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Recent Posts
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By KingCornChip · Posted
The website looks like it was made in 2005 and there's no source, but here is the information. This page has information that will help you identify Jump Wing Ovals. Ovals are actually referred to as "Background trimmings" in the army. The first background trimmings were made of a small red felt oval stiched to the center of a slightly larger piece of light blue felt. The wing, which was designed by William P. Yarborough, was issued with a background trimming "to set the badge off" as it was much smaller than that of their air force counterparts. Yarborough's wife did much of the sewing and cutting to get the trimmings ready for the first "wing" ceremony. As the wives were not in any position to mass produce the background trimmings, Yarborough recommended that the AH Dondero Company be approached manufacture these background trimmings. The first trimmings were, like the orignal backgrounds, made with a red center and a light blue border. The 2nd generation of ovals was made with an embroidered border rather than as a two piece felt construction. This allowed for symmetry and made the manufacturing process much faster. As men from other branches became parachute qualified, the need of an oval with other border colors was determined to exist. Artillerymen and Engineers wanted to wear the red color of their respective branches. Thus, the proliferation of ovals began. The 502nd battalion chose a background oval that had a light blue center and a medium blue border. The 503rd Battalion went with a medium blue center with a light blue border. These colors were to remain with the regiments as the Battalions were expanded. Anyway, The first ovals were manufactured on felt. Later ovals were produced on ribbed cotton twill and on plain cotton material. Almost all ovals from WWII were much smaller than their modern cousins. Some of these early ovals are barely large enough to be seen outside the border of the wing itself. Most wings were backed with gauze to keep the embroidery from puckering the material. Usually the gauze is white, but there are a few examples of the embroidery being black. There are a few of the earlier ovals on felt, that are much larger than their counterparts. They are about as large as the later pieces, but always have a mild slope to the tops and bottoms. WWII ovals almost always have a shape like a football or like a rugby ball. They are not shaped like the more modern ovals that look like a racetrack with parallel edges at the top and bottom of the oval. Here is a quick rundown of the color combinations: 501st- red with light blue border. 502nd- three distinctively different ovals- light blue with dark blue border, dark blue with medium blue border, and tan with a dark blue border. 503- red with light blue border- though the blue faded quickly and looks grey- this is how the colors were officially changed to red and silver. 504- WWII examples are fully embroidered medium blue with a golden yellow border. Also a blue felt with gilt tinsel bullion border. 505- medium blue with a red border. 506- fully embroidered w/ three secitoned center red, white, blue with a thin white border. 507- black with an orange border. 508- black with a white border. 509- Dark blue with a light blue border. 511- Light blue with an narrow white inner border and a green outerborder. 513- red with a black border. 515- grey with a golden yellow border. 517- blue with a grey border- includes a fully embroidered example. 541- black with a gold border. 542- blue with a white or grey border. 550- blue with a white or grey border. 555- dark blue with a red inner border and a white outer border- as worn by the Airborne Command. 88th GIR- red with a gold border. 325- blue with a white or grey border. 326- dark blue with dark blue border. 327- black with gold border. 401st- Light blue with light blue border. 307th Engineers- red w/ white border. Most of the artilleries are red on red, but the 467th Arty is black and yellow checkerboard w/ red border- fully embroidered. 464th FA - red with yellow border. -
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By TeamScience · Posted
Here's an M43 e-tool I recently acquired. I hadn't noticed until after I made the purchase, but there is a "REJECT" stamp on the handle. I believe the reason for the rejection are two cracks in the pivot piece. There appears to be OD paint inside the cracks, which leads me to suspect that they were noticed after the e-tool was manufactured, but were not caused by use. I thought it was kind of interesting! Additional information always appreciated. -
By mvmhm · Posted
Here you go....she said she got them together but who knows. Mark sends -
By mvmhm · Posted
You were right to pass on these....they look more like post-service, veteran humped up jackets. Mark sends -
By Jacob morrison814 · Posted
I did not pick any of these up but apparently the DBDU was a guy in desert storm and the woodland was a guy in another conflict I talked to the guy running the sale and said the whole family was military so that was pretty cool, I’m glad to see some amazing bdus I kinda regret not getting the desert storm one it looked pretty cool that staff sergeant must have worked hard -
By mysteriousoozlefinch · Posted
More of my eclectic acquisitions from the last jag of antique stores with the wife and a few deliberate online purchases. I keep claiming to people I'm not an Air Force collector, and then.... Top to Bottom, left to right: Desert subdued 1st Cavalry Division right-shoulder style, Desert subdued 9th Fighter Squadron, strange novelty patch of some sort, two different 87th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron patches, AWACS Joint Task Force, F-117 novelty patch, 176th Regimental Combat Team, AWACS Hughes pin, Private OD chevron, Corporal, Staff Sergeant, 6th Space Warning Squadron, Republic of Korea Army East Coast Guard Command, both types of Goldenlite Sergeant chevrons, Specialist 6 and Specialist 5 subdued twill, 647th AC&W/Radar Squadron. -
By GWS · Posted
Very nice and interesting scabbard made by an early and very well known saddler-R.T. Fraizer. As previously stated, it's not military, but probably made for someone who had the bayonet without a scabbard. R.T. Fraizer made everything a cowboy needed that was made made of leather, from the plain working saddle, chaps, gun belt and holster to very ornately carved and adorned outfits. His work is highly collectible and sought after today. Nice find indeed! The prison guard lead would be worth investigation. Steve
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