Dr. Patch Posted February 14, 2010 Share #1 Posted February 14, 2010 I recently came across this piece and was wondering is this piece real or just another fake? It almost looks too good. What do you guys think? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Andrews Posted February 15, 2010 Share #2 Posted February 15, 2010 The 1941-1942 AVG wings were STAMPED from sheet brass and numbered. The same design was perpetuated in the Nationalist Chinese, later Taiwanese, forces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwb123 Posted February 15, 2010 Share #3 Posted February 15, 2010 I was going to say more likely Nationalist Chinese or ROC Air Force Wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin_Militaria Posted February 17, 2010 Share #4 Posted February 17, 2010 WWII Chinese pilots wore the same design wing as the AVG guys did. Also these could have been made by a Jeweler in any surrounding country, and did not have to be issued by the Chinese. They look like an early style Chinese Wing. Here is another post reguarding Chinese wings. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...hl=chinese+wing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted February 18, 2010 Share #5 Posted February 18, 2010 Can you post a profile shot?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonomachi Posted February 19, 2010 Share #6 Posted February 19, 2010 These were for sale on eBay at one time and I kept the photos for reference. I believe this is what J_Andrews was referring to as the stamped and numbered WW2 era Chinese pilot wings worn by members of the AVG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J_Andrews Posted February 19, 2010 Share #7 Posted February 19, 2010 Re Post #6: No, the originals I saw were all stamped from SHEET brass, thinner and "tinny". I saw some 30 originals, all at the same time and place, in 1970, at the offices of the Chennault Foundation in Washington DC. I was in an officed building looking for the officed of IIRC "Council something" or "Continental something" when I saw the Chennault Foundation listed (!!). It was on teh same floor as my intended destination. Unable to ignore it, I stopped in. There was only one person there, a Mr. Lee, Chinese, who explained that the office really "belonged" to the General's widow, Anna, and, with an aprtment at the Watergate, was her Washington "roost". See otherwise lived in California or Hawaii. The office also was a "roost" and clearinghouse for the AVG veterans and their surviving family members. Mr. Lee had been a war orphan taken in by the AVG and acted as "batman" and servant for them. Post-AVG, he was an assistant to Claire Chennault and later Anna; he was educated in the US, a naturalized US citizen, and had a college degree. We had a conversation about the AVG, etc. and he reached into a file cabinet and extracted a couple photo albums and cowboy boot box (honest) which held loose photos, papers and two plastic sleeves that held the wings. I believe each sleeve was meant to hold 20 or 24 items and one was full and the other about half full. Mr. Lee stated that these wings had been accrued as they were sent in when the vets died. Several, about ten, were found in Chennault's effects after his passing. Mr. Lee said there was a typewritten list of which number belonged to which AVG man, but he could not locate it then and there. There were also some of the Disney-designed Flying Tiger "crest", a few new in the wrap and on the manufacturer's cards, and three or four of the earliest Chinese-designed AVG "crest" (two white stylized birds facing, on a disc), brass "AVG"s and a couple bullion cap emblems. NO, HE DID NOT GIVE ANY GOODIES. And when I stopped by the office about a month later, it was closed. I called a few times and there was no answer. No further contact. I had not had an opprtunity to check out the photo albums, which apparently were Chennault's personal items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin_Militaria Posted February 19, 2010 Share #8 Posted February 19, 2010 These were for sale on eBay at one time and I kept the photos for reference. I believe this is what J_Andrews was referring to as the stamped and numbered WW2 era Chinese pilot wings worn by members of the AVG. What did these sell for? Was there any provenance? To me these look a little crude to have been issued by the Chinese to AVG guys. But then again the WWII Chinese Paratrooper/ commando wings are crude as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin_Militaria Posted February 20, 2010 Share #9 Posted February 20, 2010 Here are better pictures of the wing Dr. Patch was talking about. These wings were used by the Chinese Air Force starting in the late 1930's and until 1942. After that the Chinese pilot wing changed, the wings were straight and were similar in style to the US pilot wing. I did find a great site for wings of the world: http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/china/chinapilot.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschwartz Posted February 20, 2010 Share #10 Posted February 20, 2010 Thanks for the plug for my website! :thumbsup: And yes, those look like period WW2 Chinese wings to me. Although I highly doubt they were owned by an AVG member directly. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin_Militaria Posted February 20, 2010 Share #11 Posted February 20, 2010 Thanks for the plug for my website! :thumbsup: And yes, those look like period WW2 Chinese wings to me. Although I highly doubt they were owned by an AVG member directly. Bob Not a problem. I would be happy to send you some pics without the watermark for your site if you want them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austin_Militaria Posted February 21, 2010 Share #12 Posted February 21, 2010 These are on eBay, they are the later style wings. With being clutch back and US made I would imagine these are post war. http://cgi.ebay.com/ORIGINAL-CHINESE-PILOT...=item20af90d750 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffP Posted June 26, 2011 Share #13 Posted June 26, 2011 These wings were used by the Chinese Air Force starting in the late 1930's and until 1942. After that the Chinese pilot wing changed, the wings were straight and were similar in style to the US pilot wing. I did find a great site for wings of the world: http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/china/chinapilot.shtml Thanks for the plug for my website! :thumbsup: And yes, those look like period WW2 Chinese wings to me. Although I highly doubt they were owned by an AVG member directly. Bob The set of AVG wings pictured below would be as real as you could get. :wink2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-17Guy Posted June 26, 2011 Share #14 Posted June 26, 2011 Great photo Cliff, you sure have a great collection! Judging by the P-51B in the background the pic is 1943-44? Best, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffP Posted July 13, 2011 Share #15 Posted July 13, 2011 These were for sale on eBay at one time and I kept the photos for reference. I believe this is what J_Andrews was referring to as the stamped and numbered WW2 era Chinese pilot wings worn by members of the AVG. The Chinese pilot wing badge pictured below against a blue background is an attributed AVG badge. It is solid gold but I am not sure what degree of purity (karats). The highly vaulted baked enamel China star between the two wings protrudes outward almost 1/4 inch, and the four diget reference number on the back of the star is below 1800. Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingtigerfan Posted July 13, 2011 Share #16 Posted July 13, 2011 Nice rare AVG wings, top notch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike427 Posted December 12, 2012 Share #17 Posted December 12, 2012 These were for sale on eBay at one time and I kept the photos for reference. I believe this is what J_Andrews was referring to as the stamped and numbered WW2 era Chinese pilot wings worn by members of the AVG. Did anyone here get these wings as I would like to have a set? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike427 Posted December 12, 2012 Share #18 Posted December 12, 2012 Anyone have a set for sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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