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WWII US AAF Ferry Command to the Soviet Union Patch


militbuff
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This patch just sold on eBay for $493 which seems like a pretty good price for this patch. Any thoughts on whether this patch is original? Looks good to me.

 

Below are the pics and the description:

 

post-1945-1315790762.jpg

 

post-1945-1315790780.jpg

 

For auction is, a WWII, US Army Air Forces, Ferry Command to the Soviet Union patch in hand embroidered/composite construction style. In my opinion, this insignia was made in England, within the war years... This insignia is a silk thread and twill wool patch, with black tissue paper and Irish linen backing. The condition of this patch is wear worn and dingy, soft and floppy and has obviously been removed from a uniform. The smell is “old book musty”. This hand and machine sewn patch measures, 75 mm. tall by 73 mm. wide. Not to put to fine a point on it, but its very rare to find the wings of a USAAF Eastern Command patch in their correct “ Air Corps orange”, 98 % of them are found in yellow. This patch passes all tests as 100% original. I guaranty it. Thanks for your interest. Good luck with your bid and good hunting.

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This patch just sold on eBay for $493 which seems like a pretty good price for this patch. Any thoughts on whether this patch is original? Looks good to me.

 

Below are the pics and the description:

 

post-1945-1315790762.jpg

 

post-1945-1315790780.jpg

 

For auction is, a WWII, US Army Air Forces, Ferry Command to the Soviet Union patch in hand embroidered/composite construction style. In my opinion, this insignia was made in England, within the war years... This insignia is a silk thread and twill wool patch, with black tissue paper and Irish linen backing. The condition of this patch is wear worn and dingy, soft and floppy and has obviously been removed from a uniform. The smell is “old book musty”. This hand and machine sewn patch measures, 75 mm. tall by 73 mm. wide. Not to put to fine a point on it, but its very rare to find the wings of a USAAF Eastern Command patch in their correct “ Air Corps orange”, 98 % of them are found in yellow. This patch passes all tests as 100% original. I guaranty it. Thanks for your interest. Good luck with your bid and good hunting.

This is an excellent repro. The original were made in the UK. The biggest giveaway on this one is the method of attaching the red star to the blue background. This one is very nicely stitched to the blue. However, the originals were attached with an applique border. I cannot adequately describe how that looks except to say that instead of stitches that run parallel to the edge of the star as this one shows, the applique (I can't make the proper French accent mark over the final letter to make it sound like an 'A') stitches run perpendicular to the edge of the star. The result is a solid stitched edge over the stitched-on piece - in this case the star.

 

Perhaps someone can show an example for the forum.

 

The flames are also the wrong color. They should be yellow. Forget the BS story about this one having the appropriate 'AAF orange'. What a crock.

 

Patch Johnson

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Could be a "Pakistani" repro, they like to put that "black" backing on thiers , most definately a "fake"

Johnny

Someone really got took to the cleaners on that one , OUCH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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That's an interesting patch, and well done if it's a fake (at least IMHO). It's not Paki made (at least from my experience with Paki repros)...perhaps British made?

 

Not to get off topic, but does anyone have any photos of these in wear? I can't remember seeing them before if they've been posted up previously. I do have some nice photos of the Military Mission to Moscow in wear, but none of these...

 

Dave

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Garth Thompson

I saw the one being discussed. It doesn't look like a particularly well done roproduction.

 

Here is a bullion example that was removed from a 9th AF Ike. Done back in the day when a really scarce patch was often removed from a uniform with all the other insignia being very common. Don't you old timers deny we did it because I know you did. :w00t: :w00t: :w00t:

Garth

post-83-1315844974.jpg

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:thumbdown:

 

Here is a close up of what you do want. :thumbsup:

Absolutely correct. Actually, I had forgotten about this embroidered star version as being a legit item. Now, someone has to send in a photo of the appliqued star version!

 

Patch Johnson

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I saw the one being discussed. It doesn't look like a particularly well done roproduction.

