World War One Weekly Wing #28- American Made WW1 Wing With Unusual Mounting

[cwnorma]

World War One

Weekly Wing #28

American Made WW1 Wing With Unusual Mounting

 

 

Background

 

Apologies in advance to all my fellow wing-nuts! This week and the next three are going to be exceedingly busy for me. Consequently, the WWOWW posts may be a bit lighter than usual.  I promise a return to form when the load lightens up a bit.

 

This week's badges came to me by way of the Goodwill auction.  The badge is surprisingly bright and free of tarnish and so must have been cherished and well cared for.  Alas the folks at Goodwill did not record any information on the original pilot and so that information is unfortunately lost to time.  The two badges came together; Reserve Military Aviator and Flight Instructor.  I can only assume they have always been together and I will endeavor to keep them so.

 

 

Description

 

Reserve Military Aviator

 

Manufacture. Classic American-made wings.  Distinctive and generally similar to other American-made two tier shoulder wings.  Each wing is characterized by a first row of feathers picked out individually in silver bullion, surmounted by a two-tier shoulder of individual feathers constructed with rachis of faceted bullion and vane contrasting smooth bullion. Each first row feather is separated by a double line of fine black thread.

 

The shield is slightly bag-shaped.  The chief contains 13 small neatly spaced "stars" executed with faceted bullion in an x-configuration affixed atop a field of horizontal rows of smooth silver bullion.  The field portion consists of vertical columns of smooth silver bullion.  The chief and field portion are separated by bullion wire coil.

 

The top half of each wing and shield perimeter are bordered by coiled bullion wire.  Both wings and shield are very highly padded.

 

The US is gold bullion coils configured in a two-strand twisted helix with no apparent serifs or periods.

 

Mountings.  The RMA badge’s reverse is covered by melton wool cloth machine sewn around the perimeter.  Finally, remains of threads at the wing tips indicate some sort of snap or hook setup was once stitched to the badge to affix the wing to the uniform.

 

Flight Instructor

 

Manufacture. Well crafted American-made wings.  Each wing is characterized by a first row of horizontal feathers constructed with rachis of faceted gold bullion and vanes contrasting smooth silver bullion. Surmounting each wing is a shallow L-shaped shoulder of smooth bullion. The two wings meet at a round “hub” also executed in smooth silver bullion.

 

The wings are moderately padded.

 

Mountings.  Typical of most WW1 era Flight Instructor badges, the wing is of the sew on type.  Remains of threads at the perimeter indicate the badge was once stitched to a uniform.