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Old 10-06-21, 10:09 AM
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Padre Padre is offline
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I wanted to revisit this thread which already has some of the primary material I'm alluding to, referenced. I have finally, after 12 plus years of searching, found a RAF ferry command Sterling wing with perfect enamel additionally.
Was it you who picked up the wing off ebay yesterday?

It is strange that Murphy does not really come up on an internet search, not even in relation to being taken over by another company.

RAF Ferry Command started life under the Canadian Pacific Railway Air Services Department, before being taken over by the Ministry of Aircraft Production. In June 1941 because of the need for American aircraft to be handed over to a military organisation, RAF Ferry Command was born. The crews were initially all civilians from a wide variety of backgrounds, and they wore bullion cap badges and cloth wings, similar to RAF and RCAF but with no crown and with the letters 'FC' in the centre.

As they moved on to the metal badges several companies were involved. Wings were certainly produced by 'Murphy' of Montreal, although I am certain I have seen wings also produced by 'Scully'; cap badges were produced by Scully (in chrome and silver) buttons by Murphy and Scully in white metal and chromed metal, while lapel badges for wear on civilian clothes seem mostly to be made by Birks.

In the case of Murphy wings, to begin with they don't carry a 'hallmark' as such. They have the makers name 'Murphy', and the term 'Sterling' (a mark of silver purity). I'm not sure what the mark next to the 'G' of Sterling is, but its seemingly not recognised as a silver hallmark, possibly because the wings are not pure silver.

Wings were produced both with broach pin fittings and screw posts, on both the pilots wing and the aircrew wing. You will see on mine that the 'Murphy' and 'Sterling' are stamped separately, being 'Sterling Murphy' on one and 'Murphy Sterling' on the other.
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