WW1 Navy Two-tone Gold Silver Bullion Wing Badge

[hawk3370]

I acquired an indentified WW1 US Navy pilots group that consisted of his complete uniform and documentation. This wing was with that group. The pilot flew Airships on submarine duty between Florida and Cuba during WW1. Now then all you gentlemen that are authorities on WW1 Navy Aviation help me out. The wings and shield are silver bullion and the anchor is gold bullion. See attached pic.

Thanks Terry

[KASTAUFFER]

The backing on that wing makes me believe it is from the late 1930's. The white cheesecloth with the black and yellow thread are consistant wth examples I have from WWII.

 

WWI wings that are bullion that I have seen on WWI uniforms have black backgrounds. I dont think I have ever seen one with an Av Green background that dates from WWI.

 

Aviation Green uniforms with wings that have an Av Green background tend to date from the late 30's to 1941/42. You rarely see them used after that time frame. The earliest documented one I have is from 1937 and the latest 1943.

 

I could be wrong and am open to other opinions!

 

Kurt

[Owen]

I would very much like to see some more material

from the individual. His name would also be of great

interest.

[hawk3370]

The backing on that wing makes me believe it is from the late 1930's. The white cheesecloth with the black and yellow thread are consistant wth examples I have from WWII.

 

WWI wings that are bullion that I have seen on WWI uniforms have black backgrounds. I dont think I have ever seen one with an Av Green background that dates from WWI.

 

Aviation Green uniforms with wings that have an Av Green background tend to date from the late 30's to 1941/42. You rarely see them used after that time frame. The earliest documented one I have is from 1937 and the latest 1943.

 

I could be wrong and am open to other opinions!

 

Kurt

 

Thanks, I have no knowledge of the Navy to speak of. What is your opinion on the wing color, ie: silver wing and shield and gold anchor?

[hawk3370]

I would very much like to see some more material

from the individual. His name would also be of great

interest.

 

 

Attached are pic of the uniform and his war time photo taken with his brother. I have since parted with this group with the exception of the strange wing. His name was Rolland Corbin, Aviator number 621

 

Terry

[KASTAUFFER]

Thanks, I have no knowledge of the Navy to speak of. What is your opinion on the wing color, ie: silver wing and shield and gold anchor?

 

This is the first time I have seen a Naval Aviator wing in bullion with this color combination.

 

Kurt

[IMPERIAL QUEST]

As far as the cheesecloth application, it was invented around 1650 in Le Mans, so it definitely has been around long before the invention of aviation and wings. Although cheesecloth may have not been the order of the day with standard versions made by tailors, with the deviation in design and color, the cheesecloth isn't really all that odd to me. This looks to me like a custom made example where someone wanted to make the wings and the anchor stand apart for aesthetic purposes. What is even more perplexing than the color, is the addition of what looks like stars in the upper portion of the shield. Maybe this fellow wanted to set himself apart from the "aeroplane" boys since he flew airships. Since there were no "issue" badges from my understanding, and the entitled individual was required to purchase their own, one would expect oddities from time to time. The bullion looks period, and it definitely has age, so I think it is just an interesting variant - perhaps a one off. Of course the above is just one man's opinion...

 

 

Concerning the yellow thread, my period photo documented wing with indisputable provenance on the Wingate uniform from WWI, shows yellow thread under the bullion where it has broken off.

 

 

[KASTAUFFER]

I am still not convinced this is a WWI wing. I am also not 100% sure this is a late 1930's wing. Has anyone else seen a WWI US Navy wing on a green background? The 2 color tones of bullion are certainly the most unusual thing about this wing. Bullion US Navy wings are not as clear cut to date as Air Service / AAF wings since the same basic design has always been used.

 

I have a WWII uniform with a bullion wing on it that is 100% exactly the same as a bullion wing I saw on an ID'd WWI uniform.

 

Kurt

[1st Sgt CES]

Great Wing !!!! I like this wing a lot---Blue Skies Mark

[rathbonemuseum.com]

According to Cliff on Bob's website http://ww2wings.com/wings/wwi/us/usnavy.shtml , this is a LTA naval aviator wing with the two tone gold and silver