WASP AMICO version discussion

[cwnorma]

Photos:

 

[pfrost]

This one has been around....  Was soundly discussed about 10 years ago and yet, someone forgot to stick a stake in its heart.

Years ago, I read in one of Russ Huff's Wings and Things books that there were two legit types of WASP lozenge wings, the Josten and an AMICO version.  I have seen about 100 Josten WASP wings on various venues, yet I have still not seen an AMICO wing of any repute.

 

The Wing King told me that the AMICO reference in Russ' Huff was one of the big collectors in the field (at that time, early 90's) attempt to sell a bad wing, and figured he would write an article about the famous AND rare AMICO wing.  At about the same time, a similar GEMSCO wing was floating about with an oversize lozenge.  I suspect that they were all fakes and that THE ONLY legit WASP lozenge wing (which is actually supposed to the shield of Athena) were made by Josten.

 

Still, fools and their money are frequently parted.
What always gets me is how reasonable collectors seem to loose sight of basic collecting logic.  Why o why, would someone CAST a perfectly common AMICO wing to make a totally fantasy WASP wing?

 

Apparently if you want a box of meuseum quality reproductions, go no farther than JoeWarts magical school of wizardry and cast reproductions.

 

 

 

[pfrost]

This was a pretty good thread about WASP wings with some discussion about the AMICO wing.  At that time this thread was started, I was a firm believer in the AMICO pin back WASP Lozenge wing, but I have to say that it now seems more and more likeley to me that the AMICO wing is/was a unicorn wing.  Many of us have heard of it, but (to my knowledge) none have every reared their head on a forum. There are a couple of collectors who would probably know for sure.  I suspect it may be some cross communication about the lozenge versus numbered class wings, etc.  No idea myself, but it woud dbe nice to see at least ONE AMICO wing that isn't a POS casting

[bschwartz]

This is the closest I've ever gotten to the unicorn wing that Patrick is talking about.  This is part of the permanent collection at the EAA Museum in Oshkosh, WI.  I've never been fortunate enough to wrangle a look at the back of this wing and I admit this isn't the best photo of it but it's behind glass and that throws the camera focus off.  This is supposedly a WASP donated piece which would not surprise me as the WASPs held a large gathering every year for the big air show.  This went on for years but stopped several years ago as the number of surviving WASPs dwindled.  They do have a donated uniform on display and many other donated items so who am I to scoff at it?  The wing is in an AMICO box and is clearly a pin back wing.  Could it be a modified Josten, sure, but who knows?  I've volunteered at Oshkosh for 20 years in the Warbirds area but still haven't found the right person who might let me sneak a peak at the back of this wing.  But every time I'm there I study it as closely as I can and I can't see anything that would lead me to believe it's a fake.  Of course there's no way to say it was actually made by Amico either but the mystery is alive.  

 

 

[dmar836]

Hmmm, I've never seen that there. Guess I'm too busy with all the other shiny things.

[dmar836]

I have no hope of obtaining a WASP wing in my lifetime. Figured that was fake but was shocked at $1800. I've seen real ones go for that and more but this didn't even have a good story.

I'm in the wrong business and am too straight!

Dave 

[bschwartz]

Dave, the wing was last in the special section they have dedicated to female military pilots in the Warbird hangar.  It's right behind the prototype P-51 Mustang.  It's the area that used to be the gift shop when they had a gift shop in the Warbird hangar.  It used to be on the far wall under the giant mural before being moved to the new special section.  Haven't been there since August so it may have moved if they no longer have the special section for female pilots.  But over the years I've seen it move to a couple of different locations but it's part of the permanent collection and has always been on display when I've been there.  And I've been visiting the museum and air show since 1997 so it's been around the block a few times.

[pfrost]

According to the original article (as best I can recall) and Cliff's post on the above thread, the AMICO wing was a cut down pilot wing with the WASP shield attached by a jeweler.  The wing that you post Bob looks like it is a die struck Josten pattern wing with a pin back.  So, if the AMICO wing was just a common AMICO pelican beak pilot wing that had been jeweler modified, then the one you show isn't it.  In this case, I would be inclined to believe that this could be an reunion piece OR a replaced pin on an original Josten.  IIRC, AMICO was out of business shortly after the war, and what ever dies they had were sold to GEMSCO (assuming I am not butchering the story).  Be that as it may be, it does seem that some knucklehead paid about $1815 more than the wing was worth... LOL.

 

 

[rathbonemuseum.com]

Interesting in an AMICO box but the wing and shoulder patterns don’t look like any I attribute to AMICO?

[5thwingmarty]

Maguire repeats the story (in More Silver Wings) of there being Amico die struck lozenge WASP wings, but also has the story about the wings for 43-W-8 being made by attaching the lozenge to Amico pilot wings.  Photos of both styles (fronts only) of the Amico WASP wings are shown, and both are pinback wings.  The Amico lozenge wing is shown side by side with a Josten wing, are I don't see any difference in the feather details on the two wings. 

 

I have two WASP class books, the first one for classes 43-W-1 to 43-W-3 and the book for 43-W-8 and 44-W-1.  In the first book, there are no discernable views of actual WASP wings, but there are drawings that depict the wings for each of the three classes.  For all three the Gemsco-esque base wings are shown in the drawings.  Note actual Gemsco wings were NOT used for these wings, and this type of base wing was replaced with LGB or Amico base wings for class 3.  In the second book there are no actual wings shown either, but there are drawings of the Lozenge wings that have the Josten style shoulder feathers.

[5thwingmarty]

To keep the door cracked open a bit about the possibility that Amico made full-size WASP wings that look like the Josten pattern, here are pics of a pin from Rob Burkey's site.  He has sold at least three of these, and although far from full-sized it does indicate that Amico did make some WASP items with wings lacking the typical pelican beak shoulder details.