CAA/WTS/CPT/Flight Schools - Reference Thread

[rustywings]

Large WWII era patch for Lemoore Army Flying School, Lemoore, California. This Army Air Corps field shut down at the end of WWII. In 1961, the field and adjacent property was commissioned to the U.S. Navy and became Naval Air Station Lemoore.

[rustywings]

WWII era CAA-Civilian Pilot Training winged patches from Los Angeles City College

[rustywings]

WWII era CAA/CPT cap pin for the Clemson University Flying Cadets, Clemson, South Carolina. This pin has the cadet's name inscribed on the back with the year "1943".

[rustywings]

WWII era Flight Instructor's pin. Screw-back.

[rustywings]

Civilian Pilot Training Enlisted Reserve wing with WWII era CPT, WTS and USAC patch. I've heard the initials USAC referred to as "United States Aviation Cadet" and "United States Army Cadet". Does anyone have more info?

[rustywings]

CPT Enlisted Reserve wing.

 

CPT Flight Instructor's wing.

 

Comparing the two CPT wings.

[pconrad02]

Paul,

That's a terrific set War Training Service badges! Do you by chance know at which flight school he instructed?

 

Russ

 

 

Russ,

 

Unfortunately no, his son was not very forthcoming with info. I do know that he went on to be a Service pilot

 

Paul

[rustywings]

Claiborne Flight Academy instructor's grouping. Located in Wickenburg, Arizona, it started off as a contract glider pilot school in 1942 and successfully trained 700 Glider Pilots. In February 1943, it converted to an AAF Primary flight training base. Claiborne Flight Academy shut down in March, 1944, after fulfilling its government contract quota of 1,750 graduates.

 

Close up of the Claiborne School pin and Flight Instructor's wing.

[rustywings]

Morten Air Academy pin and flight instructor's wing. The Morten Academy was located in Blythe, California, and taught Army primary flight training. They shut down after fulling their government contract in August, 1944.

[rustywings]

Here's a WWII era heavily padded three inch wide gabardine Army Primary Flight Instructor's wing.

 

Back of the full size padded Flight Instructor's wing.

[rustywings]

Here's a 3 1/4 inch wide Flight Instructor's wing which I think may be a one-of-a-kind jeweler made badge from 1931. I wish I had the photography skills to illustrate this wing properly...so I'll add a little extra narrative to make up for the poor images. The feathered etching on the front of this wing is different, but nothing really special. But the back of the wing is most unique. It appears the jeweler-engraver spent more time on the back of the wing than he did the front. Tiny fancy scrolls and border etching surround the inscription "Randal E. Davis, 1931, Utica, N.Y." It looks like the pin and catch were re-applied to the wing long ago. The back is hallmarked with "C.C.P.FLANZ". Has anyone every seen this hallmark before? Your comments, pro or con, are welcome.

 

Back of the Flight Instructor's wing.

 

Close up.

 

Close up.

 

Close up.

[rustywings]

This big and nicely feathered WWII Flight Instructors wing is from the McFarland Flying Service, out of Pittsburg, Kansas. McFarland Flying Service was initially a glider school for the Army Air Force. However, in February 1943, the facility was converted into an artillery liaison pilot school. This made McFarland a unique civilian-run school because rather than train freshly recruited cadets, it trained commissioned officers from existing field artillery units to become spotter pilots. (See the printed excerpt below describing the school in a little more detail). If you have any additional info regarding this flight school or the insignia worn by the instructors, please, please jump in here...

 

Here's the back of the McFarland Flying Service wing.

 

Here's a printed excerpt describing McFarland Flying Service, from the 1945 edition of "Two Hundred Thousand Flyers" by Willard Wiener.

[rustywings]

This is a full size WWII War Training Service Flight Instructor's badge using a motified Juarez style pilot's wing as a base to apply the enamel shield. The letters "TD" in the center of the shield stands for Training Detachment...but I'm not sure what the letters "ACC" represent? Your help in further identifying this wing is most welcome. Also included in the picture is a pair CAA/WTS lapel insignia and a V-shaped CAA badge which I removed from a plain tan cotton overseas cap.

 

Close up of the CAA cap pin.

[rustywings]

This is a very thick, heavy and nicely made full-size ARMY/NAVY War Training Service Flight Instructor's wing. A near identical wing is illustrated in Jon Maguire's book "More Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens", page #333. The only difference is my wing is inscribed "WTS" between the words ARMY & NAVY...and the wing illustrated in the book is inscribed "CPT" between the words ARMY & NAVY. They both have the identical scroll attached to the top of the wing with the inscription "INSTRUCTOR". Also included in the picture are a pair of CAA collar insignia.

 

Close up.

 

Back of the wing. Hallmarked AECO - Utica, N.Y. and STERLING.

 

Image of the backs...

[pfrost]

Excellent stuff, as always.

 

P

[John Cooper]

Russ - thank you for posting so many beautiful wings and related items. This thread offers the reader a wonderful opportunity to educate themselves on a very important aspect of the war effort that that not only trained US pilots but those from many other countries from West to East. I also want to thanks the other posters that have been posting items from their collections to support this thread.

 

I hope that other collectors will come forward and share their wings or realted items to enhance this thread with photos, insignia, uniforms...

 

Thank you gentlemen!

John

[rustywings]

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

A comparison shot of both CAA cap badges.

[rustywings]

Civilian Instructor shoulder patch and Flight Instructor's wing - Boeing Flying Fortress School.

 

Front of the Boeing Pilot Instructor's wing. The wings are approximately 3 3/8 inches wide.

 

Back of the Boeing wings. Clutch-back and marked STERLING.

 

Boeing Civilian Instructor patch. It has a couple of moth nips and some of the red stitching is missing from the word "Boeing", but still in pretty good shape. Any idea what the small red star represents?

 

Back of the Boeing patch.

[rustywings]

AAF-TTC Civilian Instructor patch and enamel pin. (I believe AAF-TTC stands for Army Air Force-Technical Training Command).

 

Back of the AAF-Technical Training Command shoulder patch and badge.

[rustywings]

WWII Texas A&M College ROTC flying cadet and flight instructor badges and insignia.

[Lee Ragan]

WWII Texas A&M College ROTC flying cadet and flight instructor badges and insignia.

 

The big hat badge is post war and is the one currently used. A WWII vintage cap badge would look like the US Army officers badge except the "glory" above the eagles head would be replaced by a scroll that said "A.M.C.".

Nice looking Aggie corps collection by the way! :thumbsup: I chase that stuff too.

[vintageproductions]

Russ-Here is the small size wing to go with your two full size ones.

 

[vintageproductions]

Russ-Well since you named me earlier I guess I should add some more CPT related patches.

 

[vintageproductions]

and a close-up of the Lodewick patch being worn.

 

[John Cooper]

So many new items to see :thumbsup: I wanted to say that I really like the custom WTS wings.

 

Sweet!

 

John