Norsid Co. New York, NY: examples and patterns

[John Cooper]

Hi all picked up the aircrew wing recently which is the Norsid pattern and wanted to see what other wings they made since I do not see that many of this.

 

Here is the aircrew and a bombardier I posted before.

 

Cheers

John

 

 

[APO472]

While not an AAC/AAF wing, it is a Norsid wing...

[APO472]

While not an AAC/AAF wing, it is a Norsid wing...

[John Cooper]

Thanks for posting I guess i was not specific I did not know they made jump wings as well. I hope others will share what they have to help build a list of all wings they produced.

 

 

Cheers

John

[John Cooper]

BTT guys come on now someone must have some NORSID wings to post

[John Cooper]

Thanks for posting... I cannot recall seen an Observer in recent memory.

 

John

[pfrost]

A few of mine

 

Two different patterns of NORSID pilot wings. One is the more typical AMICO style "pelican beak" wing with an applied NORSID NYC hallmark.

 

The second pattern wing is more characteristic of the "NORSID" wing with a very ART-DECCO look and feel (IMHO). I suspect that NORSID was not manufacturer of insignia, and may have been a retailer (along the lines of Luxenberg). But, that is only an opinion not based on any facts.

[pfrost]

A relatively rare flight engineer and a much more common aircrew wing.

[pfrost]

Finally, a relatively common bombardier wing.

 

 

EDIT: oops, my mistake. This is actually more than likely a SIMCO wing rather than a NORSID wing. Some of my images are mixed up, so I'll have to see if I still have the NORSID bombardier wing. my bad.

[rustywings]

A beautiful Bombardier wing none the less!

[pconrad02]

BTT guys come on now someone must have some NORSID wings to post

 

Just my Bombardier and you got that one!

[John Cooper]

Patrick err DR. Frost

 

The FE you posted in #11 does it have the longer posts?

 

John

[pfrost]

No, I don't think so. It is either an observer wing or an aircrew wing, with the added flight engineer device.

 

As the flight engineer rating appeared rather late, and I suspect that it was only actually worn by guys in the Pacific during the war (specifically with some of the B29 units), this may be a post WWII construction. However, somewhere I have a photo of an 8th AAF gunner wearing a flight engineer wing on a "blue combat" patch IIRC. This photo is more than likely post WWII, but only by a few months, I suspect. Sadly, I can't seem to find that photo grouping anywhere I look. One day.

[100th Bomb Group]

Here are my Norsid Pilot Wings.

 

 

John

[100th Bomb Group]

Here is a close up of the hallmark for the Pilot Wing I just posted.

 

 

 

 

John

[100th Bomb Group]

And Finally!!

 

The Bombadier Wings I bought with the Pilot Wings and might be Norsid Pattern also but I haven't had time to research. Any opinions on the Bombadier wings would be welcome.

 

 

John

[John Cooper]

Thanks for posting all the wings guys!

 

This is interesting in that from the wings posted so far there appears to be a uniquie Norsid pattern. This pattern comes in three quality levels followed by a "2nd pattern" which has been done by several companies with minor variations.

 

I am looking forward to seeing more variations.

 

Regards,

 

John

[B-17Guy]

Thought I would show these.

 

A nice set of Norsid, issue, first pattern pilot wings I just picked up.

 

Cheers,

 

John

[rustywings]

Those are nice pilot wings John. The Norsid variation is becoming a tough pattern to find.

[B-17Guy]

Thanks.

 

One of those nice ebay finds...

[wartimecollectables.com]

I would be interested in opinions about the dates of manufacture of Norsid hallmarked wings.

[John Conway]

I wasn't aware there was more then one pattern of Norsid? Are there others? How many variants?

John

[MikeK]

Here is my set of Norsid stamped wings.

 

Regards

Mike

[wartimecollectables.com]

Is Norsid a known pre- 1947 (AAF transition to AF) maker?

[pfrost]

I suspect NORSID CO. wasn't one of the manufactures of stuff, but rather a wholesale company providing insignia and badges. You do see pilot wings in the LGB/AMICO pattern that are marked NORSID Co. NYC. These wings could be post war, but they sure have the feel and hardware of a good WWII vintage wing. I have only seen this particular pattern marked NORSID in the pilot rating.

 

The other pattern of wing (sometimes called the first pattern, but I don't know why they are give an "earlier" date) show up in a variety of different ratings. I have the pilot, flight engineer, and aircrew in my collection. I recall seeing some of the other ratings. Again, I would think that this pattern may also be WWII-post War. I have also seen WWII vintage NORSID marked rank insignia here and there. I am pretty sure it was a company active in WWII.

 

However, given the realities of what happened right after WWII and the downsizing of the AAF, I suspect that it wasn't well into the KW and 1950's that you really start seeing any "transition" companies producing new badges. I suspect that from about 1945 until well into the build up of the armed forces associated with the KW, most of the insignia produced was from "old" WWII vintage stock and "old" dies. IMHO, most, but not all, insignia from 1947 to 1950 was just WWII vintage. Clearly in 1947 or 48, the demand for "new" insignia would have been pretty much absent.

 

Here is a NORSID marked wing in the LGB/AMICO pattern. This pattern was worn throughout the war and into the post war period.