IS THIS WING GOOD? Post your requests here!

[bschwartz]

Don't think you have anything to worry about with the navigator wing.  Looks just fine to me.  You can compare it to this one on my website  https://www.ww2wings.com/wings/usaaf/navigator/steraafnavigatorset.shtml

[zook]

4 hours ago, bschwartz said:

Don't think you have anything to worry about with the navigator wing.  Looks just fine to me.  You can compare it to this one on my website  https://www.ww2wings.com/wings/usaaf/navigator/steraafnavigatorset.shtml

 

Bob -  THANK YOU for the feedback, and also the link to your post and your site!   I love your site, but I am overwhelmed by it! (LoL) ... a lot to study and observe!    You have set up a super website!   Dan 

[pfrost]

Bob has done a stellar job. One of the best resources on wings that is around.

 

[bschwartz]

3 hours ago, zook said:

 

Bob -  THANK YOU for the feedback, and also the link to your post and your site!   I love your site, but I am overwhelmed by it! (LoL) ... a lot to study and observe!    You have set up a super website!   Dan 

 

Glad you're enjoying it.  Just don't try to use it as a checklist or your bank account will not be happy.

[Threewood]

Aerial Gunner Wing. This style is not in Maguire's book. Is this one legit?

[bschwartz]

Yes, it's 100% legit. It's usually referred to as the Bell pattern. Jon's books are amazing and I highly recommend both of the Silver Wings books but if you limit your collecting to only what is in those books you're going to be missing out on a lot of legitimate period wings. This forum is a great resource for finding other authentic patterns from the war. I also will humbly submit that my website http://ww2wings.com may also be a resource you want to take a look at. I created it when I first started collecting because even though I had all the books I knew there was more out there and no printed book can keep up with new finds that come out of the woodwork. Hence the website that now contains items from collections all over the world. Hope you find it useful.

[Threewood]

bschwartz, thank you. I'll save that web link for future reference. I'm fairly new to collecting so I am still learning what to look for in regards to patterns and periods. I'll get there with this site.

[Pryo]

I believe these to be a good example of either garrison cap/sweetheart, probably 1920’s but thought I would double check since they came with a second bad pair

[cwnorma]

14 hours ago, Pryo said:

I believe these to be a good example of either garrison cap/sweetheart, probably 1920’s but thought I would double check since they came with a second bad pair

@Pryo,  

 

You are correct.  The only things I would add is that the die for these likely had its origin during WW1 and the unknown company that manufactured these (sometimes they are found hallmarked "WING") evidently made them at least through WW2.

 

Chris

[Threewood]

Thoughts on this 2" 3rd pattern? I'm always a little leary on incised markings.

[pconrad02]

Looks like a nice WWII 2" AMICO pattern to me

[USMarineCorps]

Hi all,

 

What are your thoughts one these 3” LGB Air Crew wings?

After having looked at some other examples here on the forum, I believe these are a WW2 era set.

 

Thank you in advance for your input!

 

Fred

 

[pfrost]

Yep. WWII or maybe KW but probably WWII

[Ralle]

Hi all

I got this Juarez wing , I have been looking, and I think they are okay and from ww2 , observer made to bombadier , G turn around ,am I right 

regards 

Ralle

 

[bschwartz]

Looks like a nice, legit, period Lampl/Juarez wing to me. Nice addition to your collection.

[Ralle]

Great , many thanks 

regards 

 ralle 

[Threewood]

Juarez type air crew wing. I think it looks good but would like a second opinion.

[jeff41st]

I don't see anything to be concerned with. Looks good!

[Threewood]

Liason Pilot wing by A.E.Co. The style looks correct, the hallmark looks good. I'm a little concerned about the color. Looks like brass, even has some green tarnish. Marked sterling on back. Could be the lighting. Opinions?

[Threewood]

I bought it. Looks good to me but I'll see once it arrives and I soak in in baking powder and aluminum foil. The two clutches look original, too.

[digi-shots]

Is this Aerial Gunner wing a “Bell” pattern.. similar to the one in post 1005 that Bob Schwartz commented on?  And is this one good?

Are wings like this without an applied observers disc and hollowed out more a sign of a later WWII wing (to save money) or just a particular manufacturers design. 
 

Is a raised “sterling” mark more indicative of a good vs fake wing?
 

Thanks for looking.

 

[5thwingmarty]

This is a good Bell wing.  I believe the ones with the winged-bullet attached to an Observer base wing were probably earlier.  For the most part, Bell wings were consistent throughout their production of using the same thickness of metal to form their wings and didn't use such a wide variety of forcers (sorry if that is no the correct term) that gave the wings their reverse shapes.  The biggest variances are in their 2" wings where they did seam to have come out with second patterns for most of their wings which used thinner metal, and those also had incised sterling marks.

 

Also, for the post before this Bell gunner, I would say that looks like a good AECo Liaison wing, it just needs a bit of cleaning up.

[Allan H.]

44 minutes ago, digi-shots said:

Is this Aerial Gunner wing a “Bell” pattern.. similar to the one in post 1005 that Bob Schwartz commented on?  And is this one good?

Are wings like this without an applied observers disc and hollowed out more a sign of a later WWII wing (to save money) or just a particular manufacturers design. 
 

Is a raised “sterling” mark more indicative of a good vs fake wing?
 

Thanks for looking.

 

We'll start by telling you that your aerial gunner's wing is undoubtedly and original and this "one piece" type is far more common than a separately applied winged bullet. I tend to believe that the separately applied bullet onto a pair of observer wings are the earlier pattern.

When the war broke out, there was not an aerial gunner wing. At the time, enlisted crewmen who were rated in a flying specialty would wear aircrew wings. Aircraft like the B-17 and B-24 which required dedicated gunners increased the size of the flight crews and their roles. Airmen whose sole job was to protect the aircraft by manning a gun were designated as gunners. Crewmen who were responsible for other aspects of the flight operation, like radio operators, wore Aircrew wings. 

When the gunnery schools started churning out gunners, the top performing students would be given a winged bullet pin to denote their accomplishment. Later, these same winged bullets were added to the observer wing to make the Air Gunner wing. This was done in the same manner as the added bomb for qualified bombardiers.

 

Allan

[digi-shots]

Marty and Allan… thanks for the rundown on aerial gunner wings.  So far, I’m noticing most? Bell wings have what looks like a brass pin vs.a silver.

 

Marty, I just finished re-reading your thread on Bell wings..  didn't’ realize there were so many variations.  All along I assumed that Bell wings were marked with the “sign post” logo and any similar unmarked were just “lookalikes”.

 

Here are two more AG wings, that look like Bell that are just about identical, one showing the flaws on the lower center wing.

 

 

[Threewood]

10 hours ago, 5thwingmarty said:

Also, for the post before this Bell gunner, I would say that looks like a good AECo Liaison wing, it just needs a bit of cleaning up.

Thank you!