Very unusual Wallace and Bishop Australian WW2 para wing

[jules118]

Anybody have any idea what this may be?

 

The wing was made by Wallace Bishop in Brisbane and looks like it may have been an Observer or similar wing to which a parachute has been attached. It has been in my collection for many years now and I don't believe that it is merely a one-off attempt at a 'sweetheart' wing as more than one was made. The gold colours are reflections of the lighting from my scanner BTW. Close up of the hallmark is in the 'USAAF and USN WWII era hallmarks' thread.

 

 

In 2003 an identical wing to this (also Wallace Bishop from memory) was sold on ebay and bought by a guy named Doug Root (may be a member of this forum?) I contacted him and in turn was contacted by John Vargas who was going to do some research on it, but never heard anything further.

 

Ideas?

 

cheers

 

jules

[Gary Cain]

Hi Jules,

 

 

At one time it was a very nice Aircrew wing worth several hundred bucks that some jacka** turned into a fantasy piece.

 

 

Gary

Anybody have any idea what this may be?

 

The wing was made by Wallace Bishop in Brisbane and looks like it may have been an Observer wing to which a parachute has been attached. It has been in my collection for many years now and I don't believe that it is merely a one-off attempt at a 'sweetheart' wing as more than one was made. The gold colours are reflections of the lighting from my scanner BTW.

 

In 2003 an identical wing to this (also Wallace Bishop from memory) was sold on ebay and bought by a guy named Doug Root (may be a member of this forum?) I contacted him and in turn was contacted by John Vargas who was going to do some research on it, but never heard anything further.

 

Ideas?

 

cheers

 

jules

[jules118]

Hi Jules,

At one time it was a very nice Aircrew wing worth several hundred bucks that some jacka** turned into a fantasy piece.

Gary

 

 

I am not entirely sure that I agree with you there as why would there be another identical Wallace Bishop wing like this, considering these would be fairly collectable by themselves?

 

But, if it was, then it was done a very long time ago. I got this badge from a long standing para wings collector here who acquired it in the early to mid 70's.

 

Jules

[pfrost]

I have seen some very similar wings in other high end airborne collections. I dont think this is a fantasy or sweetheart wing, but a nice variation jump wing. Maybe an attempt by the company to make some jump wings before they had the proper dies made for the classic regulation jump wing.

 

Interesting wing.

 

Patrick

[KurtA]

I think it was a theater-made attempt at making a Chinese OSS wing. It's very similar to those worn by the OSS in the CBI theater.

Kurt

[Gary Cain]

Hi Kurt,

 

Then I am very happy to be corrected on this one. I had not seen this style before. The underlying wing is good, so you just may be right.

 

Gary

I think it was a theater-made attempt at making a Chinese OSS wing. It's very similar to those worn by the OSS in the CBI theater.

Kurt

[doyler]

Appears very similiar to an early riggers wing

 

RON

[Laury Allison]

Appears very similiar to an early riggers wing

 

RON

 

I agree in thinking that this could be a WWII era Rigger's Badge. I can't find a reference for it right at the moment though. According the the QM Museum website, the cloth Rigger badge was authorized in 1950 and the metal one I believe 1986. I have a similar wing that I picked up many years ago that was sold as a WWII Rigger Badge.

 

You may want to research that avenue.

 

Laury

[Tonomachi]

This is a very interesting wing. The added central parachute appears to have also been manufactured by Wallace Bishop as it matches a WW2 era Wallace Bishop US paratrooper wing in my collection.