Royal Air Force's fuel in Belgium?

[SpottairBRU]

Hello everybody!

Yesterday, I was stuck in the traffic on Ring around Brussels, as usual. What was not usual, was that I was in a middle of a military British convoy (one truck in front of me, two "fuel" trucks behind) bearing the marks of the R.A.F. As we were driving at around 20km/h, I had all the time to look closely at these trucks. I realized that these fuel trucks were full of fuel (due to the orange square panels with digits that every truck needs to have in order to inform firemen of the contents of their cargo in case of accidents. These were bearing the prefix "30", that I know are meaning "inflammable stuff"), and found it a bit strange.

My question is the following: why would the R.A.F. send filled in fuel trucks in Belgium (or transiting through Belgium to a destination on the continent)? Surely to fill some vehicles' tanks (planes, helicopters,...), but why these vehicles would not use the facilities in the bases where they are stationed? I would find odd that the liquid used by these vehicles is so specific that it needed direct importation from UK: that would be quite a logistic issue for deployment in less than friendlies regions!

I'm sure there is a rational explanation for this, but do not know it (yet).

PS: moderator, if it does not fit in Military Aviation, fell free to move it where it should be!

[andorra-airport]

The reason I can think of is that they are transporting Military Jet Fuel, which is a bit special because of the addition of corrosion inhibitor and anti-icing additives.Think of JP-4, JP-5, JP-8.

I guess it is not widely available (by pipeline's), so they need trucks.

[SN_fan]

Hello everybody!

Yesterday, I was stuck in the traffic on Ring around Brussels, as usual. What was not usual, was that I was in a middle of a military British convoy (one truck in front of me, two "fuel" trucks behind) bearing the marks of the R.A.F.

OFF TOPIC: I was under the impression that you should never break-up a convoy be it a military convoy or a "convoy" of school children walking together.

[9vsmu]

Helicopters require fuel on remote areas as part of an exercise ??

[Cash]

OFF TOPIC: I was under the impression that you should never break-up a convoy be it a military convoy or a "convoy" of school children walking together.

They need to be escorted by an offical (MP) if not, they are just part of normal traffic.

[jan_olieslagers]

Helicopters require fuel on remote areas as part of an exercise ??

Even so, I should expect this could be supplied locally (i.e. by Belgian Air Force) under NATO co-operation agreements? So yes, this does seem a strange story, to me also.

[regi]

Hello everybody!

Yesterday, I was stuck in the traffic on Ring around Brussels, as usual. What was not usual, was that I was in a middle of a military British convoy (one truck in front of me, two "fuel" trucks behind) bearing the marks of the R.A.F.

OFF TOPIC: I was under the impression that you should never break-up a convoy be it a military convoy or a "convoy" of school children walking together.

Partly true - if the military vehicles stay close enough to each other. You cannot expect of civilians that they would not come in between 2 military vehicles if the distance between the military vehicles is very large.
Secondly, it was on the ring road where vehicles have to switch sometimes of lane to be able to take a exit, or opposite, come from the right and drive on the ring road. If the convoy vehicles leave a large gap between them, it is normal that the drivers from the side lane pop inn between.
Question is what a military convoy is. Just driving with some military vehicles in a row is not considered to be a convoy. There have to be some indications ( red or blue flag, I forgot ) and when it is a large convoy, it is accompagnied by a (MP) vehicle at the head and at the tail, each with a flag. Or a MP motorcycle. Probably a flashlight is used as well.
What the markings concerns, the vehicles also have to carry specific signs if they carry explosives.
Other remark about strange regulations: the normal trucks of the military are not allowed to carry jerrycans inside the truck, at the back. The spare fuel has to be carried in jerrycan holders at the outside, mostly hanging under the vehicle and with jeeps at the back. Safety regulation. But those same trucks can carry enough bombs inside to blast away a village.
Army logic
Other remark: take care with military convoys, especially during bad weather, winter time. All kind of stuff flies around: ice from the roof, clay from the mudguards and from between the tyres, and even some other stuff like those badly attached warning flags and signs...I talk about my own experience, whereby I dropped in 1 ride 2 mirrors, the wooden back flap of my truck, some wheel bolts and other bits and pieces. yep, a Brittish Bedford. Reminds about the Top Gear show about those Brittish cars from the seventies.
A friend succeeded to lose a stretcher out of his Minerva jeep in a corner. Hilarious. Real Mr. Bean style.
German quality wasn't better. Mercedes Unimog trucks blew their gaskets quite regulary spraying engine oil all over the highway. Those old style Unimogs had also the tendency to lose sometimes a canvas side door. And the diesel fumes of the MAN trucks can only be described as big dust particles.
And for the Belgian nationalists I can only say that one of the weakest engineering examples was the hydraulics of the FN Herstal dumptruck: the hydraulic fluid of the hydraulic cylinder constantly disappeared ( on the road surface or the windscreen of Luchtzak members who came too close to a military convoy )
Most reliable are the Iltis jeeps: the rolls bars do really work During the rolling, nothing comes off the vehicles, except the jerry cans.
Sorry to have strayed away from the main subject.

[SpottairBRU]

Hello everyone!

Thanks for the replies!

OFF TOPIC: I was under the impression that you should never break-up a convoy be it a military convoy or a "convoy" of school children walking together.

That's a question I asked myself when I was overtaking the two fuel trucks, and then:

Partly true - if the military vehicles stay close enough to each other. You cannot expect of civilians that they would not come in between 2 military vehicles if the distance between the military vehicles is very large.
Secondly, it was on the ring road where vehicles have to switch sometimes of lane to be able to take a exit, or opposite, come from the right and drive on the ring road. If the convoy vehicles leave a large gap between them, it is normal that the drivers from the side lane pop inn between.

That was my case: I needed to take an exit 1km away, there was a comfortable gap (50-75m) between the trucks, so I took the opportunity, as I wasn't sure to pass the first truck on time before the exit. There were no MPs, flashlights or other understandable signs.

Question is what a military convoy is. Just driving with some military vehicles in a row is not considered to be a convoy. There have to be some indications ( red or blue flag, I forgot ) and when it is a large convoy, it is accompagnied by a (MP) vehicle at the head and at the tail, each with a flag. Or a MP motorcycle. Probably a flashlight is used as well.

Well, I understand your point, and at the time of posting the subject I couldn't find another term for "military vehicles driving one after each other at equal distance without escort or sign whatsoever" , therefore I used the wording "convoy", even if I knew that technically it was maybe not the correct term (should have used quote marks )

Sorry to have strayed away from the main subject.

no problem (for me at least, can't speak for the moderator ), I always enjoy reading other people experience!