manayunkman Posted August 30, 2018 Share #1 Posted August 30, 2018 I've never seen a wing like this before. Is it chrome plated? This wing is on a khaki officer's jacket attributed to a 99th BG Co-pilot. He was shot down, taken POW, escaped, came back to the US as part of project "R", and became a ferry pilot in the ATC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted August 30, 2018 The back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doinworkinvans Posted August 30, 2018 Share #3 Posted August 30, 2018 someone polished them along the way looks like to me...I have had a uniform a too with shiny wings and assumed they cleaned and polished them at some point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted August 30, 2018 Why would they polish the back? The posts are chrome plated too. And by now they would be heavily tarnished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cooper Posted August 30, 2018 Share #5 Posted August 30, 2018 Although I do not not recall the name of the plating I do recall a discussion from several years ago that there was an option for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted August 30, 2018 Thanks John, I'll see what I can find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted August 30, 2018 Share #7 Posted August 30, 2018 Back in "the day" everyone was chroming everything. Super popular in the 50s and 60s. Like those hideous chrome plated Lugers! Looks like the same fate befell these wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 30, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted August 30, 2018 I was wondering about that myself, Dave. I've seen plenty of those plated Lugers, P-38s, Broomhandles, 45s and everything else. But I've never seen plated wings before. I have 3 wings from this pilot but these are the only plated ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted August 30, 2018 Share #9 Posted August 30, 2018 Was it rhodium plating that was discussed? Even without the plating this looks like a different style wing than I am familiar with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share #10 Posted August 31, 2018 Some more pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share #11 Posted August 31, 2018 XXX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share #12 Posted August 31, 2018 XXX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share #13 Posted August 31, 2018 It almost looks like someone poured chrome paint on it that filled in every nook and cranny and blurred the detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 31, 2018 Share #14 Posted August 31, 2018 Was it rhodium plating that was discussed? Even without the plating this looks like a different style wing than I am familiar with. Was thinking the same....Rhodium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted August 31, 2018 Share #15 Posted August 31, 2018 https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-rhodium-plating.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share #16 Posted August 31, 2018 Rhodium is used to make white gold whiter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted August 31, 2018 Share #17 Posted August 31, 2018 You periodically see rhodium and chrome plated wings, and I have always felt that probably date from the post war time period-KW. I suspect it was probably a desperate attempt to make some of the oversupply of insignia more profitable during the down turn in military personnel. "Buy are new rhodium plated wings, they never need to be shined!" type things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share #18 Posted August 31, 2018 When the war ended this vet went back to his fomer employer and never had anything to do wirth the service again. According to his daughter no one unpacked his things since the war, until he died. I'm inclined to believe he had it done during the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doinworkinvans Posted September 1, 2018 Share #19 Posted September 1, 2018 So here is another set for everyone to examine. Complete set to an aerial gunner from 7th Air Force. This is what I meant by them being shined as the front is done but the back is not.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manayunkman Posted September 4, 2018 Author Share #20 Posted September 4, 2018 Very cool jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72psb Posted September 4, 2018 Share #21 Posted September 4, 2018 Back in "the day" everyone was chroming everything. Super popular in the 50s and 60s. Like those hideous chrome plated Lugers! Looks like the same fate befell these wings. Dave, You are correct.I have worked on and off in a gun shop since the 70's. Have seen every type of handgun done in chrome plate. In the Chicago area, these seem to have been done out the back door of the Schwinn bicycle company.Thus they are called "Schwinn jobs". Some were just thrown into the tanks without disassembly,30 years later the grandson wants his grandads' bring back Beretta 34 cleaned and made functional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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