What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?

I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?

--
Jim Fisher

I always guessed it meant "totally useless".

Pete

"Jim Fisher" > wrote in message
...
> What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
>
> I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?
>
> --
> Jim Fisher
>

Jim Fisher ) wrote:

> What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
>
> I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?

I always interpreted to mean "tits up," which implies a body lying on
its back dead.

--
Peter

Why would "tits up" imply they're dead? I've seen my share of
"tits up" and I'm pretty sure they weren't dead. Ummm..at least
I hope so. ; - )



"Peter R." > wrote in message
...
> Jim Fisher ) wrote:
>
>> What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
>>
>> I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?
>
> I always interpreted to mean "tits up," which implies a body lying on
> its back dead.
>
> --
> Peter
>
>
>
>
>

Jim Fisher wrote:
> What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
>
> I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?
>
> --
> Jim Fisher

Well, the usage coincides perfectly with the usage of "tits up" that I
see. (Technical gizmo no longer working)

As in roadkill.
--
Gene Seibel
Confessions of a Pilot - http://pad39a.com/publishing/
Because I fly, I envy no one.

How about "Toes Up"?

-Malcolm Teas

Jim Fisher wrote:

> What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
>
> I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?
>
I have always heard it as Tits Up as a description for dead. If it were
"toes up" or "tails up", there would be no need to "sanitize" it.

It's my understanding that the police are now using DRT to describe a
dead perpetrator. That means Dead Right There.

Jim Fisher wrote:
>
> What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
>
> I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?

Tits up -- "dead".

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

Think dead animal laying on its back.. Thats what my interpretation is..

Dave
(and yea.. I've had my share of the other variety, too)

Peter MacPherson wrote:
> Why would "tits up" imply they're dead? I've seen my share of
> "tits up" and I'm pretty sure they weren't dead. Ummm..at least
> I hope so. ; - )
>
>
>
> "Peter R." > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Jim Fisher ) wrote:
>>
>>
>>>What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
>>>
>>>I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?
>>
>>I always interpreted to mean "tits up," which implies a body lying on
>>its back dead.
>>
>>--
>>Peter
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>

Dave S wrote:
>
> Think dead animal laying on its back.. Thats what my interpretation is..

Yep. It's fairly old British slang. American WWII pilots brought it back with
them.

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Yep. It's fairly old British slang. American WWII pilots brought it back
> with
> them.
>

Wouldn't they have brought back TARE UNCLE?

I guess Tango Uniform is worse than Tango Papa, which I have needed on a few
occasions after a flight.

Slip'er


"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Jim Fisher wrote:
> >
> > What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
> >
> > I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?
>
> Tits up -- "dead".
>
> George Patterson
> The desire for safety stands against every great and noble
enterprise.

"Slip'er" > wrote in message
news:Ajuyd.4798$Cl3.4486@fed1read03...

> I guess Tango Uniform is worse than Tango Papa, which I have needed on a
few
> occasions after a flight.

How about Foxtrot Uniform? Bravo Sierra?
--
Jim in NC

Stan Prevost wrote:


> Wouldn't they have brought back TARE UNCLE?

Brings up a question:

Has the phonetic alphabet been standardized worldwide?

Gregg

"gregg" > wrote

> Has the phonetic alphabet been standardized worldwide?
>
> Gregg


take a look here:

A Phonetic Alphabet.htm
The NATO phonetic alphabet: Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta Echo Foxtrot Golf
Hotel India Juliet Kilo Lima Mike November
Oscar Papa Quebec Romeo Sierra Tango Uniform
Victor Whiskey X-ray Yankee Zulu

[This alphabet dates from about 1955 and is approved by the International
Civil Aviation Organization, the FAA and the International Telecommunication
Union; note that different bodies prefer different spellings, so one also
sees: Alfa Juliett Juliette Oskar Viktor]

Some Phoenetic Numbers

Phonetics for digits (from an amateur radio FAQ):

zero one two tree fower fife six seven eight niner

From the Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language:

zero wun too tree fower fife six seven ait niner

Atlantic City ITU convention 1947:

Nadazero NAH-DAH-ZAY-ROH
Unaone OO-NAH-WUN
Bissotwo BEES-SOH-TOO
Terrathree TAY-RAH-TREE
Kartefour KAR-TAY-FOWER
Pantafive PAN-TAH-FIVE
Soxisix SOK-SEE-SIX
Setteseven SAY-TAY-SEVEN
Oktoeight OK-TOH-AIT
Novenine NO-VAY-NINER


Back to the main page

Stan Prevost wrote:
>
> Wouldn't they have brought back TARE UNCLE?

No, the British slang they brought back is "tits up." Rephrasing it as "Tango
Uniform" is purely American.

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

"G.R. Patterson III" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Stan Prevost wrote:
>>
>> Wouldn't they have brought back TARE UNCLE?
>
> No, the British slang they brought back is "tits up." Rephrasing it as
> "Tango
> Uniform" is purely American.
>
> George Patterson
> The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.


But if they rephrased it into the WWII phonetic alphabet in use by US
forces, it would have been TARE UNCLE.

Stan Prevost wrote:
>
> But if they rephrased it into the WWII phonetic alphabet in use by US
> forces, it would have been TARE UNCLE.

I have never seen any indication that the old pilots rephrased it. They used
"tits up" -- rephrasing it seems to be a modern phenomenum.

George Patterson
The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

m pautz wrote:
> Jim Fisher wrote:
>
> > What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
> >
> > I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?
> >
> I have always heard it as Tits Up as a description for dead. If it
were
> "toes up" or "tails up", there would be no need to "sanitize" it.
>
> It's my understanding that the police are now using DRT to describe a

> dead perpetrator. That means Dead Right There.

We use DRT quite a lot, in the Fire/EMS service. Refers to any patient
who is obviously dead.
John
student pilot
FME/FMFA
vol. FF/EMT

m pautz wrote:
> Jim Fisher wrote:
>
> > What is the etymology of Tango Uniform?
> >
> > I'm guessing "tails up" or "tits up" but anyone know for sure?
> >
> I have always heard it as Tits Up as a description for dead. If it
were
> "toes up" or "tails up", there would be no need to "sanitize" it.
>
> It's my understanding that the police are now using DRT to describe a

> dead perpetrator. That means Dead Right There.

We use DRT quite a lot, in the Fire/EMS service. Refers to any patient
who is obviously dead.
John
student pilot
FME/FMFA
vol. FF/EMT

Morgans wrote:

> Union; note that different bodies prefer different spellings, so one also
> sees: Alfa Juliett Juliette Oskar Viktor]

The alphabet has to sound approximately the same in all languages, but
cannot be written the same in all languages so that it sounds the same.
For example, Zulu, in some languages there is not even a Z sounding, so
I guess they would have to write it in a way which would sound similar
enough.

--
Sim Student Pilot
FS2004 (9.1)
P3 @ 500 MHz, 384 MB of RAM
Voodoo 3 2000, SB Live! Value
MS SideWinder JS

Fav Aircraft: Cessna 182RG