militbuff Posted January 8, 2021 Share #1 Posted January 8, 2021 Can anyone tell me if this pair of insignia are original or if they are fantasy pieces? This is the only pic I have but I’m asking for better pics of the front and back. Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted January 8, 2021 Share #2 Posted January 8, 2021 Maybe an WWI Anti Aircraft thing, a machine gun unit assigned to defend an airdrome??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAW Posted January 8, 2021 Share #3 Posted January 8, 2021 I have never seen that before. I would be suspicious. On the other hand....the officer's MG BN insignia itself is somewhat scarce to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinO Posted January 8, 2021 Share #4 Posted January 8, 2021 The condition of the blackened brass would be my biggest ??? Would like to see the back of the insignia for sure, but without provenance I don't think these are anything I'd want to add to my collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted January 8, 2021 Author Share #5 Posted January 8, 2021 Thanks for thoughts. I’m still waiting for close ups of the front and back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share #6 Posted January 9, 2021 Here are some close-ups of the front and back. I asked for better pics, especially of the pinback, but interestingly, it appears that the wings have two prongs that were bent over the crossed rifles to attach the wings. If original, perhaps they were for an AA unit at an aerodrome, as Patches suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted January 9, 2021 Share #7 Posted January 9, 2021 What or where would these prop insignia come from/off of? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share #8 Posted January 9, 2021 Look at the two silver back prongs of the propeller (I circled them in red) that are folded over the back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militbuff Posted January 9, 2021 Author Share #9 Posted January 9, 2021 Here’s a slightly better pic of the back. It looks like the upper one clearly has a “C” catch but I can’t make out the bottom one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QED4 Posted January 21, 2021 Share #10 Posted January 21, 2021 First off why would the Infantry be providing antiaircraft cover for anyone that is the job of the Coast Artillery. Infantry guns were not designed to fire up in the air and track aircraft they would require modification. My bet is that someone had the little propellers and and thought "that would look good on there" and put them on the collar insignia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted January 22, 2021 Share #11 Posted January 22, 2021 The big guns evidently were formed as part of the CAC, QE pointed this out. however from this topic there were Infantry MG units assigned to AA Duty listed, with photos of officers with the similar crossed MG rifles,some has a Number on it, some don't. https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/253350-antiaircraft-artillery-units-in-wwi-aef/ Perhaps if this is a legit set of collar insignia, then the propeller was added to show affiliation, and mimic for lack of a better word, the propeller seen on these patches for AA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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