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.

Interesting additions!

 

Cheers

John

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.

Another accident report.

 

Photo.

 

Damage report.

 

Another photo.

 

Photo.

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...

Another incident.

 

Photo.

 

Damage report.

 

Another photo.

Here's a statement from another Cadet who witnessed an incident.

 

Photo.

 

Damage report.

 

Another photo.

 

Another photo.

 

Another...

Hummmm, why that could have been one of my landings. :think:

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

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

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

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

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

Sorry, here is the back.

 

Just picked up the wing.

 

Best, John

Sweet so ur the guy who got it - congratz. Lots of bidders on that.

 

John

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

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).

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

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.

 

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?

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.

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:

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.

And the backs.

Close up of the American hallmark.