What does the gold O with wings represent on WWII era bombers?

Question

I've seen them painted alongside bomber mission markings on the nose area of RCAF and RAF bombers, but I don't know what they mean. Here's a photograph of what I'm talking about.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21284861@N05/2635331926/

Answer 1

The device you're referring to is a pictorial representation of a set of Observer's Flight Wings indicating that mission was an observation mission opposed to a bombing (indicated by a bomb) mission.  

Normally the lead plane over the target and the trail plane departing were required to observe the target prior to it being attacked by the main body and following the attack in order to develop an accruate bomb accessment.  This would serve to indicate if it would be necessary to bomb the target again or not.