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Large ball-catch wings


5thwingmarty
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Patrick's new thread inspired me to start another comparison thread, although I suspect these similar wings were all from the same unidentified manufacturer.  They are all pretty hefty slick-back wings, with the same large ball-catch, pins of similar length, and the same vaulting when viewed on edge.  The two Pilot wings have similar shoulder feather details while the Observer has very indistinct shoulder feather details.  The Observer is nearly identical to the Josten Observer wing pattern.

 

The Pilot wings are 3-1/32" in span while the Observer is 3-5/32".  The Pilot wing with the incised sterling mark has been identified as a 1930's pattern with an attributed example being shown on Bob's website.  That attributed wing, although of the same pattern, does not have any sterling mark.  Although my wing in this pattern is attributed, this pilot didn't earn his wings until 1942.  The other Pilot and the Observer wings, to the best of my knowledge, have no such known attributed examples to date when they first came into use.

 

All of the wings appear to have fitting mount "targets" stamped on the reversed, with a circle on the catch side and a square or rectangle on the pin-hinge side.

 

The Glider Pilot wing is the same base wing as the Pilot wing with the incised sterling mark.  The G-shield appears to have been die-struck with an identical outline profile and then attached to the base wing.  The Pilot wings like mine with the incised sterling mark and the Observer wings are not common, but not really rare.  The Pilot wings in the pattern like this one without a sterling mark appear to be more rare.  This Glider Pilot wing is the only one I have seen in this wing pattern, and it has been suggested that it appears to possibly have been Rhodium plated.

 

Does anyone else have any slick-back wings in other ratings with the same fittings and vaulted edge profile?

 

Large ball catch fronts.JPG

Large ball catch rears.JPG

Large ball catch edges.JPG

Large ball catch shoulders-2.JPG

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15 hours ago, donaldnol said:

i will have to check because i have some vaulted wings, i will reply tomorrow on this

i only have one with slight vaulting

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011.JPG

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Marty, 

 

Thanks to you and everyone else for starting these educational threads. I love learning  about the details on different wings.
 

I have one pilot wing badge in this pattern, heavy, large fitting, and raised sterling mark. If you are interested, I can upload a photo. 
 

Congratulations on winning the Glider pilot wing badge. It a great wing with a  wonderful patina.  I had not seen this pattern before. I bid, but not nearly enough to secure it for my collection. I will know better if another surfaces.

 

Remi

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Remi,

Please upload photos of your wing here too.  I will have to check my AECo wings and see if any of them have the same large ball catch.

Marty

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6A78263C-425F-4B97-8589-CD05D115A39B_1_201_a.jpeg.ebb469ca12b0e847feccdc99430887e0.jpeg57921595-4B3F-47C3-BA3F-53EA6CAF8A70_1_201_a.jpeg.a0bf72f246c7fdd80eb83337b8feec4e.jpeg0E28C622-F578-4593-93EE-EBC6BD700383_1_201_a.jpeg.77b30c3cc6e426ba97b0d6f6e0c94eda.jpeg3BF2D47A-AD28-44B8-8A44-0F8D7169C72D_1_201_a.jpeg.719806a95b84a42ef237addd563c84da.jpeg

 

 

Turns out, I two wings with the over size ball catch. 

 

The top wing in the photos, is the same as Marty's top wing. Width is 3 1/32", it is vaulted, has a brass pin, and weights 26.2 grams

 

The second wing is a hollow back with a raised "sterling" mark, it is 3 1/16", and weights 25.6 grams. I suspect it was made by the A.E. Co. as it has many characteristics of their patterns. 

 

Remi

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Remi,

I would agree that the second wing is an AECo pattern wing.  They do have some distinctive tells in their details.

Marty

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These are super handsome wings.  I strongly lean towards a primarily post-1941 manufacturing date.  Or at least a 1939/40 lower limit because prior to that the USAAF was very poorly staffed and this pattern wing is not all that rare.

 

Here is a rather nicely engraved example that is dated to June of 1942.  I suspect it probably represents one of the first group of USAAF pilots who graduated after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

 

One thing to notice is that the catch was replaced by a jeweler.

wing2.jpg

wing1.jpg

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This wing was worn by Walter Lee Carss Jr.  Born in 1921, joined the USAAF in November 1941 and was an aviation cadet from 12/13/1941-6/23/1942 -- so this wing was probably something that he made when he graduated from flight school. He was commissioned on June 23rd, 1942 as 2nd LT. and  made it to Major by end of the war.  Served until the 1970's (probably as a reservist) and is interred in Arlington National Cemetery when he died in 2003 .  During his WWII service, he was awarded the DFC and AM (with 3 OLC).  I am still doing research on his war time service, but pretty interesting guy.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've had other slick pilot wings in the past, but these are the only ones I have left.  I really believe the Service pilot wings should be included as a slick because only a small part is hollowed out on the reverse.  I've also seen this exact type, with the hollowed out part, on Liaison pilot wings, but I have not seen a glider pilot with the hollowed out part...yet.  All three have tiny raised sterling marks, and are all vaulted.  The senior pilot wing has a thin silver pin, the pilot wing has a brass one and the Service pilot wings has a thick silver pin.

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IMG_6990.jpg

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And then I go to another thread and 5thwingmarty has a hollow back Glider wing photo.  I guess I'll have to read every thread on here before posting in the future.

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2 hours ago, Histres said:

And then I go to another thread and 5thwingmarty has a hollow back Glider wing photo.  I guess I'll have to read every thread on here before posting in the future.

@Histres

That is what makes this forum so great:  There is a veritable ton of information embedded within these pages.

Welcome to the forum!

 

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