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JR Gaunt Air Gunner wings question


Steindaddie
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I picked these wings up from the descendents of a 390th BG KIA B-17 gunner but they weren't sure if the wings were that old - they thought they might be from another relative in the 1960's USAF. They look WW2 to me. I am a retired USAF guy but I don't collect wings and this is the only one in my entire collection (other than the one's I wore thumbsup.gif ) These are full sized and are marked "JRGaunt London" (At least it looks like that) Any thoughts and, when did the USAF do away with gunners wings?

post-1949-1199345062.jpg

post-1949-1199345077.jpg

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They stopped using the gunner wing sometime after WWII, sometime around 1948 I believe. In anycase, they look like very nice Gaunt gunner wings and are almost certainly from WWII.

 

Patrick

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The Aerial Gunner Wing was authorised on April 29 1943 and was used through to the end of the Korean War. After 1954 all USAF enlisted crew were only authorised the Enlisted Aircrew Member wing. The wing looks to be period WWII however.

 

 

Cheers

Gary

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I would double that estimate if I were you. Gaunt Air Gunner wings are not common and bring a hefty premium over US made wings.

 

Gary

Nice wings - they're worth in the neighborhood of $70-100.
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I know I shouldnt be arguing with a moderator :rolleyes:, but I would expect these wings to be more in the ballpark of 150-200$ in today's market. A nice English-made wing attributed to a KIA B-17th gunner would get a premium on ebay.

 

Patrick

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You guys are a fount of information - many deep bows. Glad to know that these wings are the thing and pretty good ones to boot. And, as a retired USAF flight engineer I have wondered when we went to the one size fits all aircrew wing. Now, I did fly for the Air National Guard for awhile and there were photos of our flight engineers wearing the original style FE wings well in to the 1960's. Plus, some of the older guys still flying in the 1980's had the vintage style FE wings on their flightsuit leather name tags. This was all unauthorized of course but that was what the Guard was like then. :>)

 

Here is the original owner of the wings. Just a kid...19

post-1949-1199393802.jpg

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craig_pickrall
I know I shouldnt be arguing with a moderator :rolleyes:, but I would expect these wings to be more in the ballpark of 150-200$ in today's market. A nice English-made wing attributed to a KIA B-17th gunner would get a premium on ebay.

 

Patrick

 

Patrick, it is perfectly all right to disagree with a MOD on this forum. You must be thinking of another forum. The main thing here, and this doesn't matter who you are, is that it be polite. No flaming, bashing, fisticuffs, hitting below the belt, etc. Biting may be okay, I will have to check on that one.

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I would double that estimate if I were you. Gaunt Air Gunner wings are not common and bring a hefty premium over US made wings.

 

Gary

 

There was an online non-ebay dealer who had a pair for $70 (but maybe I missed his small print and they were repros).

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I have it on good authority that biting is also not allowed. Thermonuclear devices though are allowed...whats up with that!!! :lol::lol::lol:

 

 

 

Gary

Patrick, it is perfectly all right to disagree with a MOD on this forum. You must be thinking of another forum. The main thing here, and this doesn't matter who you are, is that it be polite. No flaming, bashing, fisticuffs, hitting below the belt, etc. Biting may be okay, I will have to check on that one.
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Darn I am a day behind - nice set of wings... I would like to 2nd patricks statment about the EBay price... In fact I think one recently did go in that range.

 

John

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