LGB made Technical Observer wing

[rustywings]

I’d like to share a few images of a tough-to-find, full-size, Technical Observer wing with a “LG Balfour-Sterling” hallmark on the reverse. 
I’ve always liked that extra bit of quality and detail the Balfour Company put into the wing feathering on many of their aerial badges!

 

 

 

[LuftStalg1]

A real beauty for sure, congratulations!

[pfrost]

I love that wing.  I remember Art Greg showing me a similar wing years ago at the old Great Western Gun Show.  I know that pattern was used after the war as well, and I have some nice photos of this particular pattern (as a flight surgeon rating) being worn by a USAF guy.  Is it possible that these were also made post war?  I know that the TO rating was made obsolete sometime around the KW time period (IIRC). 

 

Any ideas?

P

 

[rathbonemuseum.com]

That fancy, detailed wing pattern is so unique to LGB and so out of character to their other designs! Shows up as that observer rating and gold flight surgeon. Cool to see it in the TO rating. I would also consider that "fat font" version of the LGB trademark to be postwar. But then, who knows. At least later than the condensed font version of the hallmark. Nice addition Russ!

[rustywings]

As mentioned above, this same “fancy” LGB feathering and wing design was used on their full-size Observer’s badge before WWII, as well as several other wing ratings throughout the War… here’s a sampling:

 

 

 

[rustywings]

LG Balfour also produced Flight Engineer wings with a very different front wing design and significantly less detail in the feathering. But note the close similarities in the pin, catch, LGB hallmark and flat reverse construction.

I suspect both of these types of badges were worn thru the end of WWII and the Korean War.  

[rustywings]

One other thought concerning these “fancy” feather LG Balfour produced wings…  At some point in time the Vanguard Company either purchased the “fancy” wing dies from Balfour, or possibly contracted with Balfour to continue producing identical Flight Surgeon wings, but with Vanguard’s hallmark?  Check out these two near identical Flight Surgeon badges with different hallmarks posted below.  Presumably, the Balfour marked badge was produced during the War; and the Vanguard marked badge is post-WWII?

 

(We need “Cookieman” and his vast wealth of Balfour-related knowledge to get involved in this thread for the straight-poop!)

[pfrost]

To me, the finish and font of some of these wings suggest post-WWII manufacturing.  It is my theory that the small LGB font wings were made in WWII, and the ones with the larger LGB with the silver "frosted" finish were made within the late WWII/KW time period.  Then, the B-1 hallmark was used sometime after KW, and the final iteration used the alpha-numeric B21 hallmark.  It seems to me that they used 2 or 3 distinct patterns for wing design, (the large shield pattern, similar to early Amcrafts), a couple of the more traditional pelican beak designs (one WWII and one likley post WWII) and this "fancy feather" version that was clearly worn well after WWII.

 

We know that the Flight engineer wing was only used late WWII (peaking with the KW before the new USAF made that rating obsolete).  The TO wing was rarely worn and even rarely seen in photographs that those wings were also made obsolete by the KW time period.

 

 

Interestingly, the two wings we know were worn in WWII. The gilt and silver FS ratings have the small LGB font and the lack of that pebblely silver frosted finish (although, as this photo proves, it was also used well after the USAF time period.) Also, many WWII LGB versions have the much higher-quality riveted devices while the later wings tend not to have them.

 

But I always say we are often too interested in drawing a line in the sand about the dates.  Its like arguing how many angels can fit on the head of a pin. As always, Russ' collection is top drawer.

 

P

[5thwingmarty]

I have also seen one LGB Bombardier wing in this pattern.