File talk:WE.177 safety keys.jpg

Extraneous parts

The keys illustrated have a number of extra parts that are not officially part of the key set. I worked with the organisation that oversaw the manufacture and testing of the various parts of the weapon and checked and handled more of these sets of keys than I care to remember.

The key sets were made in two identical parts. The sets illustrated have been tampered with in various ways.

Each set consisted of the large cream coloured object (which was to remove the cover from the lock of the Ground Control Unit located behind an access panel in the weapon). This was placed on a 'key ring'. The key itself was placed on a second key ring along with the engraved stainless steel disc that bore the the key set part number and the serial number of the Ground Control Unit it was associated with. Both key rings were threaded together and the ends welded so that no items could be added or removed. The two sets were then treaded onto a third key ring, to keep them together for transport or storage. This third key ring was not welded to permit the two parts to be separated.

The items illustrated differ from an official set in the following ways.

• The key rings holding the official parts are not welded, which suggests that the originals have been cut and replaced.
• The left hand set has two items on that do not belong. The blue disk with a number. The metal hexagonal tag behind it.
• The first two digits of the number on the blue tag seem to match the visible digits on the key behind it.
• The key has a number on it. The correct keys were not identified with a profile number. The only way to identify the profile was to refer back to the Ground Control Unit manufacturing documentation.
• The number shown does not match the format of the Ground Control Unit serial number (two letters followed by three digits). The weapon serial number was not identified on the key set. It was necessary to refer to the documentation to find the Ground Control Unit serial number to identify the correct key.
• The keys in the picture are bright chrome plated. The correct keys were not plated but were made from matt finished stainless steel.

It is my belief that a pair of oridinary commercially available keys have been substituted for the officially correct keys. This may be because the key profile may still be classified. The hexagonal tag and the blue disc have also been added. Their purpose is unknown. 86.169.33.6 16:59, 1 June 2012 (UTC)

Just to record another Wikipedia editor has stated that this key set is from RAF Bruggen, and the blue tag is not a museum add on (presumably he thought this might be an RAF Germany or similar tag).[1] For the record this editor stated in his edit description:

"Removed sentence 'The blue disc is not part of the key set and is presumably a museum inventory tag' from the picture description as this is incorrect. This key is from RAF Bruggen, the blue tag is not a museum add on."

I have no further information on these claims. It would be interesting to know for sure. Rwendland (talk) 11:31, 5 April 2017 (UTC)