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AMICO Winged Bullet Pin - ?


stratasfan
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Here is a photo in my collection of one being worn, I also have a pin in my collection; marked Amico.

I have a few gunner wings as well and each " winged bullet" is a different size from one another but the one Amico wing that I have the "winged bullet" center itself is the same size as the "winged bullet" pin.

 

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Thanks so much! This is fabulous and I love the photo of the young man wearing it! I'd never heard of this pin before and now I am just enthralled by it! Thanks for sharing the pictures! I'm definitely going to be on the hunt for anything about this. ;)

 

 

Here is a photo in my collection of one being worn, I also have a pin in my collection; marked Amico.
I have a few gunner wings as well and each " winged bullet" is a different size from one another but the one Amico wing that I have the "winged bullet" center itself is the same size as the "winged bullet" pin.

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attachicon.gifimage.jpeg

 

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These pins can also be found in the smaller size, like would have been mounted on a 2" wing. I had one, also from Amico but traded it for a full-size one.

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Oh! Two sizes! How cool is that. Boy, the small one must be super tiny! These really are fun! I've been attracted to gunner wings since I started looking wings up two years ago, and this month is the first time I've ever seen one of these little winged bullet pins. The only ones I've seen seem to be Amico. Ever seen one made by someone else?

 

 

These pins can also be found in the smaller size, like would have been mounted on a 2" wing. I had one, also from Amico but traded it for a full-size one.

 

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Grand! Lovely to see another one around! Did you get it at an estate sale? I'm going to be on the look out for one of these! I think they are so cool! Enjoy your treasure!

 

 

Found this today.Was a couple bucks.AMICO STERLING marked.

 

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Grand! Lovely to see another one around! Did you get it at an estate sale? I'm going to be on the look out for one of these! I think they are so cool! Enjoy your treasure!

 

 

 

Thanks!

Just an auction of consigned items.

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Back in the mid-80s, I knew a few enlisted B-52 tail gunners who wore this insignia under their lapels. The AF did away with the Aerial Gunner wing badge in the 50s leaving only the Enlisted Aircrew badge. Later in the 90s, the AF removed all the B-52 tail guns and did away with the gunner position.

 

All the guys I knew came from the B-52 community. There was also a community of Special Operations Forces, Gunship gunners, but I don't know if they also unofficially wore this badge.

 

Chris

 

I just re-read my post and realized I wasn't exactly clear.

 

The guys I knew, back in the middle 1980s, wore this pin under the lapel of their uniforms. In other words, the badge was not visible--unless they flipped up their lapel to show you the badge.

 

The guys wore them to show that they too were part of the fraternity of aerial gunners and distinguish themselves from other "enlisted aircrew" which at the time was the only wing badge available for enlisted Airmen.

 

So to sum up, during the middle part of the 1980s, a few former B-52 tail gunners unofficially wore this badge under their uniform lapels. I don't know where they got them, or if Amico made them, but that in some cases were still being "worn" by active-duty Airmen--if only strictly unofficially.

 

Chris

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Didnt AMICO GO OUT OF BUSINESS IN 1980-82 AREA?

 

WONDER if the gunners had them custom made or cut from wings or collectors copied wings?

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I saw this on eBay which looks British and with the "T" pin probably predates the winged bullet or USAAC gunner's flight wing. I thought I'd post these photos to show that the winged bullet has been used by others in the past.

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 months later...
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stratasfan

 

This is a fantastic piece! Wouldn't mind having that myself! I love these chained Sweetheart pins. Never actually seen one yet, but I'm always looking! The only thing I would say about the winged bullet only pins that have been posted above . . . I went back and looked closely at all the pictures of them that I've saved, and there is absolutely no sign of the ring (that the chain attaches to) ever having been there or removed. I would think that it was more likely possible that Amico used the same item design to make multiple pieces, whether insignia, awards, or sweetheart jewelry. That would also explain why the single pins are only in sterling, and this sweetheart pin is gold plated, too. But the biggest thing I can see is that ring for the chain. You would see some marks of the removal on the single pins, if they had been removed to be worn by themselves.

 

Either way . . . I like both versions! I hope I get to see one for real one time!

 

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Often you will find chained and unchained of the same type sweetheart pieces.

 

for example 1 inch wings: many are just the wing, but some exist with a chained attachment piece.

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