rustywings Posted August 21, 2009 Share #1 Posted August 21, 2009 Can you help me identify the USN flying squadrons each of these small wings represent. Each wing is about one and five-eights inches in width with early Robbins hallmarks. Because of the wing design, I'm assuming these are late 1930's to early WWII vintage. The four squadrons are the Flying Wildcats, Flying Badgers, White Eagles and Wayne's Avengers. The center enamel disc on three of the wings is a separate piece applied to the wing. The wing marked 'Wayne's Avengers' is a one-piece made wing with a futuristic looking plane leaving a smoke trail and cloud puffs behind it. Are these all carrier-based squadrons? If so, which ship? I'm not completely convinced these are sweetheart pins after removing the Flying Wildcats wing from an overseas cap which also had a Lieutentant's rank attached. If you have similar small squadron wings, I would sure like to see them. I appreciate your help. Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share #2 Posted August 21, 2009 Second attachment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted August 21, 2009 Third attachment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 21, 2009 Author Share #4 Posted August 21, 2009 Attachment #4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Bob Hudson Posted August 21, 2009 Share #6 Posted August 21, 2009 Those apparently were Naval aviation cadet training squadrons, each formed mostly of men from various universities: Univ. of Wisconsin for the Flying Badgers, Northwestern for the Flying Wildcats, etc. Wayne's Avenger's may have been from Wayne State College. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted August 21, 2009 Share #7 Posted August 21, 2009 Here's a couple of items, the first from Time Magazine in 1942: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted August 21, 2009 Share #8 Posted August 21, 2009 One more piece from the book Glenview Naval Air Station By Beverly Roberts Dawson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted August 21, 2009 Share #9 Posted August 21, 2009 I believe the "Wayne's Avengers" may have been a similiar group from Fort Wayne, Indiana. I ran across the name when doing some research on Fort Wayne vets. There was also a similar group for AAF volunteers. Very nice wings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhodak Posted August 21, 2009 Share #10 Posted August 21, 2009 If these where worn by the cadet's ,were they worn on the cap being that they are screw back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted August 21, 2009 Share #11 Posted August 21, 2009 I believe the "Wayne's Avengers" may have been a similiar group from Fort Wayne, Indiana. I ran across the name when doing some research on Fort Wayne vets. There was also a similar group for AAF volunteers. Very nice wings! You are right about that. I found two newspaper articles which explain this program and make it clear this involved colleges and communities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted August 21, 2009 Share #12 Posted August 21, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share #13 Posted August 22, 2009 Thank you very much for your efforts in identifying these squadron logos. Nicely done...I think you hit the nail square on the head in identifying three of these wings. Maybe someone will recognize the fourth squadron (White Eagles) and tells us which university or area of the country it may represent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfrost Posted August 22, 2009 Share #14 Posted August 22, 2009 Nice wings Russ. It looks like they all came from Robbins Co, correct? One thing to do is maybe write them and see if they have any information on those type of pieces? I know they did lots of fraternal/academic (fraternity/sorority) and masonic stuff. Maybe they have some records? Best Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haw68 Posted September 14, 2022 Share #15 Posted September 14, 2022 Nice set of wings! Attached are images of The Robbins Company stamping die that produced the Wayne's Avengers wings. The '7 42' on the side of the die means the die was manufactured in July, 1942. If I can locate the other dies or find helpful information in the company records I will let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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