Vintage 30s Sterling Pilot Wing

[trenchbuff]

I haven't posted a wing on the forum for a while so thought I'd present one I've always liked and had for quite awhile in my collection.  It's a heavy and thick pilot wing simply marked "sterling".  It looks similar in design to wings made by the Robbins Co in the 30s.  I believe it dates from the 1930s but would love to hear comments for the wing collectors.

[5thwingmarty]

Although I agree these bear some similarities to Robbins wings, I don't think they can be dated to the 1930's.  Slick-back wings with this same feather pattern and  sterling mark can also be found in other ratings such as navigator and aircrew which clearly do not date to the 30's.

[5thwingmarty]

Here are photos to illustrate my prior post:

 

[jeff41st]

I really like this pattern with the slick back as well and have the pilot, aircrew and navigator wings. What other ratings were made in this patten?   

[5thwingmarty]

You can also find glider, service and liaison pilots, aerial gunner and bombardier in this pattern, although these others are not completely slick back as the center areas are recessed.  You might be able to find them in full slick back but I have not been able to.  The backs of these other wings really remind me of the backs of the 2" Robbins wings.

 

[trenchbuff]

How about the thickness of these.  I didn't mean to imply mine were Robbins, only they had some similar characteristics.  I haven't seen too many WW2 wings that were as thick as the ones I posted.  They are really meaty!

[5thwingmarty]

My pilot is this pattern weighs 26.43 grams, my Navigator weighs 26.45 grams, my Aircrew weighs 25.51 grams and my Glider Pilot weighs 26.1 grams so they are all on the heavier end of the wing spectrum with comparable thicknesses.   For comparison, my Robbins hallmarked Pilot weighs 25.47 grams but it is lacking the pin which would probably add at least a gram.  

 

I suspect (as do at least one or two other collectors) that this pattern was actually made by Robbins but can offer only an opinion based on the similarities and logic.

[jeff41st]

Thanks Marty

 

Is the make up of the Bombardier wing like the Aerial Gunner, that is, one piece construction as opposed a separate bomb being soldered to a target?

[5thwingmarty]

It is one-piece, but all of them I have found are more hollow-backed.  Hollow-backed examples can also be found of many of the other ratings.  One rating I have never found in this pattern (slick or hollow-back) is the Observer.

 

[rathbonemuseum.com]

Here are more of that basic graduation pattern. Note two small dwarf wings at the top of the inner column of wings on the right side.