Great pair of ID'd bullion pilot wings

[pfrost]

I was talking to our resident expert about these the other day (looking at you Chris Norman!).  These are one of the more common (if such a thing can be  used when talking about bullion WWI wings) that you tend to find.  I think I may have at least 4.  One is IDed (I have to look him up again) one is unID but is MINT (bought it as a "reproduction" for a stupidly cheap price on Ebay). Sometimes its better to be lucky rather than smart.

 

I have shown three.  Top and bottom belonged to Lyman Wine, middle one is a mint version.

 

2 belong to a guy named Lyman Arthur Wine, Sr.

 

Name:     Lyman A Wine
Birth Date:               30 Jul 1893
Death Date:             28 Sep 1984
Enlistment Date:     13 Dec 1917
Discharge Date:      23 Jul 1918

 

I suspect he never went overseas. Chris found a picture of him in the Elington Field year book.
Chris has some ideas about where these bullion wings may have been made. He sent me an email and I promptly forgot to write it down and then lost the email!  Again... better lucky than smart!  LOL

 

Here are three of the wings.  Two of them (one that I show and another one that I will try to find) are on a backing plate.  Two nicely show the dark blue  backing of many of these wings.

 

Pretty cool!

[pfrost]

Ok I found it. This one was worn by Richard Hellman.  I have a photo of him wearing these wings (its hard to see, but its in the background). Also pin back.

 

So four of these in my collection. I believe I may have at least one or two more on a uniform or something like that.

 

Hellman and Wine never went overseas.

[cwnorma]

Patrick,

 

Wonderful!  Absolutely love this pattern!

 

I believe the best candidate for a maker for these is M.C. Lilley of Columbus OH.  The evidence while mounting, is still (alas) circumstantial.  Lilley was the largest domestic manufacturer of bullion work in the US and would have been in an excellent position to fulfill a large contract (or subcontract) to produce these badges for the Army Air Service.

 

Here are three more for comparison.  The badge at the bottom of this group came with a period handwritten note, "Wifey, Wings received upon graduation.  Your Hubby, AKA Ferd" and originally belonged to 1Lt Ferdinand Eble:

 

 

Of course, all of these being hand made; no two are ever exactly alike.  Here we have on this page seven sisters.

 

Warm regards

 

 

 

Chris

[pfrost]

M.C. Lilley of Columbus OH.  I need to write that down somewhere.  I usually put these tidbits of information down some place I won't forget, and then promptly forget!  LOL.

 

Some seem to have a black backing and some seem to have a dark blue backing.  The two I have on pin back plates are both different.  I wonder if they were done by the pilot after purchase?

 

[pfrost]

With a bit of patience some more items came out for Lt Wine. I ended up getting a crusty small photo album of his time as an instructor (probably) and some more of his insignia.  A WWI Victory Medal and some bits and bobs (insignia, LT bars, etc). 

 

If you every wondered what the control panel of the Curtiss JN-4D looked like, this is it (probably).  Pretty basic stuff, some boxes, a switch or two and a broom stick.  Kind of puts to rest the idea of "Heroic Knights of the Air Flying into Combat" romantic BS....  Although it could also be a training set up.

 

This is a rather blurry photo of Lyman Wine. But I am pretty sure he is wearing the very same wings that I have.

[pfrost]

A few more pictures from the album.