 

Here is a bullion example that was removed from a 9th AF Ike. Done back in the day when a really scarce patch was often removed from a uniform with all the other insignia being very common. Don't you old timers deny we did it because I know you did. :w00t: :w00t: :w00t:

Garth

A real beauty, but the story breaks my heart! :crybaby:

 

Mine came from the estate of a Military Nurse. My friend bought it with a bunch of others that she had collected over the years. He had sold all of them off but hung on to this one until he could ID it. I told him what it was and even though it was mint and I told him worth big bucks he went ahead and traded it to me for an old AAF flak helmet and a copy of my 1943 Kirkland Air Force Base book. :w00t: To bad I got no other information or even her name. :( I framed it with my other cmd patches.

 

I have come across three others in varying condition but none in mint condition as mine but they were all identical in the construction and with the black bobbin thread on the back. I have seen several being sold as Italian theater made but without any documentation. I have yet to see one with any documentation or a photo of one actually being worn. That would be great!!! :drool2:

post-15093-1315851404.jpg

post-15093-1315851460.jpg

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I thought that I would to this thread. All came from the same vet about 20 years ago and the patches are as mint as can be for the period. Let me know if you anyone would like me to post closer photos. Oh, cut a patch off a uniform back in the day, not me. Isn't that right Bob. Gregg

post-6237-1315892865.jpg

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I saw the one being discussed. It doesn't look like a particularly well done roproduction.

 

Here is a bullion example that was removed from a 9th AF Ike. Done back in the day when a really scarce patch was often removed from a uniform with all the other insignia being very common. Don't you old timers deny we did it because I know you did. :w00t: :w00t: :w00t:

Garth

 

 

Guilty!!!! :crying:

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I thought that I would to this thread. All came from the same vet about 20 years ago and the patches are as mint as can be for the period. Let me know if you anyone would like me to post closer photos. Oh, cut a patch off a uniform back in the day, not me. Isn't that right Bob. Gregg

Outstanding Gregg! :bravo::twothumbup:

 

I love the large patch with the proper name on it, never seen that one. What is the story on it? Do you have any history behind the vet? Mark

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I thought that I would to this thread. All came from the same vet about 20 years ago and the patches are as mint as can be for the period. Let me know if you anyone would like me to post closer photos. Oh, cut a patch off a uniform back in the day, not me. Isn't that right Bob. Gregg

 

Fantastic! I'd love to see a closeup of the ID card...

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Was this an Official patch? It does not appear in any books on patches I have. This was a large supply effort to the Soviet Union and should be a far more common patch if official.

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Was this an Official patch? It does not appear in any books on patches I have. This was a large supply effort to the Soviet Union and should be a far more common patch if official.

 

Unofficial, unapproved and rare.

 

I have a group of medals and documents to the last general in command of the Eastern Command when the Russians booted us out. I will have to dig it out. I had no idea until I was reading "Eagles East" about this group and there his name was! :w00t:

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I have a group of medals and documents to the last general in command of the Eastern Command when the Russians booted us out. I will have to dig it out. I had no idea until I was reading "Eagles East" about this group and there his name was! :w00t:

 

Oooh definitely! Did he receive any Soviet awards?

 

Dave

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Oooh definitely! Did he receive any Soviet awards?

 

Dave

 

That I don't know. I just have his DSM with award document, LOM with award document, AM with award document and I think some others maybe a BS and then photos of him being presented some of the medals and I think a news paper clipping. It was pretty cool to get the Generals medals group and then several years later while researching another project listing the men that would have used this Eastern Command patch to find his name. Talk about blind luck! :w00t:

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Here is what I found so far:

 

1) His certificate and citation copy for the DSM awarded upon his retirement.

 

2) His certificate for his 1st LOM and newspaper article of Doolittle presenting the medal to the Brigadier General.

 

3) His certificate or his 2nd LOM and photo of a Maj. General presenting it to him as an M.Gen.

 

4) His certificate and citation for the Bronze Star for service in Russia 1945/46.

 

5) His certificate, photo of General Timberlake presenting the medal, and letter to his wife regarding the presentation.

 

I have the associated cased medals but none are engraved so they could belong to anyone. I remember these were all broken up and sold in various lots but don’t remember if I got ALL of them or not. :think:

post-15093-1315939660.jpg

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