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CAA/WTS/CPT/Flight Schools - Reference Thread


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5thwingmarty

The Greenville Aviation School was at Ocala, Florida, and this was the 57th Army Air Force Flight Training Detachment (AAFFTD). 

 

Were you asking where the school was or where the patches were worn on the uniform?

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ocsfollowme
52 minutes ago, 5thwingmarty said:

The Greenville Aviation School was at Ocala, Florida, and this was the 57th Army Air Force Flight Training Detachment (AAFFTD). 

 

Were you asking where the school was or where the patches were worn on the uniform?

Thank you, I now see the "57" above the eagle. I thought it was a 7! I did not know it was the Greenville Aviation School, so thank you.

 

I was wondering where those tabs were worn, I think the cuff? I know people have sold the Flight Instructor with the the AAF patch as they thought it went above it.

 

I am wondering if only one FTD used these tabs, and if so, which one?

 

 

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5thwingmarty

I have a book for this school, which was a privately owned primary school.  A.L. Cummings was listed as Flight Director, and L.L. Patterson was listed as Ground School Director.  There were 78 Flying Instructors and 5 Ground School Instructors listed or shown in the book.  Neither the patch nor any of these tabs are visible in any of the photos.  I don't know where they would have worn these or if other schools used these tabs as well.

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This is another superb thread with a wealth of information and amazing collections shared. I'd like to share my civilian/CAA wings & things: top is a common instructor wing with a very lightly stamped sterling mark in the center-reverse. Second from the top is a mint LGB pattern with a microscopic 'LGB' and 'Sterling' stamped to the reverse of the shield. Third from the top is a standard Indian-head CAA wing with a lightly stamped Pat. Pend. in the center reverse and a raised sterling mark that follows the bottom contour of the center roundel. The bottom wing is actually a Victory Field tie clasp, unmarked.  Also included are a CAA collar/side-cap pin and CAA victory pin.

Civ Instructors (small).jpg

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I thought I would share a recent find. It’s a Cal-Aero Flight Academy brass graduation certificates for completing Primary Flight School. If anyone knows anything about 

James F. Hockgeiger I would appreciate the information. I believe he was with the 463rd Bombardment Group.

3FACEBFE-CEF5-49EB-866E-FABDCC450158.jpeg

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rathbonemuseum.com

Interesting bronze finish sterling wing with oblique radial engine and wings. 2 3/4”. Initials M. I. A. Or M. A. I. Made by GREEN of Kansa City. No idea!

 

 

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Tod, I would start looking for a CAA approved school (Mechanical Aviation Institute?) for training civilians in aviation mechanics of some sort between 1935-1955.

 

In the 30's the US Government began to support all sorts of aviation related industries, flying and trade schools, airplane and aerial component manufacturing companies, airports, civilian air lines, etc.  Many of these started in the 30's but were still active well into the 50's.  Ira Green made a lot of the CAP wings, and so I would think that this is probably about the same time period (40-50's). But why quibble, I could live with 1930's.

 

Also, many of the larger aviation concerns (like PAN AM and TWA, Boeing, Doglas, etc) had associated programs for training up recruits in various aviation related technologies.

 

Sweet wing from a largely unexplored era of aviation.

 

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rathbonemuseum.com

The answer was promptly answered by John Cook or @COOKIEMAN here. Ground instructor for the Missouri Institute of Aeronautics! Thanks John.

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  • 2 months later...

Very cool recent pickup.  Chenille Washington State College CTD patch named to the physical director.  Likely would have gone on sweat shirts.

 

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  • 2 months later...

Falcon Field, AZ (4th British Flying Training School)

 

4 BFTS was based at Falcon Field Arizona from 16 June 1941 to 10 September 1945. During that time 27 courses were trained involving over 2300 pilots.

 

3x rare insignia from the school.

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  • 1 month later...
On 4/14/2010 at 6:32 PM, rustywings said:

Hey John and Patrick, thank you for your contributions and support. My real collecting passion remains with US Navy and Army Air Corps flight badges...But I have to admit, these War Training Service insignia carry with them their own unique historical addiction. Considering the WTS was only around from 1939 to 1945, there's a wide variety of patches and badges to seek out and collect.

 

 

Here's a large early CAA cap badge with red and white enamel.

IMG_1013_crop.jpg

 

Back of the CAA cap piece. Double screw-back. No hallmarks.

