 |
Recent Books by Forum Members |
 |
|
|
|
|||||||
 |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
|
|
#1
25-10-13, 08:47 PM
|
||||
|
||||
Early WW2 SAS Wing
Friends,
Via a Forum friend I obtained a nice WW2 SAS wing by a swap. This one is from the early days in Egypt, I believe, 1942 or 1943. The wing is in pretty good shape for its age. Please notice the press studs on the reverse. I had not seen that before on early SAS wings. Also, the paper material on the reverse is interesting. Apparently, the original owner did not care about stitching straight through the wing in order to fix the press studs, messing up the canopy and the outer part of the wings. Cheers, Johan Last edited by johanwiegman; 25-10-13 at 10:52 PM. |
|
#2
25-10-13, 09:45 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Looks little a very nice early SAS wing Johan.
Thanks for showing it. Paul |
|
#3
25-10-13, 10:37 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Wing size
Quote:
The size of the wing is the same as for other wings of the period. Please compare to another wing in my collection, which is slightly the worse for wear. Apparently from the same stable, but it has a different shade of dark blue in the rigging line area. Notice the typical twisted white thread used for embroidering the rigging lines and line over the wings. This is the same in both wings. You will find that same twisted white thread in many early wings. Cheers, Johan Last edited by johanwiegman; 26-10-13 at 03:02 PM. |
|
#4
26-10-13, 06:35 AM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Hi Johan,
The other wing is certainly of the same manufacture and nearly identical except for the colour behind the rigging lines. Two nice Pieces of history Johan that would be the centre piece of any collection. Don't worry about better photos as these show the detail nicely. Paul |
|
#5
26-10-13, 02:49 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Wings compared
Friends,
Please find attached a picture comparing some early WW2 wings. Notice the differences and similarities. Cheers, Johan |
|
#6
26-10-13, 03:27 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
I'd venture that the press stud are because wings were in short supply and were changed with shirts/jackets. There's also the possibility they were removed on operations so that, if captured, the enemy couldn't identify the unit as a commando outfit, thus rendering them more liable to summary execution. Sounds odd but if you remember Hitler's "commando befehl" it makes sense. There's a fair bit of information on that order here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_Order for those who've maybe not come across it before?
__________________
Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam - I have a catapult. Give me all your money, or I will fling an enormous rock at your head. |
|
#7
26-10-13, 08:57 PM
|
|||
|
|||
|
Quote:
These are great to see, thanks for showing them, they all have subtle differences and similarities. Please can you show a picture of the back of the top wing out of the four in this photo. I would like to see the type of fixing that is just visible in this photo. Jack |
|
#9
25-10-13, 10:23 PM
|
||||
|
||||
|
Press studs
Hi Jack,
Indeed pretty unusual to see press studs on these early wings. I have seen a number of improvised fixings so far, but no press studs. Press studs are more common on Malayan period wings. Can we learn something from the type of press studs used? Press studs fasteners were definitely around in WW2, e.g. in the Denison smock. Where were these wings manufactured? In the Middle East or in the UK? I am open to all informed views. Cheers, Johan Last edited by johanwiegman; 26-10-13 at 10:01 AM. |
|
| Tags |
| ww2 sas parachute wing |
|
|
 |
Hybrid Mode
