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USAF Museum: RAF Eagle Squadrons


gwb123
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Matt,

 

As bobgee pointed out some pilots enlisted in the RCAF not the RAF so they naturally would be wearing their RCAF brevets. Another interesting thing to note. And this relates to the award of the RAF 1942 badge. Many think this badge was awarded to all the Eagle Squadron members (and others that served in other RAF units). It was an RAF award, so if you had enlisted in the RCAF you were not entitled or awarded the RAF 1942 badge. Many well known Eagle Squadron members were not awarded the badge. Don Blakslee and Jim Goodson among them, as they were RCAF not RAF. Hope this helps.

Hi Scarecrow - My understanding is that ALL American pilots serving with the RAF, regardless of whether they were RAF or RCAF at the time of their transfer to te USAAF in Sept 1942 received the "1942 RAF" breast badge, In fact, there was on on this pilot's U.S. uniform but his sister kept it. All of the U.S. insignia was bullion. Regards....Bobgee

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Notice that the patch in post # 7 is NOT the same as in post #13. The image in post #13 is the more familiar version.

 

The reason the patch in post #13 is the "familiar version" is because that is the type which is always found faked/reproduced. The handful of unquestionably original patches I had the privilege of observing were all like the one in post # 7, they look, feel, and are made completely different. Original ES patches are extremely rare. There was a good number of Americans that flew with the commonwealth (RCAF and RAF), but a very small number in comparison that flew with the Eagle Squadrons.

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  • 7 months later...

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