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N-20 AF Pilot wings...what era??


David B
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Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone knew the age of these wings?...I was thinking maybe Vietnam era?

 

The wings are not sterling and are marked to the reverse either M-20 or N-20, the clutchbacks are brass and are marked BALLOU REG'D. The wing is quite thick and heavy.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

post-554-1175183503.jpg

 

post-554-1175183528.jpg

 

post-554-1175183553.jpg

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Dave,

 

I can't find that maker number in my references, but my guess is Vietnam era

 

Paul

 

Thanks Paul! I couldn't find the number either :(

 

Dave

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I'm far from an expert but, if I remember right, you can assume they are no earlier than Korea at best as the numbering of wings didn't start till the 1950's.

 

Remember, however, the log of my being wrong is two inches thick and I am on Volume #4!! w00t.gif

 

Tom

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Jeffrey Magut

I found this reference to a clutch back fastening device for awards..it mentions Ballou's patent of 1951 for such fasteners:

 

In the front surface of the securing device 3 there exist depressions or openings 8 for receiving heads of pointed fasteners or pins similar to thumb tacks 4, received by an anchor or clasp device generally designated by 6 which includes a pair of squeeze tabs 7 which are resilient in nature and which when squeezed together will form an opening for receiving pointed fastener 4 and which when released will frictionally grip same. This type of fastener is a known type in that it is the type illustrated and described in patent U.S. Pat. No. 2,551,196 to F. A. Ballou, Jr., issued May 01, 1951.

 

Jeffrey

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  • 4 months later...
Laury Allison
Interested in opinions as to when these wings were made. Thanks! ~Tim

 

Tim,

 

I can see that is a NS Meyer hallmark, does it say 9M or 22M??? If it is 9M, I would guess 1950s and if 22M, then 1960s to 1990s. ;)thumbsup.gif

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Tim,

 

I can see that is a NS Meyer hallmark, does it say 9M or 22M??? If it is 9M, I would guess 1950s and if 22M, then 1960s to 1990s. ;)thumbsup.gif

 

Sorry, still new at this--where would the "9M' or "22M" be located? All I see is "N.S. Meyer Inc. New York" and the shield.

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Laury Allison
Sorry, still new at this--where would the "9M' or "22M" be located? All I see is "N.S. Meyer Inc. New York" and the shield.

 

Meyer insignia usually had the hallmark within the shield itself. You may need to use a loop or a magnifying glass to read it clearly....it helps anyway.

 

Laury

w00t.gif

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Meyer insignia usually had the hallmark within the shield itself. You may need to use a loop or a magnifying glass to read it clearly....it helps anyway.

 

Laury

w00t.gif

 

Ah--I'll take a look. Thanks!

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Based on the way the prongs are attached to the wing they are post 1950.

Gary

 

Here is the hallmark--I still don't see any numbers. Are they supposed to be on the vertical part of the cross inside the shield, or somewhere else?

post-333-1188425968.jpg

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Looks like 1950s is the consensus. Thanks guys.

 

In thinking about it more, I have reason to believe that these are pre-1950. The wings came on this Japanese-occupation-era shirt:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...20&start=20

 

Which also bears the CBI patch. These would be pre-1950 indicators.

 

Could you explain why you think they are 1950s or later?

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There is a good discussion about the varieties of Meyer hallmarks on the WAF:

 

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/sho...highlight=meyer

 

See the information provided by GLM in Post #6.

 

Dennis

 

Thanks Dennis--that chart indicates that this mintmark was used in the late 1940s into the early 1950s. That would square with the origin of the shirt and the SSI on it. Thanks a lot for the help.

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