Most will recognise the photograph of a Royal Enfield 125 inside a Horsa glider with some staff busying themselves with something or another. The top of the petroil tank has the lettering C.I.A. on it. It was only the other day whilst making a repro of an ABCA pamphlet ( No.72, dated June 10, 1944) that in an article on the 5.5" gun this abbreviation was explained to stand for: Chief Inspector of Armanents Branch.

Your thoughts?

Rob

email (option): rvanmeel@wanadoo.nl

I still think it means 'Collect In Arnhem'.. ..Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

How about "Clockwise In Air", for the petrol cap vent screw.

Rob.

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

"Captions in Abundance"

'Carry in Aircraft'...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Poor Rob Little Lorry! He starts a serious thread, and look what happens Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Well, I did try to find out some information on 'Chief Inspectorate of Armourments' but the only reference to thier work that came up related to the inspection of explosives, inspection of the charging process for artillery shells etc...munitions in other words.
Nothing about motorcycles..However, maybe the bike was marked that way if it was allocated to someone involved in that work?....or perhaps they were planning to fire it out of a cannon.. ...Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Yes, just as I posted about this picture last year, no satisfactory answers yet, but am unearthing some more info in the coming months, so who knows what I'll find.

Cheers,

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net

I did a search, but nothing came up. Lex, a link to your previous posting would be appreciated.

And as Ian says, the CIA was into ordnance/ammunition etc. That process is described in one of the ABCA War pamphlets: ABCA series War No. 72: June 10, 1944: Up in arms; Contents: - Up in Arms, by Capt. E. Watkins, R.A., on the 5.5”gun, and the work of the Chief Inspector of Armaments branch.

So it may have been one of the CIA's run-arounds? Or used in tests by them on loading or landing gliders?

Similar to some of the tests performed under the responsibilty of the Ministry of Aircraft Production, doing dropping and towing tests for Excelsior Welbikes at the Airborne Forces Experimental centre in Sherburn-in-Elmet in 1942. At face value the Ministry of Aircraft Production had nothing to do with motorcycles either!


Rob

email (option): rvanmeel@wanadoo.nl

Wasn't my posting it seems, but here it is:

http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3155626639&frmid=16&msgid=1193836&cmd=show

Lex

email (option): welbike@welbike.net