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A mystery to solve?


Patchcollector
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Patchcollector

Hi All,
I'm not sure how many here saw this post over in the "Groups" area.The group for a Vietnam War era Pilot that was MIA/KIA contains some interesting items.This Pilot solo'ed in 1963 and went missing in 1968(his remains were recovered in 2005)
Posts numbers 14 throughout 21 show an assortment of Wings.One is marked "Wallace Bishop Brisbane".

There are also some photos in the group,mostly of the Pilot and his buddies with their Aircraft,but then there is one that does'nt appear to be from the era that the rest of them are.If one looks at post # 25,there is a man with his wife and child.I'm thinking that the child may be the MIA Pilot,and the man his Father,who may have been the owner of some of the Wings.

I'm posting a link to the thread and asking for opinions,comments,etc.. about my theory.

 

Thanks!

 

 

Here's a link to the thread:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/239076-vietnam-miapow-pilot-grouping-storage-locker-find/

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That was an interesting post. First, it looks like he got his pilots rating in 1963 and died in 1968. Of those wings shown, the pilot, navigator and senior pilot wings probably were probably his (I posted them from that thread to this one).

 

The intersting wing is the Wallace Bishop wing. I have heard from some collectors that those wings with the attached hallmark plate are fakes. I have ALSO heard from some other collectors that they were actually not fakes, but an early war (WWII) version of this maker's wings. I've always felt that the former position was likely, but have no proof one way or the other--until now.

 

The other interesting thing is that in this group it appears that his father was a pilot cadet. However, unless his dad was a career pilot it is unlikely that he would have reached command pilot status.

 

So, where did the command pilot wing come from? Is it a fake wing salted into the group, or did the pilot buy it on liberty to Australia sometime during the VN war? If it was bought during the VN war, is it old stock from Wallace Bishop or was it something that they started making for the influx of Americans in the 60's?

 

My sense is that these were probably bought by Major Hartness sometime during his tour of duty in VN (obviouisly before his death) in anticipation of him becoming a command pilot.

 

Interesting grouping.

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post-1519-0-41578100-1430766307.jpg

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Wingcommander

Granted I don't know a whole lot about this era at all, but there's also a Canadian Voodoo Scope Wizard patch, that was worn by the Canadian Forces Navigators.....Seems unusual as well?

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I'm not really convinced that its part of the Vietnam era pilots stuff. Things get mixed together sometimes. I recently bought an estate vietnam lot and it included a two inch blackinton command pilot which was ww2 era and didnt fit the lot. So I ask the seller about that and he sends me the link to a four star generals lot which he bought because he wanted one of the patches to go with the Vietnam stuff. I ended up purchasing the rest of the generals lot as well but those wings would've been a mystery if I hadn't asked. Or maybe they were a gift to the mans wife since she was active in pow/mia groups, maybe it was a gift to the original pilot, who knows? Is it even a real wing? I thought Wallace bishop wings were diestruck but this ones cast?

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Patchcollector

Thanks for the input guys.I like it when stuff such as this pops up.It's fun speculating on the who,why,where and when for odd groupings such as this one.Keeps the old juices flowing,if you know what I mean!

 

BTW Wingcommander,the Voodoo Scope Wizard patch was worn by both US and Canadian forces.

post-13386-0-07894100-1430941503.jpg

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I'm not really convinced that its part of the Vietnam era pilots stuff. Things get mixed together sometimes.

 

I recently bought an estate vietnam lot and it included a two inch blackinton command pilot which was ww2 era and didnt fit the lot. So I ask the seller about that and he sends me the link to a four star generals lot which he bought because he wanted one of the patches to go with the Vietnam stuff. I ended up purchasing the rest of the generals lot as well but those wings would've been a mystery if I hadn't asked. Or maybe they were a gift to the mans wife since she was active in pow/mia groups, maybe it was a gift to the original pilot, who knows?

 

Is it even a real wing? I thought Wallace bishop wings were diestruck but this ones cast?

 

Your remarks make a great deal of sense to me. I also think the Wallace Bishop badge is definitely a casting and for all practical purposes, worthless.

 

Cliff

post-4542-0-73144600-1431092159.jpg

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Wingcommander

Thanks for the input guys.I like it when stuff such as this pops up.It's fun speculating on the who,why,where and when for odd groupings such as this one.Keeps the old juices flowing,if you know what I mean!

 

BTW Wingcommander,the Voodoo Scope Wizard patch was worn by both US and Canadian forces.

 

Thanks for that, I had no idea! I thought they were a Canadian thing only

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Patchcollector

 

Thanks for that, I had no idea! I thought they were a Canadian thing only

 

No problem.Glad to be of help.I learned something too,as I never knew the Canadians used the same patches as well!

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