RAF Phantom navigator's ladder 'BKA'

[Hendon Chipmunk]

I have recently seen a 1979 Rolls-Royce brochure with a photograph of a RAF Phantom navigator on his ladder, the ladder is stencilled 'BKA 5', does anyone know the significance of this code?

If the letters were 'CON'ingsby or 'LEU'chars, that would have been obvious, but 'BKA' is a mystery to me.

The Phantom is definitely RAF (red and blue roundel on the side of the intake - all photos I have seen of FAA Phantoms have red, white and blue roundels). There are no obvious squadron chequerboard bars, etc. around the roundel.

The type of ladder is the same as this one: https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.u ... f99321.jpg

The 'BKA 5' lettering is on the vertical part around where the second visible rung from the top is.

[ukmil]

BKA is likely what was called an Inventory Code. All items purchased by the military have to be accounted for, so once purchased are placed on an inventory and tracked until scrapped. Each inventory is given a unique code, in this instance BKA (local assigned code) and a the steps would be asset number 5 on that list.

[Hendon Chipmunk]

Thanks ukmil, unfortunately, I haven't been able to find any other pictures of 'BKA' Phantom navigator ladders or it's (at least four other) brothers!

[DavieB]

Almost certainly a local code. Only established F-4 bases had the proper ladders and none of them had a name relatable to BKA. I even pondered the BAe sites like Brough. Rest of the time there was a small set of internal steps which dropped down when required just under the front cockit on the left and the nav simply climbed forward to the front and then down in the same way as the pilot.

[TS010]

BKA was a Binbrook inventory code.
Most RAF stations had some ground equipment for regular visitors. Binbrook was a divert for Coningsby although local weather meant most diverts went the other way!

[bvs]

Ha Ha - TS beat me to it
BK is the airfield identifier code for Binbrook - and whilst I was looking around for a photo of a BK inventory code - he posted above
LTF Lightning with inv code BKD

[Hendon Chipmunk]

Ah, brilliant, thanks all!

I also wondered about Bruggen, Boscombe Down, Brough, Belfast Aldergrove (23MU) or Bristol (Rolls-Royce Filton), but none really fitted 'BKA'.

Even, tenuously 17 Sqn (Black Knights 'A' Flt)!