged Irish priest nearby painting “ FECK” and “GIRLS” on the other side?

Archduke Piccolo said...

Great responses here - but there may be less behind the 'ARSE' label than meets the eye. I see above it a similar panel and the hint of a similar label. Tou can just enough of it to see that it comprises 4 letters, the first three being probably ARS, and the fourth NOT an 'E'. My guess would be that it is a 'D'.

And that leads me to believe the the letter "E" in the Arse label stands for the letter "E".
It would not surprise me if elsewhere on the vessel there were round panels labelled ARSA, ARSB, ARSC and so forth.

Some possibilities:
Air Reserve Station
Automated Reserve System
Air Refuellibg Station
Attack Radar Set
Admiral's Reserve Socks.

itchy's wargames said...

I have been told by one of my US buddies that the signs are :
ARSD =air refuelling system drain
ARSE =air refusing system escape

sounds plausible both sealed areas checked on the ground after flights?

Brian Carrick said...

With so many signs to read it makes you wonder how they find the time to fly the plane.

Steve-the-Wargamer said...

Any idea what the one above it said (hidden behind pipe)..?

I'm thinking automatic something starboard engine?????