5thwingmarty Posted February 24, 2020 Share #1 Posted February 24, 2020 I was finally able to pick up a WWII Balloon Observer at the SOS so I now have a representative example of each AAF aviation badge authorized in WWII. The instructor should really be in cloth, and the airship had been declared obsolete in 1940 but could still be worn. Someday the 2" Senior Observer and the cap/sweetheart-sized Airship will be replaced with 3" versions. I would also like to replace the Balloon Pilot with one from Link just to add another different manufacturer/style to the set and maybe an English-made Flight Nurse just to have a foreign-made wing in the set. I tried not to have more than one wing from a manufacturer and my Balloon Pilot looks like a Josten pattern, and the other two balloon wings are Amcraft pattern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightball Posted February 24, 2020 Share #2 Posted February 24, 2020 A very nice collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mghcal Posted February 24, 2020 Share #3 Posted February 24, 2020 I know you put in alot of years of hard hunting to put together such a great collection. Congrats Marty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuftStalg1 Posted February 24, 2020 Share #4 Posted February 24, 2020 Yes, you should be proud. Well done sir! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted February 24, 2020 Share #5 Posted February 24, 2020 Looks great, some rare wings in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobgee Posted February 24, 2020 Share #6 Posted February 24, 2020 Wonderful collection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted February 24, 2020 Share #7 Posted February 24, 2020 Well done Marty. Was good to see you at SoS!John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocsfollowme Posted February 24, 2020 Share #8 Posted February 24, 2020 This is better than most museums!!! Well done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tesla Posted February 24, 2020 Share #9 Posted February 24, 2020 Really cool collection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted February 24, 2020 Author Share #10 Posted February 24, 2020 Thanks for the comments everyone. If I had been able to get a larger, clearer image to post I was going to challenge the members to try and identify all the wing makers/patterns. I was able to include a few less common examples like an early pattern Service Pilot without the horizontal lines behind the S, an Aerial Gunner without the target and the Senior Service Pilot made by a jeweler modifying a standard Pilot wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share #11 Posted February 25, 2020 I figured out I could split the image and resize each half to post larger images. These should be large enough and clear enough to identify the maker/seller of each wing so let's have some fun and see who can identify the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted February 25, 2020 Author Share #12 Posted February 25, 2020 And here is the other half. Ready, set, go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted February 25, 2020 Share #13 Posted February 25, 2020 I am no good at identifying makers, but the larger photos are nice for reference! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AZPhil Posted February 25, 2020 Share #14 Posted February 25, 2020 That last set of pic's was much better for my aging eye's. Thanks!!!! You did a great job of putting those together. . Congrat's! Semper Fi Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted February 25, 2020 Share #15 Posted February 25, 2020 I figured out I could split the image and resize each half to post larger images. These should be large enough and clear enough to identify the maker/seller of each wing so let's have some fun and see who can identify the most. 1= command pilot, Josten? 2= glider Walter Lampl/Juarez 3= senior pilot (unknown unmarked pattern) 4= senior pilot Simco? 5 = liaison Beverly Craft 6 = pilot Blackinton/Luxenberg 7 = service pilot AMICO 8 = bombardier Blackinton/Luxenberg 9 = navigator Bell 10 = tech observer (unmarked or NS Meyer) 11 = flight surgeon (silver) LGB later Vanguard 12 = senior observer NS Meyer 13 = senior balloon pilot could be AMCRAFT or unmarked 14 = nurse Acid Test marked 15 = observer Norsid pattern but frequently unmarked 16 = balloon pilot (could be NS Meyer, Josten or unmarked) 17 = WASP Josten 18 = aerial gunner unmarked 19 = balloon observer (AMCRAFT or unmarked) 20 = aircrewman Gemsco 21 = flight engineer Orber pattern 22 = airship pilot unmarked 23 = civilian flight instructor/sweetheart pin AMICO Some patterns could be hallmarked with different company names, or not marked at all. Nice collection, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insigina Hunter Posted February 25, 2020 Share #16 Posted February 25, 2020 I'd say #6 is a off pattern luxenberg and #8 is a 1st pattern luxenberg bomber Beautiful collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mghcal Posted February 25, 2020 Share #17 Posted February 25, 2020 1. Josten 2. Juarez 3. unmarked but possibly norsid? 4. smilo 5. dodge 6. blackinton 7. amico 8. luxenberg 9. bell 10. horizontal sterling unknown 11. lgb 12. meyer 13. snowflake back unknown (amcraft?) 14. acid test sterling 15. norsid 16. unknown 17. josten 18. sterling unknown. 19. snowflake unknown 20. gemsco? 21. orber pattern but marked only sterling or perhaps black backed? 22. sterling unknown 23. h&h Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted February 26, 2020 Author Share #18 Posted February 26, 2020 So far mghcal is the most accurate. I will post the identities this weekend in case anyone else wants to take a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rathbonemuseum.com Posted February 26, 2020 Share #19 Posted February 26, 2020 Nice Marty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share #20 Posted July 4, 2022 With the acquisition of a few more wings, I decided to swap out some wings from the "Full Set" so that a few more makers could be represented, and a few less duplicates from the same makers were included. I believe I now have most of the more common patterns and makers represented. There are still a couple of rare makers in here, and some far less common ratings from some of the more common manufacturers. I have added examples from Beverlycraft, Kinney and Moody, and switched examples from Balfour, Bell, Gemsco and Meyer. There are still two wings from Amcraft, but they represent the two distinct patterns Amcraft had, and two government issue pattern wings I believe were made by Robbins. The Meyer representative is also a restrike, but it is the only Airship wing I have to include. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warguy Posted July 4, 2022 Share #21 Posted July 4, 2022 That is a nice looking set Marty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share #22 Posted July 4, 2022 So after I redid this last night, I realized I had one more option for a Command Pilot wing, which would free up the Pilot slot for a different maker example. So now I have been able to add another company to the display, good ole Noble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwnorma Posted July 4, 2022 Share #23 Posted July 4, 2022 Stepping out of my box a bit. Marty's photo brings to mind a question I have regarding WW2 era wings: Is there any company that can be said to have produced all ratings? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thwingmarty Posted July 4, 2022 Author Share #24 Posted July 4, 2022 To the best of my knowledge, no one company made all of the ratings unless you exclude WASP wings and Airship Pilot wings. Then you have to get into the weeds as to whether some of the ratings like the Senior Service Pilot and Senior Observer can be definitively shown to have been "wing maker" made or whether they were just modified by jewelers. I believe Meyer made everything (including Airship Pilot) except a wing used for a WASP class. I can't remember if Amico and Balfour made all the Balloon ratings, but I don't believe either of them had Airship Pilot wings. I believe there was an early WASP class (43-W3?) that used Amico and Balfour wings as the base wings. I know Balfour at least made the dies for some Balloon wings, but I don't know if they issued any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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