F 106 Pilot Posted October 12, 2008 Share #1 Posted October 12, 2008 Picked this up at a local antique shop. I really like them because they are in there original box. They 3 inch wings and sterling marked on the back with sterling clutches. Also like the Authority War Dept. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 14, 2008 Share #2 Posted October 14, 2008 Picked this up at a local antique shop. I really like them because they are in there original box. They 3 inch wings and sterling marked on the back with sterling clutches. Also like the Authority War Dept. Ben Hi can you remove them from the card and post photos of the reverse? Thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMPERIAL QUEST Posted October 14, 2008 Share #3 Posted October 14, 2008 I really hope I am wrong, but these either look like new reproductions or a VERY heavily buffed and polished vintage set??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F 106 Pilot Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share #4 Posted October 14, 2008 I have no worries that they are authentic. They came with a large group and they were just part of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F 106 Pilot Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share #5 Posted October 14, 2008 This is the best my scanner will do on the sterling part. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F 106 Pilot Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share #6 Posted October 14, 2008 Here is the label o the lid of the box. I have not seen to many boxed wings these are just as they came from the jeweler in the early 40's. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F 106 Pilot Posted October 14, 2008 Author Share #7 Posted October 14, 2008 Here is the card without the wings you can see they have been on there a very long time. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMPERIAL QUEST Posted October 14, 2008 Share #8 Posted October 14, 2008 Hi Ben, I hope you don't take my words as being harsh, just my observations. I am still learning in this area as it is fairly new for me. The front of the wing almost looks as if it were sandblasted, and the detail is very poor on the eagle. Is this consistent with this maker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 14, 2008 Share #9 Posted October 14, 2008 I can see the raised sterling mark. I think the concern is over the fact that the details lack sharpe detail expected of die strick wing esp those that have never bee worn. Additionally the pattern is one seen on reproduction wings but was first used by GEMSCO as far as I know. Here is an example (see post #60) and see the difference in sharpness. LINK You have it in hand so I am sure it is easier to tell... i.e. die strike marks... as the photos must not be doing the wing justice. Thanks John Forgot to add there is a storng chance it was made by GEMSCO for this retailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted October 14, 2008 Share #10 Posted October 14, 2008 That is a perfectly legit wing, no problems at all. In fact, the eagle is actually a little separate eagle that is added into the center part of an observer wing. Look carefully, I think you will see what I mean. I have that pattern in the bombardier and the aircrew wing, but have seen them in the straight observer and also the flight engineer. I had heard from other old-time collectors that these are SMILO wings. Since these are more than likely government issue type wings, you have to wonder why Gemsco would make them for SMILO for SMILO to in turn sell to the government? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMPERIAL QUEST Posted October 14, 2008 Share #11 Posted October 14, 2008 Patrick, To my eye, Ben's wing and the one you posted are worlds away from each other in terms of quality. What puzzles me, is if a wing has been in a lid covered box all these years...why is the front devoid of tarnish and the reverse heavily tarnished? I am no expert, but it still looks like the front has been buffed, blsasted or polished down otherwise to me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted October 14, 2008 Share #12 Posted October 14, 2008 Patrick, To my eye, Ben's wing and the one you posted are worlds away from each other in terms of quality. What puzzles me, is if a wing has been in a lid covered box all these years...why is the front devoid of tarnish and the reverse heavily tarnished? I am no expert, but it still looks like the front has been buffed, blsasted or polished down otherwise to me... Hi Steve, I think you have two issues. The first, concerning the detail to the eagle is more than likely due to the picture being overexposed and not having enough contrast to see the details. That makes the little eagle look like it is smooth, but I suspect it has all the detail as the one I showed. A better scan with less brightness and more contrast would likely hold this theory up, if I dont miss my guess. The second issue you have is the back being darker than the front. I would think that has to do with the fact that the back has been in contact with the acid in the paper and that has caused the discoloration in the metal. I once had a wing that as partially wrapped in old newspaper. Where the paper had been in contact with the metal, you had discoloration like this. When I saw the wing first posted in this thread, I recognized it right away as being the Smilo-pattern wing. Of course, you can't be sure unless you actually hold it in hand, but... Best Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted October 17, 2008 Share #13 Posted October 17, 2008 Ben, thanks for putting your wing up...I've been wondering who might have made this design. I'm fairly certain GEMSCO had nothing to do with it, but was thinking that it might have been made by Vanguard. The pictures posted below show the differences between the Smilo and GEMSCO gunners. And the following picture shows an identical pattern in a Flight Surgeon marked 1-V on the reverse, dating it to the early 1960's. I haven't seen this design very often and have found them to be nicely made. Paul S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 17, 2008 Share #14 Posted October 17, 2008 Paul, Excellent photos and you are correct about GEMSCO. I shot from the hip on that one... I have done some checking around at at least one trusted source says SMILO made their own wings but the two you posted look very close. I would say the SMILO is a bit more crisp in the details than the Vanguard. How is the back of your marked? Sterling or Sterling except fittings? Maybe F 106 will have the time to post another shot of the front with some natural light so the wing does not look so blurred from the front. (read lack of sharpness to the details) John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted October 17, 2008 Share #15 Posted October 17, 2008 John, Most of the wings of this design that I've seen are marked as in Patrick's post #10 above...a small, raised sterling, struck at an angle. I have had one Observer from an original WWII estate that was marked with the "except for fittings" stamped in and partially obscured by the addition of a pin, rather than the more commonly seen clutch back style. "Sterling" was only faintly visible in the usual place due to a poor overall strike. Although the wing itself looked so new as to be suspect, it came in with a second wing showing the usual markings and overall appearance. Paul S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted October 19, 2008 Share #16 Posted October 19, 2008 Here is another GI wing of a different design that is in a Smilo box. Do we think that Smilo made both of these designs? Both are scarce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 20, 2008 Share #17 Posted October 20, 2008 Paul, Can you post a shot of the reverse of the last wing you posted I want to see if it matches one I have which is marked with a raised STERLING in a box. Additionally I had another look at your Vanguard \ SMILO photo and have noticed some minor differences in the shoulder area but I would have to argee it appears that the overall pattern is the same. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted October 26, 2008 Share #18 Posted October 26, 2008 I wanted to bump thi s back to the top is see if some more folks will weigh in on Paul's last post. I would really like to know since I have a few wings in this pattern I have listed and Unknown maker. Thanks John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted November 3, 2008 Share #19 Posted November 3, 2008 Decided to post my SMILO wing. This one is of interest because on the reverse there are some initials scratched in the back R.K. Chase Enjoy John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted November 20, 2008 Share #20 Posted November 20, 2008 Has anyone seen the main wing design in this thread in a Navigator or Pilot rating? I know is was made in Aircrew, Observer, Gunner, and Bombardier, but haven't seen the other two. Paul S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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