66 replies to this topic

[USMCRECON]

I've posted some of these wings previously and many were photographed through the glass of the display case. Yesterday I took the screws out and opened the case to clean the glass and thought it might be a good time to take some photos of them. Since I was in the mood to do some photography, I went ahead and photographed several others that are attached to uniforms. I'll probably be posting them a handful at a time over the next coiuple days until I get throuhj them. Anyway.......here we go:

This one is sewn to the blouse so I can only photograph the front. I've had this uniform for probably at least 10 years. It belonged th (then) Captain George Kenney, later Commander if the 5th AAF in WW-II.

[USMCRECON]

This one is also from the 1920s uniform of George Kenney and the wings came on it. I'm not an expert on wings (a novice would be a more accurate description) so, if one doesn't have a maker's mark, I have no idea where or by whom, they were made. They're unusual in that they're thin, like stamped metal and have a short spring-type (sort of like a safety pin) pin on the back.

Edited by USMCRECON, 05 March 2011 - 01:17 PM.

[USMCRECON]

This pair I'm not so sure about. I've had these so long that I don't even remember when I got them....probably 15 years ago or more. I looked at the gold US with a magnifying glass and the letters look to me to have been applied separately. It has some sort of marks on the back but I don't know what thy mean. Any comments would be welcome.

[USMCRECON]

This pair were attached to the blouse of a pilot from an Airborne Troop Carrier Squadron. they're marked sterling but haver no other marks on them. someone told me these were LeVelle pattern but I don't know from personal knowledge.

[USMCRECON]

Here's another pair of wings that I believe are LeVelle pattern. These I got separately and not with a uniform.

[USMCRECON]

This pair are marked Amcraft and sterling on the back.

[USMCRECON]

This pair has no markings other than sterling on the back. the front has a nice "feather" pattern.

[USMCRECON]

This pair also has no markings other than sterling. These are very thick and very heavy wings with no depression on the back whatsoever.

[USMCRECON]

This is my sole pair of Luxenberg wings , not counting the replica pair that I got from Joe Winegarten several years ago - but they don't count. This pair still has about 50% (maybe a little more) of the matte finish on the back probably about 25% left on the front.

[USMCRECON]

Here are a pair of sterling Meyer-marked Senior pilot wings.

[Sjef]

This pair has no markings other than sterling on the back. the front has a nice "feather" pattern.

Could these be Smilo?

Very nice wings Bill, all of them!!

Although I do not collect the earlier wings I love to see them :thumbsup:


Cheers!!

[USMCRECON]

This pair has a bit of an unusual shape. They have the earlier snowflake pattern on the back, have a "C" clasp rather than the rolling lock, and are marked sterling.

[USMCRECON]

Here's a pair of sterling, S. E. Eby-marked basic pilot's wings.

[USMCRECON]

I posted these for comment when I first got then about 8-10 months ago but since I'm posting pix of the majority of my wings, thought I'd post them again here. They're basic pilot's wings marked Angus & Coote and stg..

[USMCRECON]

Here's another pair of Meyer Senior Pilot wings in sterling. I think these are later mfg. than the pair of Meyer Sr Pilot wings posted earlier.

[USMCRECON]

This pair are similar in style to the wings that came on the 20s Kenney blouse except that the pin is of the more standard type. The only marking on the back is sterling.

[USMCRECON]

This pair is much like the above in style except that someone broke the pin off and attached a piece of a zinc ribbon bar to the back to act as a pin????? The other side still has the original "C" clasp

The only marking on the back is sterling.

Edited by USMCRECON, 05 March 2011 - 02:21 PM.

[USMCRECON]

This pair ids of the same style as the two preceding pairs and marked sterling on the back. The only difference is that they are gold plated. I'm not sure what that's about unless they were for an instructor pilot. I just don't know.

[USMCRECON]

This is a pair of Gemsco-marked non-sterling pilot's wings.

[USMCRECON]

This pair of wings have a pleasing shape (to me) and nice feather detail. They're quite heavy and I'm pretty sure they're sterling, though they're not so marked. In fact, they have no marks at all on the back beyond a "W" that has been scratched on the back of the shield area. They have a heavy British-style mounting pin set up.

OK, that's enough for now. I'll be back later this evening or tomorrow to post some more.

[USMCRECON]

Just finished dinner, pepperoni pizza, and thought I'd come back and post a couple more wings. Here's another non-sterling Gemsco wing, similar to the other one I posted except it has the open "C" clasp instead of the roller lock.

[USMCRECON]

And another Gemsco, this one in sterling with a drop-in roller lock. This one is on a 1940-dated AAF blouse.

[USMCRECON]

Here's another NS Meyer wing that is attached to a 1942-dated officer's blouse. Among the ribbons on this blouse are the Engineer society ribbon and both WW-I o'seas chevrons and WW-II bars.

[USMCRECON]

This one is a mini-wing. It was probably a sweetheart item but I have seen these worn on the overseas hat opposite the officer's rank. The picture isn't all that good but the wing is nicely detailed, particularly for its small size and it has a drop-in roller locking device.

[USMCRECON]

Here's a shirt-sized pilot's wing. It's nicely made and rather broad in design. It has no markings other than sterling.