Unknown RN badge?

[sailorbear]

Hi, anyone able to identify this badge?

Regards Tony

[Alex Rice]

Funnily enough, this particular badge isn't listed in Carmen, May & Tanner. The four bladed airscew badge is a Fleet Air Arm Air Fitter badge, with the star is for a leading rate or above. The book only lists the F below the 2-bladed air-screw badge, so this is probably an early one which wasn't used for long. The 2-bladed one is listed as 'Skilled Air Mechanic, 2nd Class (fitter)'.
Cheers,
Alex

[Guzzman]

Several designs of the Four-Bladed Airscrew badge were cancelled prior to issue - including this one. I have an example of it in my own collection. I also have one which has a Star above and R below. This was also cancelled prior to issue. Quite a few examples must have been produced as they do turn up fairly often.

I seem to recall that the decision to not go ahead with these badges was taken about 1948. Prior to that then each branch had developed its own badges in its own fashion and the crowns and stars of one didn't necessarily have the same meaning for one branch as for another. In some branches the same basic badge was worn without distinction by all members of the branch. This, coupled with the growth of unofficial but tolerated, badges during the war, meant that the whole ratings badge situation was very confusing and expensive in terms of production. The decision was therefore taken to ban unofficial badges and cancel some proposed designs that were already in the pipeline. These four-bladed airscrew badges appear to have been included amongst the latter.

Pete