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Clipped Wings. J.W.Kimball


The Rooster
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Greetings to all!

Im a wing collector and in the course of searching for new acquisitions, I was fortunate enough to come across and buy this book.

It has a dark blue cover that comes out as blck in the photos. There are drawings and pictures of the tunnel and descriptions of every aspect

of life in stalag luft 3.

The book is mentioned in David Westheimer's account of his time as a POW in is book "Sitting it out"

From what I can tell this is a rare book and this copy belonged to POW James Vaughter.

 

Rooster

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The following is an excerpt copied from David Westheimers book "Sitting it out"

Page 199

 

"A German photographer was allowed to shoot pictures in South Compound for propaganda purposes and for a proposed picture album for kriegies. Wings Kimball, a fighter pilot who lived down the hall, worked with the photographer, who was paid out of camp funds. Wings was to get the negatives from the photographers after the war and have the albums made up.

(He did). Clipped wings."

 

David Westheimer was a POW at stalag Luft 3 and he wrote the novel Von Ryans Express.

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There are 2 printings of this book. The original in 1946 and the reprints from the 80s. They never marked the reprints as such however. The pebbling on the cover of the Original is rougher and a darker blue than the newer copies.

 

Yours appears original.

 

Kurt

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There are 2 printings of this book. The original in 1946 and the reprints from the 80s. They never marked the reprints as such however. The pebbling on the cover of the Original is rougher and a darker blue than the newer copies.

 

Yours appears original.

 

Kurt

 

Thank you Kurt!

I purchased it from a man who bought it from the Pritzker Military library's used book sale in Chicago.

I contacted the Pritzker Library and they indeed sold it because they have one in their reading room and do not keep doubles.

I was looking for wings one night and I found this on ebay. No body was watching and I was the only bidder . Started at 100 dollars

which is what I got it for. As far as the LT Col James Vaughter mailing label?? I have no way to verify other than trying to contact the family.

It came affixed to the inside cover. There are no page numbers but its a fairly thick book.

I collect wings but I def saw the value in picking up this piece of history. Its been well taken care of and not yellowed as much as the pics would suggest.

 

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Thank you Kurt!

I purchased it from a man who bought it from the Pritzker Military library's used book sale in Chicago.

I contacted the Pritzker Library and they indeed sold it because they have one in their reading room and do not keep doubles.

I was looking for wings one night and I found this on ebay. No body was watching and I was the only bidder . Started at 100 dollars

which is what I got it for. As far as the LT Col James Vaughter mailing label?? I have no way to verify other than trying to contact the family.

It came affixed to the inside cover. There are no page numbers but its a fairly thick book.

I collect wings but I def saw the value in picking up this piece of history. Its been well taken care of and not yellowed as much as the pics would suggest.

 

It's a great book and I think you did OK on it. It was not uncommon for people to put return address labels in books back in the 60s 70s and 80s. I bought my copy 10 years ago for about the same price. I see them on eBay occasionally. The reprints usually run around $50 , the originals $100-200.

 

Kurt

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