Royal Navy Royal Marine Para wing cloth modern

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Team

Can you advise are these Parachute wings still issued today?

Both look fairly modern (last 20 years?) and have a glue adhesive coating and covering the backs.

If these are authorized can youadvise when and the uniform they are used on.

cheers

Phill

[Colin S]

The blue and white wings are modern Royal Navy tropical dress and date from the late 1990s onwards.

The red on stone wings I believe to be similar to those used on RAF hot weather working dress in the Middle East and Far East in the 1950s/60s. I can’t think of any unit or Service that has worn a similar wings since the 1980s.

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Colin

Do you think the red stone wings are reproduction since they are made the same as the navy wings and definitely not 50's-60's costruction.

cheers

Phill

[Colin S]

I don’t know but the thicker rigging lines and wider base to the parachute are characteristics of wings made in the late 1990s onwards. Manufacturers may continue to make and supply badges which are still in Service catalogues but no longer worn in fact (the ‘lightbulb’ parachute qualification is an example). Some of any excess production may then find its way into the collectors market?

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Colin

Both wings are also completely covered with adhesive film, unsure what manufacturing term you would use.

The Americans started using this in mid 80's-2005, the Idea was to iron the shoulder sleeve insignia to the sleeve, below the seam, then you would try to centre the patch and depress so that it would adhere to the uniform, then you would sew it on(Tailors).

I hope some one could advise if this was still in service in the laste 90's.

cheers

Phill

[James K]

Originally Posted by Colin S

The blue and white wings are modern Royal Navy tropical dress and date from the late 1990s onwards.

The red on stone wings I believe to be similar to those used on RAF hot weather working dress in the Middle East and Far East in the 1950s/60s. I can’t think of any unit or Service that has worn a similar wings since the 1980s.

They are also worn on PCS working dress (or were until recently)

[crest-insignia]

Originally Posted by James K

They are also worn on PCS working dress (or were until recently)

As can be seen in that photo, current issue Royal Navy wing has a merrowed edge.
T

[James K]

Originally Posted by crest-insignia

As can be seen in that photo, current issue Royal Navy wing has a merrowed edge.
T

I hadn't noticed. Odd that current dress regs indicate that they shouldn't be worn on the PCS, defies logic.

[Jim Maclean]

It's an old photo.

[James K]

Originally Posted by Jim Maclean

It's an old photo.

Not a very old one, how long has PCS been on issue? six or seven years or so?

[Jim Maclean]

Originally Posted by James K

Not a very old one, how long has PCS been on issue? six or seven years or so?

Old enough that he is correctly dressed.

It was published on the Portsmouth News website on 19/1/2019. He is Petty Officer (D) Darren Carvell MBE.