Steve in Ottawa Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 This photo appeared on Facebook and the last line of the inscription is giving me fits trying to figure out what it says: 127. WING. WING COMMANDER FLYING Please Advise the Wing of the "Arrival of this Bxxxxx… "? of the "Delivery of this xxxxxx … "? of the "Officer of Unit Canteen… "? 127 Wing was an RCAF Spitfire Wing. I figure it would have to a very straightforward message to the groundcrew loading or unloading the tank, to show who owned the cargo and who was to be contacted upon arrival..., or delivery..., or something else. Does anybody have a better quality image of this shot, and/or do you know what this last line says? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonar Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 (edited) I have the second line as 'Place Order(s) so Wing'........Third line is illegible. SWMBO thinks the long word on the third line might be 'replenish' but I can't see that at all. It wouldn't be the first time we've seen the same thing in completely different ways Cheers Steve Edited August 5, 2017 by Stonar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 It's bugging me now. I've tried to enhance the photo but the quality of the original is too poor. I'm not convinced the first word of the third line is 'Please' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Ottawa Posted August 5, 2017 Author Share Posted August 5, 2017 Good comments, thanks. Now I'm less convinced of my initial theory of the wording. So now I'm back to this level of reasonable certainty: 127. WING. WING COMMANDER FLYING xxxxx xxxxx xxWing of the Xxxxxx of xxxx xxxxx Based on the enhanced photo, it may be that the characters preceding 'Wing' were a number, like '52' or '92' but a Google search doesn't support that as being possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackG Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 The very end of bottom line looks it could be GrBritain, so possiblly of the Airman of GrBritain Still not sure about it because the middle of that line it looks it could be an 'x' instead of 'n' . regards, Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 "Of the Quality of this beer" So that if something was going wrong en-route it could be sorted out? I'm happy with the word Quality, less sure of the last two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmig Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Here's the image massaged to death in Photoshop! To my eye it looks like the last two words on the third line might say "92 Wing"... but that doesn't make much sense. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Ottawa Posted August 5, 2017 Author Share Posted August 5, 2017 Hey Graham, I think that inviting the handlers to evaluate the quality of the contents enroute would be ill-advised, especially if the Flt Sgt was out of sight. So I would lean away from that being a possibility. Aside from the poor quality of the image, I think what complicates this a little bit more is that the first two lines look like they were done by somebody with sign-painting experience with that style of lettering. The script lettering in the last two lines shows some variation (note the 'g' in Wing, for example), so some of the letters in the words may not be consistently applied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 I don't think that there's any suggestion that the writing was directed at the handlers, but the recipients. The more I look, the more convinced I am about "quality", to the u following the Q, the dot on the i and the tail of the y. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobmig Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Studying the image more, how about, "Please Contact the Wing if the something something something"? That last word might be "return" Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 We need the FBI to help with this one, but they are busy with Trump. I think you had it correct, Please advise the wing.... Of the delivery..?????? I'd love decals for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Ottawa Posted August 6, 2017 Author Share Posted August 6, 2017 (edited) If I zoom the enhanced photos in and out I want to think I see: 127. WING. WING COMMANDER FLYING 'Please Advise the Wing of the Delivery of this xxxxxxxx' (Wild A** Guess mode ON) Could that maybe be something like: 127. WING. WING COMMANDER FLYING 'Please Advise the Wing of the Delivery or the Return' I think it would likely be a simple 'standard procedure' message to whoever was handling the tank. No matter what state it was in, it was to get back into the hands of 127 Wing, where RCAF personnel would be trained and ready to deal with the tank's contents. Edited August 6, 2017 by Steve in Ottawa slopppy typing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 I think you have your answer Steve. None of us can tell what it says, so do what you want and no one would be any the wiser. If you come across a better quality photo, then I'd happily have another stab at enhancing it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve in Ottawa Posted August 6, 2017 Author Share Posted August 6, 2017 It was Malcolm Laird who posted the photo on Facebook, and he indicated to me that it was also published in one of their 'Classic Warbirds' series of books. I haven't taken a dig in the personal library yet to see if I have the printed photo in the book, but Malcolm had indicated that this was the best quality image he had in his hands. Malcolm also indicated that the photo came from the collection of Johnny Checketts. Thanks to everybody for weighing in on this question. Good input and discussion, as always! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 Hopefully the referenced names strike a bell with someone. How about this for line 2. Of the Quality of the Brewing... Of the Quality of the Brewery.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now