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Patch Good or repro? Hand embroidered 523rd Tactical Fighter Squadron


usaf70
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I'm skeptical.  Why is it so dirty if it has never been worn?

 

I am thinking this might be a Pakistani reproduction, but am open to the opinion of others.

 

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I don't like it. I have never seen one made this way in any design that was in possession of an aircrew member. I have seen plenty scattered all over eBay, especially mission style patches. I do not own one patch made this way. I have 7 variations of this unit, all are PI or Japan made. This does look closer to Paki made than anything else to me. In my opinion I would pass.

 

Randy

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vintageproductions

Randy- I usually won't argue with you but I will this time.

 

This patch is a wartime Vietnamese made piece.

 

The tells are in the embroidery style.

 

It probably had a cloth backing cover at one time that has been separated from the body.

 

The hand embroidered is way too fine to be Pakistani embroidered.

 

You will see numerous 1st cav pocket patches done in this style plus some signal units.

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Bob, I see your point, but noticed how I phrased my answer. A lot of these seemed to surface in the 80s, but like I said mostly mission patches. I do nave some close to this that were early war, like the 34th TG. Those tended to have the extra cloth border that was folded over the back, along with rice glue stiffener. This is an F-4 era patch, so post 1968. The real kicker for me is this unit was based at Clark in the PI, with a det in Taiwan, and then a 6 month deployment to Udorn, Thailand in 72. With all those places to get patches done, why would they have one made in RVN? I guess I'm more wrapped up in when it was made given the the others that showed up later. I have compared it to others I have that are vet direct, and I'm still not comfortable with it. But, like I said above that's my opinion based on what I've seen USAF wise over the years. One thing I have learned in the patch world is the are very few absolutes.

 

Randy

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