IMG_1016_crop.jpg

 

I believe this CAA cap piece, with blue enamel, is "air" service related. And the previous cap piece with red enamel represents "ground" service. Please let me know if you have additional info on these types of Civil Aeronautics Administration badges.

IMG_1019_crop.jpg

 

A comparison shot of both CAA cap badges.

IMG_1020_crop.jpg

 

Russ,

The earliest example of this wing design I can locate is associated with the Bureau of Air Commerce.   The Aeronautics Branch of the Department of Commerce was established by the Air Commerce Act on May 20, 1926. The branch was renamed as the Bureau of Air Commerce in 1934.  The Bureau of Air Commerce was then replaced by the Civil Aeronautics Authority in 1938.  So, this design predates the CAA.  You can read more details about these agencies on the DOT's history of the FAA website:  https://www.faa.gov/about/history/brief_history

 

This wing design is shown in the U. S. Department of Commerce publication called Air Commerce Bulletin in 1936 example:

 

AirCommerceof1936.jpg.09b9ff93f884da3683ff86e713082e92.jpg

 

These wings were manufactured by the Irvin H Hahn Company (Baltimore, MD).  The following is a page from Hahn's 1939 catalog which shows these wings.  I'm including the entire page because it also shows the Flying Tiger insignia which may be of interest as well. 

 

PagesfromIrvinHHahn-1939-HeathWhite.jpg.f8e1ce61d42f6ea8ef5938dd84eb3812.jpg

 

The price list for this catalog does not include a price or description for item #3025.  Not sure why.  Maybe because this was an obsolete design in 1939?  The stamping die used to manufacture these wings can be seen here:

 

BureauofAirCommercedie.jpg.0344d67eb7f4b54e46f552b9e12365d0.jpg

 

Now for the bad news. . . This die was in the estate of Alan Beckman.  Beckman visited many manufacturers in search of historic dies and used the dies to make 'restrikes' that are often very difficult to distinguish from the original insignia.  Beckman got this die from Hahn's factory, he passed away several years ago, and the die is now in my collection.  This die will not be used to manufacture insignia for as long as I own it.

 

In post #97 above @vintageproductions shows an example of a smaller version of same style design.  This design corresponds to a die I have from the Johnson National Insignia archives:

 

IMG_5932.jpg.37bb15da636af6b7e91c2ea48c002321.jpg

 

Johnson National Insignia and their predecessor companies specialized in aviation wings insignia.  They very likely manufactured more wings designs than any manufacturer prior to WWII.  From their company archives I can document hundreds of different designs.

 

The Bureau of Air Commerce wing design shown above was replaced with the first Civil Aeronautics Authority wings design which can be seen on image below from a 1940 issue of Civil Aeronautics Journal which was published by the Civil Aeronautics Authority.

 

CivilAeronauticsJournal1940-10-01_Vol1Iss19.jpg.df7079e475ab11237253a87661bf07e8.jpg

 

This wing insignia was also manufactured by the Irvin H Hahn company in Baltimore.  Hahn never pictured this design in a catalog that I am aware of.  The original and only die used to manufacture these wings was acquired by me directly from Hahn's factory.  I have no reason to believe this die was ever used to manufacture restrikes.

 

IMG_8424-CivilAeronauticsAdministration.JPG.892457140a0e2bc858c29ee08ae916f3.JPG

 

You are welcome to PM me if you have any questions or are interested in additional information.  Heath

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rathbonemuseum.com

@haw68 Heath, thanks so much for sharing this archival research that grounds these discussions on manufacturing evidence. When you have a chance, would love to see a more close up photo of the Wright flyer portion of the Johnson die above. Thank you. Tod

 

Here are the two posts that feature the now accurately identified Bureau of Air Commerce insignia. First is the larger cap badge shown by Russ @rustywings in post #92:

 

 

 

And then the smaller jacket or shirt wing shared by Bob @vintageproductions in post #97 of this thread

 

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  • 1 month later...
ocsfollowme

I just picked up the Claiborne Flight Academy patch, which is almost identical to the Arizona Gliding Academy. Except the aircraft. 

 

 

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rathbonemuseum.com

Building on @haw68 post above, here is this early aviation license to John Gill, Flying Cadet class of 1925 and later ATC and Eastern Airlines pilot. This is his early wallet in which he had his pilot and mechanic's license. From approximately 1928. Features the same of United States Dept of Commerce early logo.

John Gill mechanic wallet.jpeg

John Gill mechanic license.jpeg

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