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Rare Gaunt Jump Wing and Another unidentified !!!!


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Hello Everyone,

 

I need assistance in identifying these wings, one has "gaunt" markings in the back and one has a star and looks like it was soldered and marked sterling. I picked these up this weekend, they looked like WWII, can anyone plese provide an opinion if they are authentic?

 

Thank you,

SSG Pratt

US Army

post-6682-1243884849.jpg

post-6682-1243884858.jpg

post-6682-1243884874.jpg

post-6682-1243884884.jpg

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Greg Sebring

joshypogi,

 

I can't tell you one way or the other but I can show you my dad's WWII wings. He filed the feathers off the front to make them smooth and then polished them for a high shine look. He told me it was a fad at the time and being in the 82nd Airborne, no one ever said a word about the non-reg look. Yours look about the same. Allan H. is the "wing" expert.

 

Greg

post-118-1243886377.jpg

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Hi,

 

The Gaunt wing looks good but they are heavily faked so a close up of the hinge, the catch, and the makers mark are needed to tell for sure. The other wing with the star is good and I like the soldering detail on the star as well. The fakers don't do that....yet.

 

 

Gary

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SSG Pratt,

 

Without just posting the proverbial "I have my doubts" about the Gaunt wing, let me offer this...attached is an ID'd set of Gaunt wings. These were directly obtained from the Veteran and his family (506th Pathfinder Harold Wilhelm). If you look at these as well as the beautiful pair of wings that Greg has posted (also with direct provenance from his Father), three things jump out to me right away...

 

1. On the back, look at the depth of the groove in the left and right wing on the "wings" from Greg & one I posted. On the pair you show the depth of the groove is not as deep or pronounced.

2. If you look at the canopy on Greg's pair as well as mine, you will see a "rectangular groove" running across the top of these two wings. I don't see this on the other Gaunt wing as shown. It appears to only have the lower "drop off" part of the indentation.

3. Lastly, both the pins on the provenanced wings are copper or brass. On your wings it appears silver.

 

Not saying that yours are wrong, but based on comparison with ID'd examples, I would have my concerns.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Currahee!

 

Jake Powers

post-261-1243951067.jpg

post-261-1243951074.jpg

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SSG Pratt,

 

Without just posting the proverbial "I have my doubts" about the Gaunt wing, let me offer this...attached is an ID'd set of Gaunt wings. These were directly obtained from the Veteran and his family (506th Pathfinder Harold Wilhelm). If you look at these as well as the beautiful pair of wings that Greg has posted (also with direct provenance from his Father), three things jump out to me right away...

 

1. On the back, look at the depth of the groove in the left and right wing on the "wings" from Greg & one I posted. On the pair you show the depth of the groove is not as deep or pronounced.

2. If you look at the canopy on Greg's pair as well as mine, you will see a "rectangular groove" running across the top of these two wings. I don't see this on the other Gaunt wing as shown. It appears to only have the lower "drop off" part of the indentation.

3. Lastly, both the pins on the provenanced wings are copper or brass. On your wings it appears silver.

 

Not saying that yours are wrong, but based on comparison with ID'd examples, I would have my concerns.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Currahee!

 

Jake Powers

 

Here is the front for reference...

post-261-1243951260.jpg

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Greg Sebring

Jake,

 

Those are some good observations. I have attached the front view of my dad's wings. The wing detail is lacking due to the "rebellious" fad in my dad's outfit at the time. I have heard that other wing collectors occasionally see a filed set but I've never seen another picture of any.

 

Greg

post-118-1243957024.jpg

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Greg asked for meto provide my two cents and I would echo what Jake has written, although there are a couple of other issues with the Gaunt wing that Jake didn't mention, he covered the basics as to why the wing is suspect. Simply put, I would not put this wing in my collection, and if I had a relationship with the guy who sold the wing to you, I would be asking for a refund.

 

As for Gary's comment about the faker's not putting solder on the backs of the applied jump stars, I am afraid that there are plenty of fakers who have been adding this little "touch" for years. That being said, I am quite comfortable with the second wing being an original, though there will forever been a hint of doubt as to when the star was actually applied to the wing. My gut says it was done during the WWII era, though a good jeweler with a little bit of old lead solder can repair hundred year old pieces of jewelry so that the casual observer would never be able to tell.

 

Allan

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Jake,

 

Those are some good observations. I have attached the front view of my dad's wings. The wing detail is lacking due to the "rebellious" fad in my dad's outfit at the time. I have heard that other wing collectors occasionally see a filed set but I've never seen another picture of any.

