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Armor Triangles: Real vs. Made For Collectors


tredhed2
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I recently purchased a set of "Original Factory Error WWII Patches" that I thought were pretty neat and I was pretty convinced they were original (seller had a lot of nice yet not too uncommon stuff and nothing really too red-flaggy) until browsing this and the other fakes thread and now I'm not totally sure. One of these patches is a numbered armor triangle which gave me a little more pause, especially as it is for the 15th (which, as the set was inexpensive and, i thought a sure thing I didn't really research much yet until now) which would make this, if original, a factory error of a phantom division patch which seems like it might be unusual? The numbers look like they were factory, almost identical looking in form to the 14th that was posted earlier [the zigzaggyness is really only visible if you pretty much take a macro shot of it], and they are at about the same level raised as the rest of the black portions insignia.The 'factory error' is the vertical strip of the yellow embroidery missing going upward from the first 'break' of the lightning bolt to the edge, through the center-right side of the 5 leaving the twill exposed . I'm more of a Cold War than WWII collector so I don't know too much about this but if it is authentic this piece would have gotten a lot cooler. Pictures are attached including a group shot with the rest of the 'error' patches I purchased. I realize now I should not have used an OD background to better show the brownish twill edges but I needed something to stop the reflected glare from the wood finish from making the shot look totally awful

 

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  • 9 months later...
  • 3 months later...

Here's another bad one.....note that the "1" has been added to the patch. It's longer and a different style of emb on the front, and the difference in the pick up bobbin is even more noticeable. Sure hope no one on USMF bid on this one.

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Here's another bad one.....note that the "1" has been added to the patch. It's longer and a different style of emb on the front, and the difference in the pick up bobbin is even more noticeable. Sure hope no one on USMF bid on this one.

 

 

Did they pick out the other number with a seam ripper?

 

-Ski

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Did they pick out the other number with a seam ripper?

 

-Ski

 

I don't know if that was done (to a standard 705th or 706th) or it was a defective 70th Tk Bn too far to the left. Subtle, but not invisible.

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What do you think about this one with the cheesecloth behind the lettering? The seller states that they were applied later. Is this how they did it in the Korean War? Depending on which shop that you took it too?

 

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and

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  • 9 months later...

Great thread and very informative. Would anyone have a real or made for collectors triangle for the 140th Tank Bn? Any help would be great. Please PM me with any help... Thanks.

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  • 9 months later...

Time to resurrect this thread. Here is the only way an original, VN-made 2/34th should look (on the left) and a more modern, computerized, AG 44 border on the right:

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This is part of a series of repro patches wherein the seller (NCHS) tells you it's a repro. The current code for this seriess b0604 and b0605.

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In the past, most of the repros were made overseas, usually in Asia. OK, so here is an original, Japanese-made 140th Tank Bn (ca. 1952) . Note how it's fully embroidered, the cable colors are just a little bit off, and the numbers are a little fuzzy (still a characteristic of armor patches made for collectors today) - but it's right as rain. CA AR NG unit, KW. Patton's son commanded Co B 140th Tank Bn for awhile.

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Here are two more real Japanese made armor patches made for servicemen, like the 140th was - 89th Tank Bn (KW era) and WW II 773rd Amph Tract Bn (quilted):

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  • 4 weeks later...

Here's a fairly new listing. Look at how this is described. The patch was originally made for a dealer out of AZ. You can tell because the cable colors are all off from period originals. I wouldn't touch this one with the proverbial 10 foot pole, nor would I buy anything from this seller. The wording in his listings needs to be seen....

 

#111784372606

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Here's a fairly new listing. Look at how this is described. The patch was originally made for a dealer out of AZ. You can tell because the cable colors are all off from period originals. I wouldn't touch this one with the proverbial 10 foot pole, nor would I buy anything from this seller. The wording in his listings needs to be seen....

 

#111784372606

 

He has listed some pretty decent patches though. Someone snagged the 82nd Chemical Patch for $12 from him that was worth $600-1000. But yes, 95% of his stuff is modern makes.

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Here's a fake 23rd Armored Div made for the same AZ dealer who had the XVIII Armor Corps patch made. He also had HQm GHQ, and 7th Army TTC (minus the "Seventh Army" tab). Tough trying to match colors from two different sources. Both the 23rd and XVII have the same yellow, blue, red, black and OD cables.

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  • 4 months later...

Another recent fake.....note that the khaki medium has not been trimmed that close to the patch; another characteristic of KW era (and later) made armor triangles. If you closely at the back, you can still see the paper between the numerals, in addition to the heavy pick up threads, and how off center the numerals are

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