tomcatter Posted June 14, 2015 Share #1 Posted June 14, 2015 Hi guys!Maybe you know that before 1916 the French Air Force didn't have an official, issued Pilot wing, so many Pilots put on their uniforms civilian eagles (like these I join to this message).I was told that also US Volunteer Pilots in French service during WWI (for example "La Fayette" Squadron) used to wear these French-made eagles until 1916, before they had French and US official wings.What do you think about, is it just a legend or it really happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted June 23, 2015 Share #2 Posted June 23, 2015 Hi guys! Maybe you know that before 1916 the French Air Force didn't have an official, issued Pilot wing, so many Pilots put on their uniforms civilian eagles (like these I join to this message). I was told that also US Volunteer Pilots in French service during WWI (for example "La Fayette" Squadron) used to wear these French-made eagles until 1916, before they had French and US official wings. What do you think about, is it just a legend or it really happened? Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted June 24, 2015 Share #3 Posted June 24, 2015 Not so long ago on eBay there was a nice pair of the FIX wings (not that there are quite a few variation of both FIX and Oria eagles) that appeared to be period engraved to a US airman. There are photos of other nationalities wearing these unofficial wings. Can't remember if I've seen a US Pilot wearing one though. Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted June 25, 2015 Share #4 Posted June 25, 2015 PS: I managed to find the pics of that FIX eagle. Maybe someone here won it? Went for serious money from memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted June 25, 2015 Share #5 Posted June 25, 2015 There are some vintage photographs, especially early in WWI, that show French pilots wearing the Fix style wings. So, I have no doubt that they were worn. I can't say that I have seen any La Fayette Escradille ID'd pilots wearing these eagles. These eagles seem to be relatively common and I suspect that they were made for many other reasons other than for military wear. In fact, I would suspect that most of these FIX eagles you see were probably not worn or even associated to any pilot but were more in line with patriotic or women's jewelry items. My sense would be that is why the engraved eagle got serious money because it has at least some link to the AEF. I have one of these FIX eagles in my collection and I like them a great deal. They are nice to have but I have no illusions that mine was actually worn or used by a pilot, which is a shame.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomcatter Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted June 25, 2015 @Mike: as far as I can see from these photos, this Fix eagle looks genuine to me (but I don't know about engraving). @Patrick: Fix, Oria, Royal and so on eagles and brooches were originally intended as women jewelry items (Bijoux Fix was a great French jewelry maker, and one of the very first to use modern techniques to make gold filled brass or bronze items),but eagles brooches were also worn by early French Aviators, as they hadn't an official Pilot badge (which would appear only in 1916).I think it's very difficult to know for sure if a French eagle has been really worn by a Pilot, but in my opinion it's in any case a great piece of art from "Belle Epoque" and WWI era! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Posted June 26, 2015 Share #7 Posted June 26, 2015 There is at least one photo of Kiffin Rockwell of the Lafayette Escadrille wearing a Fix-style pin. I have a pin that is attributed to him via the family of the French girl he was courting right before he was killed (a gift to her). I am in the middle of a move and my files are packed, otherwise I'd show the picture of Rockwell. There are many photos of French pilots wearing Fix pins. To find a Fix pin engraved to an American is an incredible find! Thx for posting it! Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escadrille Posted July 10, 2015 Share #8 Posted July 10, 2015 Found the photo of Kiffin Rockwell of the Lafayette Escadrille. Note the Fix-style wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomcatter Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted July 10, 2015 Great photo! Thank you Escadrille for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlewilly Posted October 3, 2017 Share #10 Posted October 3, 2017 To add to tomcatter's information - I have been told the Fix eagle pin was used to hold small women's watches circa the 1880's.. They had no pockets for a pocket watch, and wrist watches had yet to be invented. The pin allowed them to dangle a small watch on a chain that could be raised up to view the time. MHJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted October 4, 2017 Share #11 Posted October 4, 2017 I have seen FIX eagles with small gold loops on the beak that very well could have been attachment points for small watches or other types of bangles. Although these pieces are rather light and I would think that anything heavy would run a good chance of breaking free. Still, it seems like a very plausible role. Thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted October 8, 2017 Share #12 Posted October 8, 2017 I don't know about watches, but I've seen the eagles with a loop in the beak holding small set pearls/rubies. Imo the examples with loops were (ladies) jewellery. I'm guessing that if the eagles were used to hold watches then the main pin would had to have been used, although some variants of the eagles did have a curled "hook" on the reverse which could have been used to suspend something (or for better purchase on a uniform). Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomcatter Posted October 10, 2017 Author Share #13 Posted October 10, 2017 Almost all of these wings were firstly intended as jewelry items, but shortly later they were "enlisted" in the aviation... so you can find eagles both with and without pearls and other ornaments, of course eagles worn by Pilots had these fittings removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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