WW2 U.S. Airborne Wings

**paulscoot** · 10-05-2020, 09:19 PM

Hi folks, I bought a few U.S. Airborne badges way back pre forum days and have always wanted some other opinions regards originality, The other sunday i had the frame down & took the badges out to try & take some decent pictures. Anyway 1st up is a pair of what i assume are war time made U.S. paratrooper qualification wings. Unfortunately unmaker marked except for a pressed in Sterling mark (silver) as opposed to a raised marking. Anyway hopefully those versed in allied insignia will give me there opinion good or bad. Thanks for looking , Regards , Paul

**Rick W** · 10-08-2020, 05:17 AM

Hi Paul,
A nice basic training qualification WW2 era jump wings.
They could be WW2 or post war , but it doesn't really matter , you can't tell and besides they are on the lowest value rung of the WW2 US Para Wings ladder.
But it's still original .
Cheers Rick

**paulscoot** · 10-08-2020, 07:50 AM

Cheers Rick

**Watchdog** · 10-08-2020, 09:56 AM

by Rick W

Hi Paul,
A nice basic training qualification WW2 era jump wings.
They could be WW2 or post war , but it doesn't really matter , you can't tell and besides they are on the lowest value rung of the WW2 US Para Wings ladder.
But it's still original .
Cheers Rick

Yep, nowt wrong with that one. It's just a difference in marking style by different makers I believe.

Here are two of mine, one with the mark in relief as part of the casting, the other stamped after casting.

Most believe that the clutch back fastener is post war but I am pretty sure that whilst the pin back was discontinued the clutch back was actually introduced in wartime.

Regards

Mark

PS The middle picture is an error and is obviously a duplicate of the 2nd wing but for some reason I can't delete it. When i go to "edit post" the pictures are not there at all

**paulscoot** · 10-08-2020, 10:35 PM

Very nice Mark, Thanks for showing yours .Absolutely agree about the use of clutch backs wartime. Usually flatfaced silver or brass with their patent no's on the face. Regards, Paul

**Watchdog** · 10-09-2020, 03:44 PM

by paulscoot

Very nice Mark, Thanks for showing yours .Absolutely agree about the use of clutch backs wartime. Usually flatfaced silver or brass with their patent no's on the face. Regards, Paul

These are not flat faced but do have the patent numbers which I believe that to those in the know (these are a general adjunct to my collection) give more date related information themselves.

This wing came to me on this 508th PIR oval which has a cut rather than merrowed edge so should be one of the earlier type but I am sure I read somewhere that watime ovals were shaped more like a (US) football than a geometric oval. Any ideas or is there a thread here somewhere?

Regards

Mark

**paulscoot** · 10-10-2020, 07:40 AM

Hi mark, I don't Know much about these Ovals & only own one that is a fake, But i believe the cheese cloth type backing is a good sign of an early one. Regarding clutch backs ,here's a great web site that is quite informative that Azphil pointed me to. Dating Metallic Insignia: Clutch Fasteners

**Rick W** · 10-10-2020, 08:00 AM

I always grab any 50's metal para ovals that I find , not that there is that many around these days.
Cheers Rick

Attachment 1448691

**Watchdog** · 10-10-2020, 10:16 AM

by Rick W

I always grab any 50's metal para ovals that I find , not that there is that many around these days.
Cheers Rick

That is interesting. I had not heard of the metal ones at all. Stamped aluminium I guess, like a piece of coke can?
I wonder if the positioning of the holes would be a useful authentication feature in the case of poorly executed fakes?

@ Paul thanks for the link. From that mine appears to have 1948 dated clutches. I only have two ovals myself, this one and a modern 506th which is clearly of modern manufacture having a merrowed edge and the reverse surface sealed with a silicone like coating. However I think it may actually be what would be termed repro as it does not have the current 1st or 2nd Battalion stripes at the left and right.

I did look out for a copy of the first volume of "Silver Wings Pinks and Greenss" but the prices are prohibitive as I do not concentrate on these badges although I do have about 20 US "wing" qualification badges. The 2nd volume seems readily available but I don't think it would suit my purpose.

Thinking about all these badges and the ovals I think we might have a basis for a thread to discuss all the US badges generically known as "wings". Maybe there is one already and I just haven't picked it up? If it was to have a suitable title it could include such things as the CIB but I think I did see a thread for that.

Anyone have thoughts on the subject?

Regards

Mark