Glider-borne Posted August 7, 2019 Share #126 Posted August 7, 2019 Thanks for your answer mtnman No problem if it's a counterfeit, I just want to share on our FB page the true and show as a counterfeit. I do some reenactment and I will enjoy to put this wings on my shirt. A very nice made with nice patina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted August 7, 2019 Share #127 Posted August 7, 2019 Yes this will be a nice wing for reenactment for sure! And by the way, I truly respect what you do and the reenactment network of events, keeping the history alive in reliving these pivotal events in history, I commend you sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted January 31, 2020 Share #128 Posted January 31, 2020 Okay gentleman, I need to share with you a wing that I purchased a few years ago during my divorce. First of all, this should be a lesson for all of you, not to make decisions during catastrophic upsets in your life which could possibly cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars. I was too absolutely wasted with enervation and sadness to share it, or anything else for that matter, when I discovered it back then with the help of Cliff Presley whose keen eye caught it right away when I sent detailed pictures upon receiving it but at least I can put it on this Angus and Coote section to give you guys an idea of what to look for regarding cast replicas of Angus and Coote wings, specifically in this case, a senior pilot wing. Here is a picture of the two wings that I will use to compare. One is an attributed pilot wing by Angus and Coote to a 5th Air Force B25 driver in the Air Apaches named Roland P Thomas. The other Wing is the cast fake Angus and Coote senior pilot wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted January 31, 2020 Share #129 Posted January 31, 2020 First of all we will look at a top view of the wings so to see the marked difference in the depth of the wings. The cast wing has shoulders of differing depth and they are much thinner than the true Angus and Coote Wing clearly. The edge on the cast wing is bumpy and imprecise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted January 31, 2020 Share #130 Posted January 31, 2020 Next we will look at the palleted or railed design underneath the star. It is easy to see where the silver leaked into the rails and created a varying depth pool at the bottom of the rails. I attached the gorgeous picture of Tod Rathbone's most excellent senior pilot example from Bob Schwartz' informative site Aviation Wings and Badges to show what the rails should look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted January 31, 2020 Share #131 Posted January 31, 2020 Next we will look at the rear of the badges one on top of the other and it can be seen in the pallets on the rear of the shield, the blurred cast indicators in the pallets the cast Wing versus the true die stamped Angus and Coote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted January 31, 2020 Share #132 Posted January 31, 2020 Next we will look at a casting flaw which I call a pothole and I'm sure other people have different names for it. Sometimes a bubble forms in the casting and bursts as it cools and you get a bubble burst pothole. This was found on one of the star rays. Look inside the circle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted January 31, 2020 Share #133 Posted January 31, 2020 Next, there is a flaw in the die of the Angus and Coote wing used for the base wing in all of these. In the lower sinister or left side of the shield from the perspective of the wing, in between the bottom of the first palette and the edging of the shield, there is a bump. That bump is supposed to be there but it has certain characteristics on the true wings. The bump itself is separated from and you can see the edge of the shield. In the cast wing, the bump is not separated from the edge because the silver pooled their and connected the bump with the edge of the shield. It is a fine detail but a very important one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted January 31, 2020 Share #134 Posted January 31, 2020 Finally, here is a big flaw that, in my state of mind, I had simply overlooked. In the cooling process, silver gathered in a few places on the rear of the wing and created casting pebbles. There is one big pebble and a couple of smaller ones which the arrows point out. I hope this helps someone in the future, from making the same mistakes I did, foolishly making a big decision like this in a catastrophic time in my life and trusting that the wing was a good one without doing DUE DILIGENCE. As always gentleman, blessings in your collecting.....mtnman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldnol Posted April 4, 2021 Share #135 Posted April 4, 2021 On 4/17/2015 at 11:24 AM, mtnman said: COUNTERFEIT ANGUS AND COOTE PILOT WING thanks to you i will be sending mine back, looks exactly like the fake in your pics. so it might not be silver anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted April 30, 2021 Share #136 Posted April 30, 2021 A nice new addition. Well used A&C flight engineer wing. The shield was polished flat and a hand-cut "E" added. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted April 30, 2021 Share #137 Posted April 30, 2021 I love it when there are old signs of silver polish on the wing. Good and salty! Wish I had some information about the flyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted April 30, 2021 Share #138 Posted April 30, 2021 Nice! I assume they silver soldered the letters on these? I don't have any Commonwealth-made wings(yet). How far open will those pins go? I assume it stops on the pivot post. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted April 30, 2021 Share #139 Posted April 30, 2021 Australian made Angus & Coote out of Sydney. I also assume they used silver solder for the E. The pin opens 180 degrees or so. Tread carefully around A&C (and KG Luke) wings. The fakes are very good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donaldnol Posted April 30, 2021 Share #140 Posted April 30, 2021 17 hours ago, donaldnol said: i've sent one back 3 weeks ago it was very perfectly made. it was too well made to be a real angus & coote this was the wings i've sent back they were too well made to be vintage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BHillen Posted April 30, 2021 Share #141 Posted April 30, 2021 You are a good sport, Patrick! I do love reading your posts. You always take the time to clearly explain wing issues. donaldnol: that Pilot wing looks fresh off the presses. Good for you sending it back. And thanks to all the forum members who have taken the time to investigate and explain the differences between the good and bad Angus and Coote Wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tesla Posted May 1, 2021 Share #142 Posted May 1, 2021 Very nice! Beautiful wing sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted May 6, 2021 Share #143 Posted May 6, 2021 A most informative thread. I am confident I could pick at least the shown fakes at a show having a mental list of my own noticed common indicators. Not yet in the market. Thanks so much for all this info, guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted January 15, 2022 Share #144 Posted January 15, 2022 This Angus & Coote hallmarked Command Pilot wing arrived today and passed my initial in-hand loupe inspection. I feel fairly confident it’s an authentic WWII era full-size A&C made example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted January 15, 2022 Share #145 Posted January 15, 2022 Reverse images: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnman Posted January 15, 2022 Share #146 Posted January 15, 2022 Nothing like the real thing baby! Couldn't have gone to a finer gentleman collector. Plain and simple. Blessings my friend. One of only two I have ever seen. I'm on my phone right now but I trust you looked it over just fine Russ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwnorma Posted January 15, 2022 Share #147 Posted January 15, 2022 Nice! I don't think I've ever seen A&C's wreath and star before. Very cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschwartz Posted January 15, 2022 Share #148 Posted January 15, 2022 Looks like it has all the right tells. It's a real beauty and a rare one at that. Congrats on another fine addition to your collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted January 15, 2022 Share #149 Posted January 15, 2022 Woo woo. All you all should take a moment to really study this stunning beautiful wing. Good deal Russ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kilroy56 Posted January 15, 2022 Share #150 Posted January 15, 2022 Superb indeed ! Congaratulations ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now