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Aussie Wallace Bishop made jump wing


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Hey guys,
Hoping that you may be able to shed some light on the maker of this wing which I found in a junk shop in Melbourne yesterday. It’s silver, quite dark and oxidised with age, marked W.B. SIL and it has the Brit/Australian style attachments. Any idea who the maker is?

Thought it could be Wallace Bishop but have not seen this mark before. What are your thoughts please?
cheers
Jules

 

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Jules. That may well be a Wallace Bishop parachute badge. I have only one photo for comparison and am not really sure of its authenticity. It shows both sides and there is some engraving etc. Again, it compares nicely to yours, but I would like some other opinions before jumping in too deep. Can you post a photo of the front side?

Thanks for showing.

post-48217-0-62896800-1516102144.jpg

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Apologies for the pic quality... both have been taken on my iphone as I am still here in Melbourne and did not bring my camera with me. I have a Wallace Bishop 'rigger' wing in my collection back in Perth (although there is a pic here somewhere in the forum which I posted some years back). Will have to compare the canopy on this one to that badge too.

cheers
jules

post-2824-0-03326100-1516165786_thumb.jpg

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I believe that you found a real one. In every aspect I can see, it looks good. The one I posted (front and back & engraved) is a verified Wallace Bishop I just learned, so I believe that yours is a good one. Congratulations on a great find. I am very envious.

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Jules

 

I also believe you have a rare legitimate piece. I thought you owned a rare WW2 era US para-rigger wing made by Wallace Bishop. If you still have it compare the parachute on the front with this one and they match.

 

Dennis

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Jules

 

I also believe you have a rare legitimate piece. I thought you owned a rare WW2 era US para-rigger wing made by Wallace Bishop. If you still have it compare the parachute on the front with this one and they match.

 

Dennis

 

Dennis,

Yes I do, but I am in Melbourne ATM and that wing is back with my collection in Perth. Will compare when I get home, but I believe that you are correct and that they do match.

cheers

jules

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Jules,

 

I didn't read your entire previous post before commenting on your rigger wing. Here is the photograph you posted of your para-rigger wing manufactured by Wallace Bishop. I didn't know what to make of this wing until another one popped up made by Blackinton. I was wondering how you came up with the identification of it being a rigger wing?

 

Dennis

post-1389-0-76843000-1516305334_thumb.jpg

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Here is the one manufactured by Blackinton. I guess someone could have seen your wing and put this together but why use a scarce Blackinton USAAC wing.

 

 

 

 

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post-1389-0-68100400-1516305784_thumb.jpg

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Jules,

 

I didn't read your entire previous post before commenting on your rigger wing. Here is the photograph you posted of your para-rigger wing manufactured by Wallace Bishop. I didn't know what to make of this wing until another one popped up made by Blackinton. I was wondering how you came up with the identification of it being a rigger wing?

 

Dennis

 

Dennis,

The ID came from John Vargas, who if I recall correctly, also had one of those wings. John's information source (the former marine owner of the badge) told him that these were made as a special order in a small lot for US Marine Riggers, as the “Rigger Badge” during WWII and the design was chose to differentiate it from the parachutist badge of the time. Maybe John is a member of the forum and can confirm or elaborate on the details.

 

BTW I saw another Wallace Bishop example of the 'marine rigger' badge on ebay several years ago, so it definitely was not a one off as there are three that I know of. Never seen the Blackington variation before now.

Jules

 

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Dennis,

The ID came from John Vargas, who if I recall correctly, also had one of those wings. John's information source (the former marine owner of the badge) told him that these were made as a special order in a small lot for US Marine Riggers, as the “Rigger Badge” during WWII and the design was chose to differentiate it from the parachutist badge of the time. Maybe John is a member of the forum and can confirm or elaborate on the details.

 

BTW I saw another Wallace Bishop example of the 'marine rigger' badge on ebay several years ago, so it definitely was not a one off as there are three that I know of. Never seen the Blackington variation before now.

Jules

 

Thanks for the follow up information.

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  • 3 years later...

I was watching this wing on eBay (see link) and was tempted but with all the bad stuff that has come out over the years with unscrupulous folks adding stuff to things to increase their value I declined to bid on this piece.  It recently sold so someone was confidant that it was genuine.  The hallmark on the USAAC aircrew wing looks like a Beverly Craft piece.  I contacted the seller who told me that this piece came out of a pawn shop in Minnesota.  The seller thought that someone is the USAAC who wore an aircrew wing became a paratrooper and added his paratrooper wings to his aircrew wings.  I told him that it might be an unauthorized USN rigger wing.  I thought I would add this piece to this thread for future reference.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/STERLING-WW2-UNITED-STATES-ARMY-AIR-FORCE-AIR-BORNE-PILOTS-WING-/124549583454?nordt=true&nma=true&si=rRN4yAU7gFpu9mtpX0Wt0hO8ebI%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rigger Chute on Air Crew Wing (2).jpg

Rigger Chute on Air Crew Wing (3).jpg

Rigger Chute on Air Crew Wing (4).jpg

Rigger Chute on Air Crew Wing (5).jpg

Rigger Chute on Air Crew Wing (6).jpg

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