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Unearthed Gemsco Wing


Kropotkin
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I’ve just taken receipt of an earlier pattern Gemsco pilot wing, which was literally unearthed by a metal detectorist in Wiltshire, England.

 

The interesting thing about the location of the find is that is just west of Ramsbury, where the 506th PIR did much of their pre-invasion training. Within the same field were found other ephemera relating to field exercises at this time.

 

How this wing got there is tantalising and sadly lost in the mists of time. I’m assuming it perhaps belonged to a troop carrier pilot given its proximity to Ramsbury/Membury airfields. I’m also assuming by late 1943/early 1944 designated glider pilot wings were already in circulation. Is that right?

 

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Patchcollector

Very nice.I like the relic pieces that are unearthed from time to time.Just think they lay there undisturbed for 70+ years,kind of like a mini time capsule.
Another thought as to how they came to be there is that sometimes Military personnel will trade items with each other as keepsakes or mementoes.Perhaps a soldier acquired the Wing from an AAF friend?Like you stated,we'll never know for sure,but it's fun to speculate!

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Garandomatic

Any chance of an accidental training crash there? I imagine they'd have turned up aircraft bits if so, so probably not. Very wild find, though.

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Perhaps off of an A2 jacket. Many stories in 506th lore about stealing A2 pilots jackets in England - The pilots were sometimes inclined to take off their A2 jackets and put them on the back of their chairs or hang them up, and the paratroopers would grab then and jump out the plane door with the A2 in his hands. The first thing the trooper would problem fling off the A2 when he got back to the stables was to throw the wing away!

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That's real history there! I'd rather have this pin less wing than a NOS in the box never left the store shelf wing. After all most of us are collecting because of the history. Congrats.

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That's real history there! I'd rather have this pin less wing than a NOS in the box never left the store shelf wing. After all most of us are collecting because of the history. Congrats.

My thoughts exactly!
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Patchcollector

I'd rather have this pin less wing than a NOS in the box never left the store shelf wing.

 

I'd rather have both ^_^

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