Unmarked Ludlow Salty Beauty - Gunner

[mtnman]

I picked this one up the other night when I saw it come on eBay. I took a good look at it but the pictures

weren't that well representative of the wing. I looked it over as quickly as I could because I didn't want anybody else to pick it up

and I'm glad I did. This wing is a solid example of an unmarked "issue" version of an elusive wing. With Ludlow there are certain attributes one

wants to look for in the wing. One thinks of a World War II wing as 3 inches if you're talking about a pilot,

gunner, aircrew etc. except for the flight surgeon wings which hit 3 1/8 inch, just as a general overview.

 

You can always find a true Ludlow wing at 3 3/16 inches every time. Another characteristic of Ludlow wings

is that they do not use an observer wing as the foundation for the various wings that have the roundel

icon superimposed upon an observer wing base. By an observer wing base I mean the wings are divided by and

attached by a central roundel which works as a platform upon which navigator, engineer, bombardier etc.

icons are superimposed. This observer like foundation is the typical and general method the wing makers went

with regarding the prototype utilized as the foundation for most of the aircrew wings according to their specialties.

 

Ludlow did not utilize this method, they used the pilot wing as the foundation for all of their US wings.

I have seen the gunner as I am about to show, the glider pilot wing, the navigator wing and I have seen

a gilt flight surgeon wing by Ludlow in the past and ALL were set upon the pilot foundation wing.

 

There is another characteristic indicative of Ludlow which one must look for. The shield of the pilot wing

was cut down to a size which uniformly supported but did not overbear the accoutrement icon being attached on particular wings.

The glider wing and the flight surgeon wing used the entire shield of the base wing to support the escutcheon with

the G in relief upon it and the caduceus for the flight surgeon wing. The gunner as you will see and the navigator

definitely use this method which Ludlow developed for their wings.

 

Ludlow also used base metals for their wings but put a beautiful silver plating over the base metal

which you will see on this gunner wing upon the front which has not all worn off and tiny patches on the rear.

Ludlow has a characteristic pin assembly which is similar to JR Gaunt and Firmin but has, again, a

very discernibly unique characteristic to its pin assembly. I have seen them use the C loop indicative

of Firmin on the flight surgeon wing but on the other wings I have noted, there is a characteristic and unique

specialty pin catch that looks like the top of a beer bottle opener which you will see below. The pin assembly

also uses a characteristically smaller gauge wire to create the pin itself relative to the higher gauge wires

used to create the pins on other British wings and CBI theater made wings with similar pin assemblies.

Finally, the cylinder used for the pin hinge is always a thin, recognizable and well secured attachment

soldered to the rear of the wing on the Dexter side.

 

Please notice the beauty of the silver wash gentlemen and lady collectors, which is still partially extant

on this wing, it's a beauty. Also look just above the cartridge primer pad, you will see the grooves in between

the pallets on the shield of the Ludlow pilot wing just below where it has been cut off to fit the flying bullet.

[mtnman]

front

[mtnman]

side profile

[mtnman]

dexter

[mtnman]

closeup

[mtnman]

Notice the little spots of silver wash still extant but most of it was rubbed away with the friction

of wear....

[mtnman]

If you look hard on this shot, you can make out the L and the O with a little bit of the N in "London"

where the maker cut off the shield to affix the gunner icon. I believe Ludlow attempted to obscure the

Maker Mark with solder, as Orber did as well on their issue wings, because you can only see the very top

of some of the lettering on these wings cut off like this.

[mtnman]

Side shot of pin catch

[mtnman]

Even more of the silver wash has worn off the sinister side and you can see where a little silver wash still

is extant at the base of one of the flying bullet wings

[TheMariner]

Thats a beauty you picked up if you dont mind me asking was it via auction or buy it now ?

[mtnman]

One more shot of the front....

 

Thanks for your time guys, I hope you enjoy and

Blessings in Your Collecting As Always......

[LuftStalg1]

Wow, I have never seen that style. That is a true work of art, congrats on the new acquisition!

[mghcal]

Thanks for all the hints to look for Mel. Great find! You're on a roll lately!

[tomcatter]

As always very nice wings and very accurate descriptions! Thank you Mel!

[mtnman]

Thanks so much for your input gentlemen ... your encouragement is much appreciated as always. This is actually the first one of these that I have ever seen and that, NOT for lack of searching for this particular design over the years. Ludlow is a very rarely encountered wing and so that is why I chose to target Ludlow for my gunner wing. Gunner wings are, in particular, wings that I try to only procure if they are named but this one was one of the wing makers which I had endeavored to collect regarding any of the air crew positions insignia that came available, named or not. This is one of those times when I saw the wing and an adrenaline shot much like that of jumping out of an airplane with a parachute , shot through my body. It was a real blessing to pick this one up after many years of looking and looking and looking :-) ;-)

Which I am sure that many of you have an intimate understanding of! Thanks again for your edification gentleman and as always... Blessings to you inure decision to Steward over these tiny monuments to history.

[Kropotkin]

Hello,

 

I've just picked this Ludlow gunner wing up which looks very similar to those which mtnman kindly shared above. Although the Ludlow, London hallmark is a little soft, I'm assuming it is the real deal.

 

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160725/e09a5f82e01844da21ff3d77f998e9e0.png

[Kropotkin]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160725/a7792613dc0f56d7c1ae50e20f38d17d.png

[mtnman]

You KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK!! BEAUTIFUL and with the clear hallmark! My hallmark was obfuscated by the manufacture process. You scored a true rarity. Well done. Please download and attach the pictures so they do NOT get lost as the links alter with time.

[Kropotkin]

Thanks, mtnman. I will try to get them uploaded onto here properly. Forgive my boast here, but it only cost the equivalent of $10. One of those moments in collecting that make the endless hours of searching worthwhile.

[mtnman]

That's not a boast Buddy, that is the fruit of DILIGENCE.

[Kropotkin]

Very true in the sense that knowledgeable posters such as yourself who post such wonderfully detailed information on the various wings have given me the wherewithal to spot a good one a mile off. This thread of yours got me that wing. Cheers!

[Kropotkin]

As promised, here are some pictures of my new Ludlow gunner wing, put here for posterity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mtnman]

I will tell you this Kropotkin....your wing with the Maker's Mark surviving the manufacture process is the first one I have ever seen with the Maker's Mark intact. Of course it is only the second Ludlow Gunner I have ever seen other than my own ! I think, that is. There might have been one that I saw early on in my collecting but I am not positive on that. Congratulations on this very rare find my brother in collecting.

[Kropotkin]

Cheers. I must say these are close to being my favourite wings now I have them in my hands. I like their shonkiness in the sense that they were just cobbled together no doubt as an expedient of wartime restrictions and being cheaper and less refined than the Gaunts and Firmins were more likely worn on workaday uniforms. There's something alluringly rough about them.

[mtnman]

Here-here!!