Fake Angus and Coote wing used to make fake stubby wing

[The Rooster]

Heres one for the hall of shame on eBay.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/315587070372?itmmeta=01J3S75GD9B30X50NTJVZF4E39&hash=item497a7489a4:g:130AAOSwlwhmoaFT

 

$250.00 opening bid or buy it now for $500.00 !!!

 

 

[cwnorma]

I saw this one too 🤣

 

My first thought:  There appears to be a new generation taking up the mantles of Charles Snyder and Joe Walters.

 

My subsequent thoughts.  Whoever did this shows reasonable skill with a jeweler's saw and is able to competently sweat off and re-solder findings.  

 

Caveat emptor.

 

Chris

[pfrost]

B17 John once told me the funniest thing about the B26 Maurader (which these wings were supposed to signify).  He told me they called it the Widowmaker, Flying Coffin and the Boston Prostitute (fast with no visible means of support)--to name a few!  LOL.

 

I asked a family friend of ours who had a husband who flew in B24's in Italy, a second husband who was in the 2AD in the 8th, a son who went to the USAF Academy and who was good personal friend with both Jimmy Doolittle and Jimmy Stewart if she every heard any good stories about the B26.  She said (and I quote) "you mean the Boston Whore--no obvious means of support, that one!".   My friend's family was originally from the Boston area, so it always tickled her fancy.

 

If IIRC, only a few squadrons of B26's were flying in the PTO.  Some did fly out of Australia, so it would be POSSIBLE that an A&C wing was converted.  But I do believe that David Hill once told me that using the stubby wings badge was very rare and limited to just a few wing types (including Ludlow). That everything else was a fake.  I do not recall exactly which base wings he said were correct.  Maybe John knows?

 

[5thwingmarty]

David has a Ludlow-based cut down wing on Bob's website.

 

I have a cut-down LeVelle-pattern targetless Aerial Gunner wing that I would like to think was from a B-26 gunner, but it came with no provenance so it is just an interesting curiosity that was really cheap.

 

Does anyone have a photo of a B-26 crew member actually wearing a cut-down wing?

[pfrost]

I have never seen one, but you may want to look through this site: I do see some nice pictures of pilots and crews, but haven't looked through the whole thing yet.

 

https://www.b26.com/page/link.htm
 

 

I suspect that the guys flying the B26 "widow maker" into combat were well aware of how dangerous the plane was and probably didn't want to tempt fate TOO MUCH. 

 

And I doubt that many CO's would have allowed the wearing of these wings on uniforms.

 

P

 

[Insigina Hunter]

I have a real Angus Coote version of this wing and have seen 1 other in another collection.

[The Rooster]

On 7/29/2024 at 1:37 PM, pfrost said:

I have never seen one, but you may want to look through this site: I do see some nice pictures of pilots and crews, but haven't looked through the whole thing yet.

 

https://www.b26.com/page/link.htm
 

 

I suspect that the guys flying the B26 "widow maker" into combat were well aware of how dangerous the plane was and probably didn't want to tempt fate TOO MUCH. 

 

And I doubt that many CO's would have allowed the wearing of these wings on uniforms.

 

P

 

I think Patrick is correct. No CO would approve of it.

Not Authorized and thats the end of that.

And I think the crews were well aware of the dangers. The ones who made it to combat

are the ones who survived the training.

Many did not survive the training.