Unusual metal "RFC" rank badges
 

A friend in Canada has recently sent me the attached photos of some metal "RFC" rank badges. At first they do appear to be such but, on closer examination, the Flight Sergeant version is not right. It has a different pattern centre star. As I have never seen any reference of photos of metal versions I am stumped. Does anyone know what they are??
Dave

Here is a photo of 1621 Flight/Sgt Frank William MORGAN wearing said stripes , prop badge and colour patch.

Nice , thing never seen ,probably field made !!
WW1 cheers steve

Here is a better detail pic. They don't look like theatre made items, as they wouldn't have had a pattern to follow or cast.
Dave

To me the hub design on the left looks remarkably similar to the RAAF metal leading aircraftsman rank badge. Is it possible these are Australian Flying Corps badges? (I had the two subject pieces in hand at one point, they are very interesting to say the least!)

I would agree and would be interested in looking at the lugs on these items. I cannot find reference to metal 4-bladed propellers in Contracts Accepted but I note that the 4-bladed propeller, and ditto with star, was worn until at least 1929 by the RAAF.

These were woven on drab drill, or blue, and in 1921 at least the star was in yellow.

These may well have been a trial set by Stokes and Sons, or Bridgland and King, from soon after the Great War. RAAF did have quite a few metal badges made, but most were in drab or blue.

Keith

at first glance i thought australian. as Keith asks, the lugs may hold a clue.
if it was stokes made i would expect a makers name as they named nearly everything
bc

Here are the rear views of the badges. Neither of them is maker marked.
Dave

Very interesting Dave,

Those lugs are very similar to that used by a manufacturer by the name of Henry Arendsen and Sons, who was a metal manufacturer of Malvern, Victoria.

He does not appear to have started supplying Department of Defence until not long before the start of the Second World War which puts him out of the time period somewhat.

I will look in the Gazette and see if it tells me when he was registered.

Cheers, Keith