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  #1  
Old 02-02-12, 08:24 PM
actionoke actionoke is offline
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Default NAV WING NEEDS EXPLAINING??

Got this the other day and its a mystery to me .Its obviously a removable Nav wing original but no Kings crown?It looks and feels wartime...field made.. but no Kings crown?Any ideas ?Would that even be allowed ?
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  #2  
Old 02-02-12, 11:12 PM
SAS1 SAS1 is offline
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Ive never seen one like this before, but during WW2 the SAAF generally used RAF style wings with a letter in the middle, brown wreath and no crown. They are distinct in style though. I have an 'N' wing, so its possible the shield with crown gave way to the N wing during the war, with the owner of this one happy to keep the style, but reluctant to substutute the shield!
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  #3  
Old 03-02-12, 05:45 PM
Brian Conyngham's Avatar
Brian Conyngham Brian Conyngham is offline
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I would go out on a limb and say the crown has been carefully unpicked, an old wing but possibly worn through into the Republic era?

From this picture the area where the crown was, appears to be darker than the rest of the background.

Brian
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  #4  
Old 03-02-12, 09:32 PM
actionoke actionoke is offline
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no ...not enough space and stitching has not been disturbed ..see back of badge picture as well as perspex has not been cut
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  #5  
Old 06-02-12, 01:23 PM
badgeman badgeman is offline
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Hi
Hope this helps?
Heres my half wing, like yours the crown has been removed, this was done when SA became a republic, mine was given to me by the owner he was a tail gunner during WW2, and stayed in untill the 60's
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  #6  
Old 06-02-12, 06:29 PM
SAS1 SAS1 is offline
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Why would. A gunner have a nav wing?
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  #7  
Old 06-02-12, 09:27 PM
badgeman badgeman is offline
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Don't no mate, and I can't ask him because he died 2 years ago!, maybe someone on here may know?, ............thinking about it I do have some pictures of him wearing the AG wing, and as he stayed it after the war maybe when SA became a republic, the SAAF may have had surplas Nav wings and everyone (apart from pilot) may have got one untill they got their own design??.....thats only a guess!!!
BM
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  #8  
Old 27-01-15, 08:53 AM
milhistry milhistry is offline
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Originally SAAF only had two wings, one for pilot and one for observer (same style as pilot but only half a wing). Later in WW2 as more trades were required RAF half wings were adopted for the new trades (e.g. AG). Navigators however continued to wear the old observer wing in the SAAF. It could be that your chap qualified early on in the war before before the AG brevet was adopted.
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  #9  
Old 27-01-15, 08:55 AM
milhistry milhistry is offline
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After the war the SAAF adopted modified half-wings with red letters for the English and Afrikaans abbreviations for trades such as FE/BT, AG/LK, AP/LF. Then in the 1960s they changed to gold letters on a blue background.
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  #10  
Old 27-01-15, 02:44 PM
Alex Rice Alex Rice is offline
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I tend to agree with Brian that the crown was carefully picked off.

I also thought the WWII crown over coat of arms was for all aircrew to start.

Cheers, Alex
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