LuftStalg1 Posted September 20, 2010 #201 Posted September 20, 2010 Victory Field Wing, Tie clip, Front Here is another oldie from my collection. It has great detail and is identical to the standard wing but has a tie clip on the back. It is not a modified wing but also made and marked by “Hickok” and “USA”. Mark Victory Field Wing, Tie clip, Reverse Victory Field Wing, Tie clip, Top. Victory Field Wing, Tie clip, Bottom.
John Cooper Posted September 21, 2010 #202 Posted September 21, 2010 Interesting additions! Cheers John
rustywings Posted September 27, 2010 Author #203 Posted September 27, 2010 I bought a scrap book today full of WWII era documents and personal notes from a Civilian Flight Instructor employed at the 4th AAF Flight Training Detachment - Rankin Aero Academy. Included in the lot was a stack of reports documenting numerous crashes and mishaps with the Flying Cadets. Attached with each crash report were several photographs depicting the damage to each respective plane. I was surprised to see a majority of the accidents were caused by cadets simply applying the brakes too hard in their PT-17's. I thought some of you might be interested in a few of these reports and the corresponding photos. Russ Here's the Civilian Flight Instructor's statement, followed by photos of the damage. Photo... Damage list. Additional photo. Additional photo.
rustywings Posted September 27, 2010 Author #204 Posted September 27, 2010 Another accident report. Photo. Damage report. Another photo. Photo.
rustywings Posted September 27, 2010 Author #205 Posted September 27, 2010 Another incident. This one involves a Flight Instructor at the stick. The Chief Pilot of the school cleans him up pretty well in this report. Photo. Damage report. Additional photo. Another photo. Another...
rustywings Posted September 27, 2010 Author #206 Posted September 27, 2010 Another incident. Photo. Damage report. Another photo.
rustywings Posted September 27, 2010 Author #207 Posted September 27, 2010 Here's a statement from another Cadet who witnessed an incident. Photo. Damage report. Another photo. Another photo. Another...
CliffP Posted September 27, 2010 #208 Posted September 27, 2010 Hummmm, why that could have been one of my landings. :think:
John Cooper Posted September 27, 2010 #209 Posted September 27, 2010 Russ - another gold mine of interesting information yo have found. I love the fact it really adds to the depth of your colection and this thread! Two thumbs up sir! John
rustywings Posted September 27, 2010 Author #210 Posted September 27, 2010 Cliff, I'd sure like to hear more about your flying experiences. Did you ever hit the breaks too hard...or ground loop? John, Thank you for your kind sentiments. These crash photos really put a personal touch on the seriousness involved as both Flying Cadet and Flight Instructor. Russ
B-17Guy Posted September 30, 2010 #211 Posted September 30, 2010 Ouch! Heels on the floor! I can hear the instructor yelling now. Thought I would add these three wings to the thread. Top one is a "CC Moseley" wing. Best, John
John Cooper Posted September 30, 2010 #212 Posted September 30, 2010 Ouch! Heels on the floor! I can hear the instructor yelling now.Thought I would add these three wings to the thread. Top one is a "CC Moseley" wing. Best, John What no reverse shots
rustywings Posted September 30, 2010 Author #213 Posted September 30, 2010 Ouch! Heels on the floor! I can hear the instructor yelling now.Thought I would add these three wings to the thread. Top one is a "CC Moseley" wing. Best, John Nice hat-trick of instructor wings John! I second John Cooper's motion for a reverse image of your C.C. Moseley gilt wing. Thanks for sharing these terrific artifacts of U.S. aviation history. Russ
B-17Guy Posted September 30, 2010 #214 Posted September 30, 2010 Sorry, here is the back. Just picked up the wing. Best, John
John Cooper Posted September 30, 2010 #215 Posted September 30, 2010 Sweet so ur the guy who got it - congratz. Lots of bidders on that. John
B-17Guy Posted September 30, 2010 #216 Posted September 30, 2010 Yes, which is why I didn't originally post the back, as it makes it easy to id the wing to the auction. I figured maybe some folks on the forum maybe bid on the wing. Since a pic of the back was requested by you and Russ, I figured what the heck. It actually went for far less then I thought it would. Ebay is very soft right now. I have picked up some great wings lately. As usual, there is some great stuff there, if you know what you are looking at. Seller said he got it at the Pomona Gun Show in 1996. Russ, you seem to know a lot about these wings. Is there any way to find out which of the three schools this gentleman taught at? Wondering if it was maybe Cal-Aero, given the fact that the seller bought the wing in Pomona? Best, John
