Royal Flying Corps Officers Gilt Badge
 

Hi all, here is a badge I've had for awhile. It looks like it was a OSD badge that has been gilted for dress wear. As I'm somewhat like a crow in that I like shiny stuff I've held on to it. Has anyone else seen such an example?

Greg

Well, looks like these pics a tadd too big. I keep everyone in anticipation as I reload them slightly smaller.

Ahhhh, that better.

Greg,
these are for real & are probably the rarest of the RFC badges . Gilt collars exist also. Some that I've seen were made by J&Co.
Not sure which uniform they were intended for origionaly. Probably a dress(or Mess?) uniform, but pics of RFC Officers sometimes show them with shiney (not dark bronzed anyway) badges.
There is a nice group pic of Officers from 56 Sqdn. (April 1917) showing Albert Ball wearing a 'Maternity' style jacket with what looks to be shiney RFC collars, possibly these?
Just missed out on getting one of these(Cap) fairly recently.
The purchaser now has 2 of them ! :mad: **** !!!

Cheers !
Steve

Hi Chaps
I have had this badge for a while now,could this be one where the Gilting as worn off over the years or a made up badge.

Cheers
Malc

Hi Malc, can I assume that, like most other military badges, the use of tangs was generally for officer material?

Greg

Hi Malc,

Are there any signs of gilt whatsoever that aren't particularly clear in the scan? Usually there's always some of the original plating remaining in the deeper creavases and indents etc. where its literally impossible to get rubbed off (there doesn't appear to be much surface wear at all as the detail is very crisp indeed), so if you can't see any signs of guilding at all I'd say it was probably never there to start with. However those blades do look nice and old and comtempoary with the badge... hard call to make.

all the best :),

Luke

Luke
No signs of gilt any where on the badge.

Cheers
Malc

Greg
The use of blades is generally for Officers badges, but i have seen other brass,white metal and blackened brass badges with blades that do not appear to be Officers.

Cheers
Malc

The gilded badge was intended for Full Dress and Mess Dress. Both were seldom worn but did exist. The full dress was similar to the AOC tunic (Navy with red facings) but with RA type trousers (a wider red stripe down the outseam). The cap on which the gilded badge was worn was the normal 'Royal' style with a wide red outer band and a navy blue top. Mess kit was also like that of the AOC except for the waistcoat which had no lapels.

RFC badge genuine or not
 

hi all
picked up a few british badges last week and have no idea if good or not. some i have already put up for opinion, here is another.
what are your thoughts?
BC

Hi BC, I'm not qualified to determine if your badge is real or fake. What I say is that it is not an officers issue. sorry I can't be of more help.

Cheers,

Greg