Canadian Airborne Wings

[tedwardland]

Hello not really my area, could you please comment on: When issued & to which force, (due to the blue backing, thinking Air Force) and if there orginal! Thank you in advance!

[Bill A]

To start the responses, the wings are Canadian army qualified parachutist. The blue tinge is likely due to the dye batch fading / changing when cleaned. I have seen that happen to some of these Canadian para wings before.
These qualification wings were issued starting in WW2 and continued through unification circa 1968. With the black cotton backing, the wings likely date from the early 60's or earlier. The last issues of the wing had a nylon type backing material.

[Recce]

Originally Posted by Bill A

To start the responses, the wings are Canadian army qualified parachutist. The blue tinge is likely due to the dye batch fading / changing when cleaned. I have seen that happen to some of these Canadian para wings before.
These qualification wings were issued starting in WW2 and continued through unification circa 1968. With the black cotton backing, the wings likely date from the early 60's or earlier. The last issues of the wing had a nylon type backing material.

I put a picture of my Wings Back as described By MR BILL With the black cotton backing,

[Bill A]

Hi Recce, the backing on the wings that you have imaged appear to be the nylon 1960's pattern. If you can pull a strand from the backing material, light it with a match. If it melts it is nylon, if it burns it is likely cotton.

[Luc]

What would be the period of issue of these wings?

[Bill A]

Hello Luc, The backing on your examples are both the thin black cotton? It is difficult to see the backing on the top example.

[Luc]

Yes Bill, black cotton on both examples.

[Bill A]

Luc, From Ken Joyce's Into the Maelstrom the patterns you have appear to be a pattern issued in the 1950's. Note the segments on the wings. In your examples the second and third rows from the bottom have horizontal segments that do not align with the segments on the fourth and fifth rows. In the wartime issued wings, the segments stagger roughly evenly from bottom to top, or there are not any segments in the feather.

[Luc]

Wow, it took a few minutes to get that answer processed and past the language barrier but I got it now, thanks.

[Recce]

Originally Posted by Bill A

Hi Recce, the backing on the wings that you have imaged appear to be the nylon 1960's pattern. If you can pull a strand from the backing material, light it with a match. If it melts it is nylon, if it burns it is likely cotton.

You want me to burn OK Mr bill well I can see by his wings thats a cotton backing, looks nothing like Mine. But Nylon and cotton have a different texture and feel to it. But will check. I know mine are from the 60s.

But I also have these ones and have been sawn to this Khaki Combat material and tried to figure, on what this would go on.

When I get home tonight I`ll remove the wing and check I wanted to do this for a long Time See the picture of my other one the bordering is not like my 60s wing? I hope it`s not fake