40

I am wondering what these markings (which I found both in the French Super Etendard and in the British Tornado) indicate? They may be something relevant for the maintenance crews.

Vertical stabiliser of a Super Etendard modernise, showing two types of stencils, one looks like a hook, the other a horizontal line with two bulges

Marcello Rosa
  • 361
  • 3
  • 5

1 Answers1

61

The sine wave sign indicates an access panel for electronics. Two examples:

enter image description here
sbap.be; electronic comp. access

enter image description here
sbap.be; electrical bay access

The handle shape indicates a nearby anchor point for hoisting the plane.

Here's a collection:

enter image description here
scottbouch.com

In your photo, the forward facing protruding part is a forward radar warning antenna.

  • 1
    Your answer could be improved by listing the picketing point (upper symbol) and describing what it is. – user2617804 Oct 18 '21 at 22:49
  • 4
    According to the diagram in the answer, the hook on a bar isn't a picketing point but a slinging/hoisting point. I don't know enough about maintenance to know if they're colloquially interchangeable. In any case, they're on civil aircraft too, not just military. – nexus_2006 Oct 18 '21 at 23:56
  • @user: upper symbol was already described – see previous comment. Anyway, picketing point is simply tie-down point. –  Oct 19 '21 at 01:24
  • Thanks for the answer, and for the helpful images. – Marcello Rosa Oct 19 '21 at 08:51
  • Two semicircles don't look like a sine wave to me... :[] – Zeus Oct 19 '21 at 23:46
  • It's fascinating to think that there must presumably be people with enough business accessing aircraft electronics who nevertheless require markings to remind them where they are... – Tom W Oct 21 '21 at 11:28
  • 1
    @TomW: Aircraft are serviced by more than one team, and each team services different types, e.g. fueling teams in an air force. This is easier than mistaking an access point and then opening them all :) –  Oct 21 '21 at 11:37