Types of wings found in a B-17 crew circa 1944

[MattS]

I was thinking about this for a display and I want to make sure I've got this correct. In 1944, the pilot and co-pilot would have worn aviator wings, the bombardier, navigator, engineer (aircrew wings), and the 4 gunners had their own so I come up with 5 different wings in a crew of 9. Does this sound right? Thanks!

[John Cooper]

The navigator and bombardier had their own wings and to my knowledge on the B29 had an engineer with official wings.

 

I suggest you take a look at reference books for the period in question and scan photos of crews and see what they are wearing... Pattern your display off a photo and maybe even include it as part of the display.

 

Cheers

[gunbunnyB/3/75FA]

didn't the pilot in command of the aircraft by "44" get to wear the wing with a star.?

[doyler]

My buddies dad was a flight engineer/top turret gunner in a B25 in the Pacific.There unit was one who did a lot of low level runs on harbors and shipping.He wore gunners wings and evn when in the Air Guard after the war he wore his gunner wings.

 

Another man I know was the top turret gunner and engineer on a B24.Only wings I have seen on his uniform and in period pictures of him was his gunners wings.He flew with the 8th AF

[AAF_Collection]

A typical B-17 crew in 1944 would have worn the following.

 

Pilot and Co-pilot-standard pilots wings.

 

Navigator-navigator's wing.

 

Bombardier-bombardier's wing.

 

Gunners-tail, waist, ball and top turret/flight engineer-gunner's wings.

 

Radio Operator-either gunner or aircrew wings, gunner being more likely.

 

Matt.

[Lee Ragan]

A typical B-17 crew in 1944 would have worn the following.

 

Pilot and Co-pilot-standard pilots wings.

 

Navigator-navigator's wing.

 

Bombardier-bombardier's wing.

 

Gunners-tail, waist, ball and top turret/flight engineer-gunner's wings.

 

Radio Operator-either gunner or aircrew wings, gunner being more likely.

 

Matt.

Almost: Aircrew wings were worn by flight engineers (who manned the top turrent), and radio operators. Of course pilots, navs & bombadiers had their own wings and gunner wings were worn by ball turrent, waist and tail gunners. Late war saw toggiliers up front instead of bombardiers and they would have worn one of the enlisted wings such as aircrew or gunner depending on their training and qualifications. In regard to Senior Pilot and Command pilot, those wings depended on length of service and hours flown. These guys were awarded the right to wear certian wings according to their aeronautical rating and training, so there wouldn't be much if any "choosing" what wings to wear. An old B-24 flight engineer once told me that no self-respecting flight engineer or radio operator would ever wear gunners wings! (Take that for what it's worth. It came from a guy who was there.)

[5thwingmarty]

Official flight engineer wings did not come about till mid to late '45 and were for B-29 and B-32 flight engineers. There were some earlier flight engineers that had unofficial flight engineer wings they might have worn. I think the unofficial ones are typically observer type wings with an applied E (I known one such man).

 

I have always heard that once they came out with the additional wing types such as bombardier, navigator and gunner, the men generally chose to wear them as opposed to observer wings for navigators or bombardiers, or aircrew wings for flight engineers, radio operators or gunners. I believe all flight engineers and radio operators on combat crews were also qualified aerial gunners.

 

Typical pilots who were taught to fly during the war, and who flew a single combat tour would not have qualified for senior or command pilot wings.

[AAF_Collection]

Thanks Lee, I'm sure there were exceptions with FE's and RO's. I have two uniform groupings to 8th AF crewmen, both radio operators and both wore gunners wings. Both groupings came direct from the families.

 

Radio Operators and Flight Engineers were usually qualified gunners.

 

Matt.

[501stGeronimo]

I also have blue back wings, that have R standing for radio operator...most RO's wore Aircrew wings.

[MattS]

Thanks for the input! I should have said 10 men in my original post, possibly 5 different wings. The engineer/top turret man is the one that seems to get the most controversy. I have an 8th AF uniform that has the engineer technical specialist patch on the sleeve and gunner's wings so that man could have been in that crew position. I wonder what percentage of engineers wore aircrew as opposed to gunner wings.