research of instructor wings

[historylives]

hello all,

being some what of a newbie here i would like to say that i have been educating myself in the different categories on this forum. together with the photos and thoughts on different pieces of collecting i find it all a valuable tool in the expansion of wisdom and enhancement of ones knowledge which brings me to my posting on an item auctioned on Ebay. from time to time i view the site as many here and aside from the common and mediocre a listing appears that holds an interest as this one did for me. seller listed as a 3' instructors wings with what he said could be from San Antonio Lakeland. curious i began to look up information on this and found Lakeland air force base which has a ww2 connection. started in 1941, originally part of Kelly Field, later became a training center for future aviators. the wings shown here have the letters SAL in the shield possibly for San Antonio Lackland, gold for instructor and the wing itself made by Amcraft. a possible connection?? sad to say do to a lack of funds i didn't try to get it. if a member here did purchase this hopefully will put it up for further discussion.

[5thwingmarty]

I don't believe Lackland was named that until after WWII, so I doubt these are for "San Antonio Lackland".  I don't have any references to a pilot training field or organization that would use the letters SAL.  These might have just belonged to an instructor named Sal.  They are beautiful and I don't doubt their age.

[rustywings]

I agree, they’re a very handsome aerial badge and I’d like to hear more about what they may represent? If not a WWII era contract flight school, maybe the initials stand for an early but short-lived Air Lines?

Salinas Air Lines? Sacramento Air Lines? Scranton Air Lines? 
 

Someone out there knows?  

 

[rustywings]

Philip Martin’s book, “Pilot Wings of the United States” has three early Air Lines identified with the same initials SAL, but no corresponding Pilot wing illustrations to confirm or eliminate them as a possible match?

Standard Air Lines (1927 to 1930).

Star Air Lines (1938 to 1943).

Stout Air Lines (1926 to 1928).

[rathbonemuseum.com]

10 hours ago, rustywings said:

Philip Martin’s book, “Pilot Wings of the United States” has three early Air Lines identified with the same initials SAL, but no corresponding Pilot wing illustrations to confirm or eliminate them as a possible match?

Standard Air Lines (1927 to 1930).

Star Air Lines (1938 to 1943).

Stout Air Lines (1926 to 1928).

 

This is also my thought. And unfortunately we won't be able to confirm without a photo or illustration. 

[historylives]

thank you for the replies on this subject all. i agree that it is impossible for sure where the above wings are from. an airline, flight academy??? my information was obtained on Wikipedia where San Antonio Lackland had a WW2 connection as a classroom of basic study which after cadets passed would then go off to a flight academy to train as aviators. in any event, it is interesting trying to find some history on these wings. all in all some one got a nice example of instructors wings.

 

[pfrost]

There were many small airlines and flight schools that existed between about 1938 and 1960.  Some are easier to research than others. It’s a guessing game until that one elusive picture shows up   

[pfrost]

Another thing to consider is that airlines in one word. So American Airlines is AA not AAL. There may have been some “grammar-challenged” company but it may not be a “air line”as such. Other ideas could be aviation or aeronautics line.  It could also be the L stands for Lmtd. 
 

it’s fun to google various ideas 

 

finally, these are classic WW2 vintage AMCRAFT wings. In the WW2 period, the CAA was trying to foster the private and commercial airline industry. Including flying school. It could be School of aeronautical learning   I have found that eventually you will figure it out