 

Greg

Hi Greg heres a couple of filed wings

top one is marked A 265 (Assmann)

bottom left is marked sterling

bottom right is marked VANGUARD

1/20 SILVER

FILLED

 

brian

post-2718-1244004789.jpg

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Greg Sebring

brian,

 

Thanks for posting the pix,... interesting variations. It makes me wonder now if Glider Wings were so "doctored" or any other qualification badge for that matter.

 

 

 

Greg

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SSG Pratt,

 

Without just posting the proverbial "I have my doubts" about the Gaunt wing, let me offer this...attached is an ID'd set of Gaunt wings. These were directly obtained from the Veteran and his family (506th Pathfinder Harold Wilhelm). If you look at these as well as the beautiful pair of wings that Greg has posted (also with direct provenance from his Father), three things jump out to me right away...

 

1. On the back, look at the depth of the groove in the left and right wing on the "wings" from Greg & one I posted. On the pair you show the depth of the groove is not as deep or pronounced.

2. If you look at the canopy on Greg's pair as well as mine, you will see a "rectangular groove" running across the top of these two wings. I don't see this on the other Gaunt wing as shown. It appears to only have the lower "drop off" part of the indentation.

3. Lastly, both the pins on the provenanced wings are copper or brass. On your wings it appears silver.

 

Not saying that yours are wrong, but based on comparison with ID'd examples, I would have my concerns.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Currahee!

 

Jake Powers

 

 

Your response is most greatly appreciated, I whole-heartedly send my thanks for taking the time to respond to my question!!!

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joshypogi,

 

I can't tell you one way or the other but I can show you my dad's WWII wings. He filed the feathers off the front to make them smooth and then polished them for a high shine look. He told me it was a fad at the time and being in the 82nd Airborne, no one ever said a word about the non-reg look. Yours look about the same. Allan H. is the "wing" expert.

 

Greg

 

 

 

Thanks for your reply and time, I will stay away from British wings since it is so heavily faked unless i get a set from a confirmed WWII veteran.

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brian,

 

Thanks for posting the pix,... interesting variations. It makes me wonder now if Glider Wings were so "doctored" or any other qualification badge for that matter.

Greg

 

 

Thanks for your reply and time, I will stay away from British wings since it is so heavily faked unless i get a set from a confirmed WWII veteran.

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brian,

 

Thanks for posting the pix,... interesting variations. It makes me wonder now if Glider Wings were so "doctored" or any other qualification badge for that matter.

Greg

 

 

 

Thanks for your reply and time, I will stay away from British wings since it is so heavily faked unless i get a set from a confirmed WWII veteran.

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brian,

 

Thanks for posting the pix,... interesting variations. It makes me wonder now if Glider Wings were so "doctored" or any other qualification badge for that matter.

Greg

 

 

Thanks for your reply and time, I will stay away from British wings since it is so heavily faked unless i get a set from a confirmed WWII veteran.

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brian,

 

Thanks for posting the pix,... interesting variations. It makes me wonder now if Glider Wings were so "doctored" or any other qualification badge for that matter.

Greg

 

 

Thanks for your reply and time, I will stay away from British wings since it is so heavily faked unless i get a set from a confirmed WWII veteran.

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SSG Pratt,

 

Without just posting the proverbial "I have my doubts" about the Gaunt wing, let me offer this...attached is an ID'd set of Gaunt wings. These were directly obtained from the Veteran and his family (506th Pathfinder Harold Wilhelm). If you look at these as well as the beautiful pair of wings that Greg has posted (also with direct provenance from his Father), three things jump out to me right away...

 

1. On the back, look at the depth of the groove in the left and right wing on the "wings" from Greg & one I posted. On the pair you show the depth of the groove is not as deep or pronounced.

2. If you look at the canopy on Greg's pair as well as mine, you will see a "rectangular groove" running across the top of these two wings. I don't see this on the other Gaunt wing as shown. It appears to only have the lower "drop off" part of the indentation.

3. Lastly, both the pins on the provenanced wings are copper or brass. On your wings it appears silver.

 

Not saying that yours are wrong, but based on comparison with ID'd examples, I would have my concerns.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Currahee!

 

Jake Powers

 

 

Thanks for your reply and time, I will stay away from British wings since it is so heavily faked unless i get a set from a confirmed WWII veteran.

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