WW2 AAF Sterling Command Pilot Wings by Josten Sterling Silver

[Victory Museum]

Hi,

Please, I need some opinions on:

WW2 AAF Sterling Command Pilot Wings by Josten Sterling Silver











Thanks!

[danhashman]

Those wings are fixed unto the uniform thru two pins.
As to my knowledge, pins did not exist in ww2, so i would guess that those wings are modern replicas..

[Rakkasan187]

Ricardo,

I don't see anything wrong with these wings. They appear to be WW2 vintage..

There has been much controversy over the years regarding "pin back" vs. "clutch back" wings during WW2. I will quote to you some information from the book "Aviation Badges and Insignia of the United States Army 1913-1946 by J. Duncan Campbell".

"Contrary to the opinions of some collectors, clutch fasteners were indeed placed on wing badges as early as 1940, possibly a little earlier, and these are contemporary with pin backs. Many sterling silver wings with clutch backs were worn throughout World War II. There are, in fact, silver wing badges of World War I with two small :nut and bolt" fasteners on the reverse near the wingtips." pg 79.

Here is also some additional information. This information was obtained from another forum that I am a long time member of and the information was gathered by many respected members of that forum and who are very respected wing collectors...

“It is also easy to see how a significant amount of conflicting, and inaccurate, information could have circulated after fifty years or so. One piece of information which is purported by some, yet totally untrue, is that World War II wing badges are all ‘pin back’ and ‘clutch back’ wings are postwar.” Jon A Maguire, Silver Wings Pinks & Greens: Uniforms, Wings & Insignia of USAAF Airmen in World War II.

“Army Regulation 600-25, 31 December 1926, authorized the first clutch fastener. This new special clutch fastener was first advertised by N.S. Meyer in the Army and Navy Register dated 27 November, 1926, page 517.” Ron Willis and Thomas Carmichael, United States Navy Wings of Gold: From 1917 to the Present.


I hope this information helps and that it also can put a long standing myth about pin back vs clutch back to bed...

Smitty

[Victory Museum]

Hi Smitty!

Thanks a lot!

[Victory Museum]

Brazilian General Officers with Command Pilot Wings:







...and with RAF Wings:

[Walkwolf]

The problem I see with the above Command Pilot wings
are the 'heads' on the pins. Authentic WWII era wings
do not have them.........