Garth Thompson Posted November 9, 2013 Share #1 Posted November 9, 2013 Found this guy on ebay a couple of weeks ago. It is for the 18th AAF Flight Training Detachment which did glider pilot training at Bates Field in Mobile. AL through mid 1943. The letters stand for Elmira Area Soaring Corporation. Quite a scarce little guy. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocsfollowme Posted November 9, 2013 Share #2 Posted November 9, 2013 Graduate school is getting in the way of my patch hunting on ebay! AWEsome patch find there Garth!! Never seen this one before. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Signor Posted November 9, 2013 Share #3 Posted November 9, 2013 Very Rare patch indeed ,Great catch duuuuuude !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted November 9, 2013 Share #4 Posted November 9, 2013 The letters stand for Elmira Aviation Soaring Corporation. Exactly it stands for Elmira Area Soaring Corporation with its HQ in the Federation Building, Elmira, New York. Regards Gregory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocsfollowme Posted November 9, 2013 Share #5 Posted November 9, 2013 I was excited about the tie to Elmira and am doing some research on it as it is not to far from where I grew up. Never knew there was a glider school there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted November 9, 2013 Share #6 Posted November 9, 2013 I was excited about the tie to Elmira and am doing some research on it as it is not to far from where I grew up. Never knew there was a glider school there. What Wasserkuppe is for Germany, or what Bezmiechowa is for Poland, Elmira was for the USA. It is the Mecca of American soaring and gliding, it is US capitol of soaring and gliding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Thompson Posted November 9, 2013 Author Share #7 Posted November 9, 2013 Exactly it stands for Elmira Area Soaring Corporation with its HQ in the Federation Building, Elmira, New York. Regards Gregory Corrected the original post, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Baker Posted November 9, 2013 Share #8 Posted November 9, 2013 Nice find! Congrats!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted November 9, 2013 Share #9 Posted November 9, 2013 The EASC Army Glider School had its maiden public presentation for the American media during 12th Annual National Gliding and Soaring Contest at Emira between June 28th and July 13th, 1941. Major Frederic R. Dent presented then TG-2 glider, sn 41-29612. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted November 10, 2013 Share #10 Posted November 10, 2013 Wow! Terrific patch Garth. Thank you for sharing it with us. Is it a full-size three inch shoulder patch? Or a little smaller? Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garth Thompson Posted November 10, 2013 Author Share #11 Posted November 10, 2013 Wow! Terrific patch Garth. Thank you for sharing it with us. Is it a full-size three inch shoulder patch? Or a little smaller? Russ Russ it is a full size patch. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vostoktrading Posted November 10, 2013 Share #12 Posted November 10, 2013 I never seen that one before. Beautiful patch and rare as hen's teeth! Jon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted November 10, 2013 Share #13 Posted November 10, 2013 This patch must be from 1942 or later on. In various photo reports from Elmira glider center of 1941 nobody wears this patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted November 14, 2013 Share #14 Posted November 14, 2013 I grew up just west of Elmira, and remember the large, very active glider-port right along the HWY, which I recall as HWY 417, but can't be sure. That was in the 60s-70s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted November 14, 2013 Share #15 Posted November 14, 2013 WooHoo! Great & Rare patch, Garth!......The only thing I knew about Elmira, NY growing up was that it was the location of Sing Sing Prison where I was going to end up if I didn't straighten up! Congrats.....Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COOKIEMAN Posted November 17, 2013 Share #16 Posted November 17, 2013 My research indicates the school began operations on 6 July 1942 at Harris Hill, Elmira NY. The school soon moved to Mobile AL due to adverse weather conditions. It ceased all glider pilot training on 15 March 1943. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted November 17, 2013 Share #17 Posted November 17, 2013 Elmira was a contract school (there were glider preliminary, elementary, basic, advanced and contract schools). The first USAAC glider pilots trained at Elmira were shown publicly before 12th Annual National Gliding and Soaring Contest, June 28th to July 13th, 1941. You may see that group of military glider pilots in the publication "Official Program, 12th Annual National Gliding and Soaring Contest", page 6. In fact, when the contest was under way, they were already USAAF, not USAAC, glider pilots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregory Posted November 18, 2013 Share #18 Posted November 18, 2013 PS. Since early 1941 Elmira-based EASC was very attractive place for the USAAC glider training because the EASC had an agreement with regional branch of the American Radio Relay League. The ARRL specialists equipped Elmira-based gliders with radios. It was not so common then in the world to fly by such well-equipped gliders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reapp Posted March 17, 2017 Share #19 Posted March 17, 2017 There's one of these on ebay right now, along with a "EASC" embroidered tab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mortaydc60 Posted March 19, 2017 Share #20 Posted March 19, 2017 Might be of interest to note that only 40 miles away in Hammondsport NY is the Glenn Curtis museum; one of the original pioneers in aviation right alongside the Wright brothers. Early leader in aviation and motor cycles. Located near one of the beautiful Finger Lakes noted also for fine Reisling white wines and Ice Wine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocsfollowme Posted March 24, 2017 Share #21 Posted March 24, 2017 I set my timer wrong and missed out on reapp's auction. That one hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reapp Posted April 16, 2017 Share #22 Posted April 16, 2017 Friendly Heads-up: Second and last one of these to be sold is listed on ebay for seven days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWIIDADS Posted April 16, 2017 Share #23 Posted April 16, 2017 That's where the old Schweitzer Bros. Glider Company was. I was up there on the hill when we went to visit Glenn Curtis Museum as a kid. Paul Schweitzer was still living. They're out of business now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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