John Cooper Posted October 15, 2011 Share #1 Posted October 15, 2011 Here is a beautiful set of wings that were looking for a good home but nobody seem to want them So I pulled the trigger and here they are. As you have seen in the past Vanguard used the LGB pattern for there wings. Not 100% sure if Balfour actually produced them for Vanguard or not. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 15, 2011 Author Share #2 Posted October 15, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 15, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted October 15, 2011 As you can see from this final photo the have short posts that are soldiered on by the appearence of the pool below the nail head. Early post war :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted October 15, 2011 Share #4 Posted October 15, 2011 NICE SOLID WING COOP------------ :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted October 16, 2011 Share #5 Posted October 16, 2011 Hi John, I picked up one of these recently as well, a pinback example though. Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted October 16, 2011 Share #6 Posted October 16, 2011 Reverse.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted October 17, 2011 Thanks for posting - was this from Ebay if so many bidders? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted October 17, 2011 Share #8 Posted October 17, 2011 Nice wings! The whole Vanguard, block letter discussion is an interesting one. There was an attempt in the wing section, a few months ago, to get a discussion going on the topic, but it never really took off. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...amp;hl=vanguard Maybe now is a better time with the addition of these wings? Best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted October 18, 2011 Share #9 Posted October 18, 2011 Thanks for posting - was this from Ebay if so many bidders? John Yes, good old eBay and there was a bit of competition for this set (17 bids). My gut feeling is they are late WW2 to KW, probably later in that period rather than earlier. I've seen a few block letter marked Navigator wings recently, so I even had the thought a little "stash" is being sold off. Whatever the case, I think they are nice variants to have. Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted October 18, 2011 Share #10 Posted October 18, 2011 Here is an interesting pic that I pulled from an ebay listing. It is a post WWII empty box, that held an aircrew wing. It is interesting how the names of the different wing companies tie together... Here, Amcraft and Vanguard. Best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted October 18, 2011 Share #11 Posted October 18, 2011 Here is an interesting pic that I pulled from an ebay listing. It is a post WWII empty box,that held an aircrew wing. It is interesting how the names of the different wing companies tie together... Here, Amcraft and Vanguard. Best, John I believe that Vanguard was a retail military supply company and was not one that actually directly manufactured its own insignia. IMHO, Vanguard was another one of those retail companies that more than likely simply bought most of its insignia wholesale from other companies (ie AMCRAFT and LGB). For example, this is clearly an LGB pattern wing, but hallmarked VANGUARD. NY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted October 19, 2011 Here is an interesting pic that I pulled from an ebay listing. It is a post WWII empty box,that held an aircrew wing. It is interesting how the names of the different wing companies tie together... Here, Amcraft and Vanguard. Best, John Thanks John - I have not seen anything until now to support the theory but the photo you posted tips the scales IMHO. Additionally thanks for linking the other thread. Cheers John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share #13 Posted October 19, 2011 I believe that Vanguard was a retail military supply company and was not one that actually directly manufactured its own insignia. IMHO, Vanguard was another one of those retail companies that more than likely simply bought most of its insignia wholesale from other companies (ie AMCRAFT and LGB). For example, this is clearly an LGB pattern wing, but hallmarked VANGUARD. NY. Patrick what does your experince tell you about the likely date of this wing? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeK Posted October 19, 2011 Share #14 Posted October 19, 2011 I believe that Vanguard was a retail military supply company and was not one that actually directly manufactured its own insignia. IMHO, Vanguard was another one of those retail companies that more than likely simply bought most of its insignia wholesale from other companies (ie AMCRAFT and LGB). For example, this is clearly an LGB pattern wing, but hallmarked VANGUARD. NY. Hi Patrick, That's an interesting pic! Do you own the badge? If so, which came first, the maker mark or the rivets? Based on your belief, and I'm not questioning it, it should be the rivets first. Why someone from Vanguard would try and punch a marking over a (hard) rivet is beyond me though! Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted October 19, 2011 Share #15 Posted October 19, 2011 Hi Patrick, That's an interesting pic! Do you own the badge? If so, which came first, the maker mark or the rivets? Based on your belief, and I'm not questioning it, it should be the rivets first. Why someone from Vanguard would try and punch a marking over a (hard) rivet is beyond me though! Regards Mike John: IMHO, this is a postwar-KW period piece. I have a photo of a USAF flight surgeon wearing a very similar pair of wings. Mike: Yes, I have the wings. The rivets are over the hallmark. I expect that the wing was marked when it was first struck. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S McKibben Posted October 21, 2011 Share #16 Posted October 21, 2011 Here are the set I got today.They are the 2nd set in the pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S McKibben Posted October 21, 2011 Share #17 Posted October 21, 2011 back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share #18 Posted October 24, 2011 Thanks for adding the extra example! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mshaw Posted October 24, 2011 Share #19 Posted October 24, 2011 Here is a Vanguard Command Pilot that is also marked sterling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mshaw Posted October 24, 2011 Share #20 Posted October 24, 2011 And the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share #21 Posted November 22, 2011 And the front. I missed this - beautful wing thanks for posting it. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FtrPlt Posted December 26, 2011 Share #22 Posted December 26, 2011 John: IMHO, this is a postwar-KW period piece. I have a photo of a USAF flight surgeon wearing a very similar pair of wings. Mike: Yes, I have the wings. The rivets are over the hallmark. I expect that the wing was marked when it was first struck. Patrick Quick off-topic comment/question: I've never seen the US collars worn below the collar notch on the service coat. Screw-up or did USAF actually wear them here at one point? I'm betting direct-commission MD not knowing where they went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted December 27, 2011 Share #23 Posted December 27, 2011 Here is the same senior pilot wing in pinback but marked BALFOUR. I was told that the large letter S under Balfour meant "sample". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted December 27, 2011 Share #24 Posted December 27, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingcommander Posted December 31, 2011 Share #25 Posted December 31, 2011 These are some nice wings.... I have a surgeon identical to Patrick's....are these considered post war for sure then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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