WWI Pilot Wearing TWO Wings!

[pfrost]

 

This portrait of mine was definitely taken overseas as evidence by the French photo paper (Carte Postale). My apologies for not including this crucial detail...

It is an early one, by the fact he's still posing with a campaign hat as opposed to the overseas cap.

-Chuck

 

Is it a metal wing or a bullion wing in that picture? It is hard for me to see from your post, but sometimes the metal and bullion wings (especially when all nice and bright) look the similar. Can you see more details in the original?

[cthomas]

Patrick -

I'm 99.9% sure it's a metal one. I've examined the original portrait under a high powered loop and there's very little doubt it's the all-metal version. Believe me...after we've started this metal vs. bullion wing discussion, I've been closely examining each of my photos in the hopes of digging up more metal wing examples. I confess most of my previous "metal" images are now in the bullion camp ?

Thanks for posting that wing example. It's a great visual comparison to my photo.

- Chuck

[pfrost]

Here are a couple of pilot/observers taken in France. I have to check my notes, but one of the Pilot's name is Sloan. If you don't look too carefully, at least one of the wings could look to be metal, but they are all bullion.

 

I would suspect if you were to see metal wings, you would probably find them on the later replacements who were getting to France towards the end of the war or circa the Armistice/Occupation period. Still, great pictures Chuck

[CliffP]

 

Cliff -

I was implying that there are variations of the aviator wing manufactured by at least one overseas company (an earlier point of discussion in the post). The one seen in my photo resembles wing example WB-46, on pg.26 of Terry's book. He describes it as being a variant of another wing (example WB-45) believed to be made by JR Gaunt.

If we can say with certainty either of the above examples were not made by Gaunt, I'm fine with that; I can "adjust'...

-Chuck

 

Chuck,

 

I am very aware of the notation in Terry's book which reads, "This badge is believed to have been made by J.R. Gaunt Co., London, England." However, that is not correct.

 

After Terry's book was published even Duncan Campbell agreed they were made by Robbins.

 

You may wish to check with Terry about that.

 

Cliff