RFC / CAF / RCAF King's Crown Era
 

This is my RFC, CAF, RCAF (1924-52) Collection of metal insignia. The RCN and RCAF and minor diversions from my primary interest in the senior and primary service, the Canadian Army. I focus on metal insignia, not cloth, so again the RCN and RCAF don't yield as much, and are harder to display. Blue velvet is a nice contrast to the black or red I have used on other displays.

All that said, I thought I'd share this. The RFC cap is Roden Brothers, Toronto, and the RFC button is Scully of Montreal, so both are Canadian pieces. The Maple Leafs are purported to be the Royal Canadian Naval Air Service, so I have them displayed as such. In the second row I have three beauties: the 1920 OR's and Officers' cap badges, and the Canadian Naval Air Service. The third row is 1924 - 52 RCAF. I'm missing the wedge cap "Crown and Eagle". The fourth row has the interesting Ferry / Transport Command badges and a few other odds and sods.

Hi,

Many thanks for sharing this lovely collection, well done. I just have the one CAF badge in my modest collection of Canadian badges (photo below) but love the design. If you ever get around to it I would love to see some larger images of these?

Again 'well done' a terrific group.

Cheers, Roy.

I have the same pattern general list badges in my accumulation. They were my grandfather's who wore them in the 248th. (He never had the 248th badge, but that is a whole other thread.) He went on to serve with the 4 CMRR and later was in the Grey Regiment.
The general list cap and collars may well have been for the Naval Air Service, but were likely not specifically made for them.

Very nice collection! To add to what Bill said, the General List badge was worn by the RCNAS cadets, but never the collars. All you need now is the RCNAS officer's cap badge!

Replies to the above posts.
 

Roy: I will post close-ups for you, including the backs, this week while watching sports. Mine are with the wings attached to the crown; yours the non-attached. Both are so beautifully made, but they sure are costly.

Phil and Mike: Yes, agreed about GS badges. I put them there to show the unit, much like the GS badges I have in my CEF collection for the impossible units (9th Edmonton, 247th Vic & Hal, 248th Grey, 7th Mounted Rifles, etc). Thanks for the information on the collars, Mike. You can appreciate why I put those collars with that cap, since they're a good match too it, something that's often tricky with WWI GS caps and collars. What does the officer badge for this obscure unit look like?

I was going to display these on RCAF tartan, but I'm glad I didn't, because that would be so busy it would detract from the badges.

Thanks for that, looking forward to the photos.

Yes either with wings attached or not it is a really beautiful badge. But as you say not bargain basement at all, definitely worth having though.

Cheers, Roy.

The Officer's RCNAS badge looks like this

Thanks for sharing that Mike,

A beautiful badge.

Cheers, Roy.

Photo Gallery
 

Thank you for posting that, Mike. A beauty!

Here are the close-ups of my "RCAF I" board. The wedge cap badges for the RCAF will be easy to get . . . but now I want an RCNAS Officer badge too!

Many thanks for sharing these larger images.

Well done indeed, some wonderful badges and what a terrific group, well done indeed.

Cheers, Roy.

Good luck.....I've never seen one for sale!

I can live with that.
 

I'll resign myself to never finding one, then. TBH, when I get the wedge cap badges I need and find another medical collar - all easy to do - I will be quite happy with this board, even if I don't ever get collars to my 1920-4 CAF cap badges, or find any of the earlier 1918-20 style CAF badges (without the motto banner). Cheers!

As you said, be happy the way it is, after all, it's a very nice collection!

Never say never my friend.

Over the years I have been astonished at some of the incredibly rare finds I have had in collecting (in general). Treasures I never though I would ever see outside of a book let alone have the opportunity to own. Like a 1912 Royal Navy magazine pouch for my Webley MkI self-loading pistol. Only know of one other example!

Patience is our friend and it makes life so much more excited when that elusive treasure appears after years of searching. Keep the faith and keep your eyes peeled, who knows what is around the next corner...:eek:

Cheers, Roy.