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Daniel Smilo & Son's Wings - A Simple Question


Tim B
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I think I've asked this question a couple years back but never got anything firm on it so, I'll ask again.

 

Has anyone ever seen a Dan Smilo & Sons "Bombardier Wing" of the pattern shown below? I have not and am beginning to wonder if they ever made one but, can't understand why they wouldn't have considering all the other basic wing patterns are seen.

 

Anyone know one way or the other or, anyone have a photo they want to share?

 

Thanks in advance...

post-50776-0-63867000-1475635569_thumb.jpg

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Well...125 views and no comments :dry:

 

I guess, by the lack of comments here, that no one has actually seen a Smilo bombardier wing then?

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I have a few variations of their pilot wing, a service pilot wing in the box and one naval aviator but nothing else.

Personally I have not seen a bombardier wing by Smilo.

 

John

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I can't help but think there might be Bombardier examples out there because of the other known Smilo-made ratings, but I've never seen one myself.

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I was able to view the extensive collection of a friend over the weekend (mutual friend of Russ) and he does not have and has never seen a Smilo bombardier wing either.

 

Marty

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, with over 400 views and no one saying they've ever seen one, I think its safe to say either Smilo & Son didn't produce a bombardier wing in this pattern or, produced so few that they might actually be rare.

 

I was trying to speculate that it might be an indicator of "when" the manufacturer produced this particular pattern of wings but, as far as I know, the bombardier wing was not phased out any earlier than most other wings. If the rating had been phased out or planned to be phased out, I could understand why a manufacturer might decide not to manufacture that particular wing but the bombardier rating was phased out at the same time frame as the aerial gunner and observer in July 1949.

 

I don't know, seems like someone would have seen one or have one in a collection but, we just don't see any.

 

Tim

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I should ask while the topic is still somewhat active.

 

Does anyone have a different set of wings, of this particular Smilo pattern, that has not been shown above? Any of the alphabet ratings?

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I should ask while the topic is still somewhat active.

 

Does anyone have a different set of wings, of this particular Smilo pattern, that has not been shown above? Any of the alphabet ratings?

 

I can add this 3" Service Pilot.

post-12439-0-14916300-1477855644.jpg

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I believe this WWII era Aviator may be Smilo as well, given that it carries their typical "Except Fittings" mark.

Personally, I have only seen this on Smilo wings, so my thought is that it has a good chance of being from this maker.

 

John

post-12439-0-34214800-1477858015_thumb.jpg

post-12439-0-02213000-1477858023_thumb.jpg

post-12439-0-86601700-1477858046.jpg

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That I don't know, I thought I've seen that "except fittings" on other manufacturer's as well but can't recall anything off the top of my head. It may have been something besides wings that I am thinking about. Still, you would figure that specific hallmark would carry over to all products produced by whomever used it.

 

I was looking through some old file pics and came across this old auction photo from 2014 that shows a liaison wing, with what appears to be a bogus AECo. hallmark added. It also has that raised "except fittings" marking.

 

So, it does appear Smilo & Sons at least made these two in addition to the above. Any glider or technical observer wings to show?

 

Tim

post-50776-0-51900700-1477859013_thumb.jpg

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If have a couple of pilot wings in the Smilo pattern that are without the "Except Fittings" marking, just marked Sterling.

One of them has the Sterling mark stamped and one is raised.

 

John

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Was looking for any old file pics of other patterns with the "except fittings" marking and couldn't find what I was looking for. I did manage to come across this older thread here:
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/99956-ripleys-believe-it-or-not-gold-aircrew-wing/&do=findComment&comment=738670

 

One pattern is unknown to me and the other appears to be what I think is a Coro design, though I still have not proven that just yet.

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IF anyone were to have seen a SMILO glider pilot wing, it would be Russ. I suspect they were made.

 

P

 

SMILO did indeed make all three "letter" wings. And they all display the raised "STERLING EXCEPT FITTINGS" mark. Unfortunately (and ironically) my Glider Pilot example has repaired/replaced fittings.

 

 

SMILO 1.JPG

SMILO 6.JPG

SMILO 11.JPG

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I doubt this A.C.F.C. Pilot wing was assembled by SMILO... But it does appear a jeweler may have filled a private order by applying the roundel to an existing SMILO-made Observers badge. The back is marked with just an incised "STERLING" mark.

 

SMILO 7.JPG

SMILO 8.JPG

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Here's a one-piece Senior Pilot badge with typical SMILO feather pattern... however the reverse displays only a small raised STERLING mark and is clutch-back.

 

I've never seen a SMILO-made Command Pilot wing, but wouldn't be surprised they do exist since its apparent they made Senior Pilot wings. Please let me know if you have additional info, or a different prospective...

IMG_00291.JPG

IMG_00311.JPG

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Russ,

On your letter wings, are the letters applied to the wings (like on Lampl/Juarez wings) or were they stamped as part of the wings?

Also, it's hard to see in the first family photo on this thread, but the Smilo aircrew wings are interesting in that they don't have the "venetian blind" horizontal line background behind the eagle, just kind of a pebbled surface. I only have aircrew and gunner wings in this pattern, and they both have incised sterling marks like Russ's A.C.F.C. wing.

Marty

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Hello Marty... These Smilo & Son's made Service, Liaison & Glider Pilot wings all appear to be one piece die-strikes.

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Russ,

 

Those are some really nice examples you show and that's the first senior pilot wing example that I've seen in the Smilo pattern.

 

All my wings are simply stamped with the incised sterling mark, except the pilot wing, that has sterling in raised letters.

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Hi Marty,

 

I'm not 100% sure I know what you are referring to here as wings are not my primary area in collecting :o (I know...blasphemous in the Wings Forum!)

 

Here's some additional photos of it.

post-50776-0-76168500-1478278528_thumb.jpg

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