On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:50:07 +0100, Netko
wrote:

On Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:29:01 +0100, Joseph Testagrose wrote
(in article ):

I can't recall having seen any other UK military aircraft with full stops
(periods) in the serial number.

Betting it was painted at Grumman by someone who didn't read the paint
specifications too closely; perhaps thought it meant 'Air Ministry".