rustywings Posted October 1, 2010 Author #217 Posted October 1, 2010 Hello John (B-17 Guy), I located Flight Instructor F. L. Graf in several Polaris Flight Academy class books, including editions 44-D, 44-E, 44-F & 44G. He may very well have had a long tenure under Major C.C. Moseley since your wings are inscribed with the date 8-26-41. Polaris Flight Academy was quietly training British Flying Cadets in the high desert north of Los Angeles prior to Pearl Harbor. Who knows, maybe F.L. Graf was responsible for training British Pilots, before War Eagle Field focused on producing American Pilots. If you ever have access to some of the early RAF War Eagle Field class books, your Instructor might be listed? Another possibility is F.L. Graf was initially hired as a Contract Flight Instructor at Moseley's other school (Cal Aero Flight Academy) and he transferred to Polaris at a later date. When time permits, I'll pull out some of my old Cal Aero class books and take a look. John, your wing is a top-shelf gem! Thanks for sharing it with us. To put a face to a name, here's a few Flight Instructor group shots which include F.L. Graf. Russ A closer image... From Polaris Flight Academy - War Eagle Field - Class 44-D - Squadron Twelve. (D.L. Graf is standing, second from the right).
B-17Guy Posted October 2, 2010 #218 Posted October 2, 2010 Great stuff Russ. Thanks so much for pulling the information on Graf and bringing the wing to life. I look forward to seeing any other informaion, as you get the time to look. Best, John
LuftStalg1 Posted October 2, 2010 #219 Posted October 2, 2010 Hawthorne Field, Northrop Contract Pilot School sterling wing. Here’s a neat one Ron has for sale at Flying Tiger Antiques. I have never seen this one before and Ron always posts great pictures on his sight! Has the unusually J.A. Meyers & Co, Los Angeles hallmark. Hawthorne Field wing, back side.
LuftStalg1 Posted October 2, 2010 #220 Posted October 2, 2010 Sweeney Aviation School Here is a little lapel pin wing I have from Sweeney Aviation School. It is hallmarked “Green” and “Sterling”. Anyone every heard of this place?
rustywings Posted October 3, 2010 Author #221 Posted October 3, 2010 Thunderbird Field in Arizona trained both American and Chinese Flying Cadets. Here's two Thunderbird Field shoulder patches worn by Civilian Flight Instructors. Back of Thunderbird Field shoulder patches. American Flight Instructor with Chinese Flying Cadet. Thunderbird Field patch on Instructor's sleeve. Closer view of Thunderbird Field Instructor's shoulder patch. Image copied from Thunderbird Field class book 44-D shows an American Flight Instructor wearing a large Thunderbird patch on his flight jacket while surrounded by his four assigned Chinese Flying Cadets. Contract Flight Instructor wing and Chinese Air Force Pilot wings. The Chinese wings are hallmarked "A.H. Dondero, Inc. - Washington D.C." and I suspect were made specifically for Cadets receiving their wings from schools here in the United States. Same wings laying on another image of an American Flight Instructor and his Chinese Flying Cadets. Note the wings on the Instructor's chest.
LuftStalg1 Posted October 3, 2010 #222 Posted October 3, 2010 Contract Flight Instructor wing and Chinese Air Force Pilot wings. The Chinese wings are hallmarked "A.H. Dondero, Inc. - Washington D.C." and I suspect were made specifically for Cadets receiving their wings from schools here in the United States. Wow, I never heard of one of these US made and marked Chinese wing before! :twothumbup: Can you show the back? :nerv0003:
rustywings Posted October 3, 2010 Author #223 Posted October 3, 2010 Wow, I never heard of one of these US made and marked Chinese wing before! :twothumbup: Can you show the back? :nerv0003: During WWII, the A.H. Dondero Company made these Chinese Pilot wings in both pin-back and clutch-back. The pin-back is part of a Chinese Pilot grouping. I bought the clutch-back variation on ebay about seven or eight years ago. Here's a couple of images of both.
rustywings Posted October 3, 2010 Author #225 Posted October 3, 2010 Close up of the American hallmark.
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