US Pilot Wings

[Uncle Bert]

These wings were also among the batch of medals I bought recently. Am I right in thinking it is circa 1941 and possibly made of sterling silver?

[KOMalta]

I believe they are Sterling Silver as for the period.....

Vincent

[arrestingu]

Yes wartime wings., Early wartime.
Regards
Steve

[Tonomachi]

Does the pin open up all of the way across 180 degrees or does it stop a little bit before halfway at around 80 degrees? The reason I ask is that for many years now someone in the US has been making copies of N.S. Meyer flight wings using original dies. Original N.S. Meyer wings have a built in stop at the pivot point only allowing about an 80 degree opening while the copies do not and open all of the way to 180 degrees. From your photograph I don't see the squared off stop at the pivot point. I've attached some photographs of original WW2 era NS Meyer flight wings with the correct pin back stop that only opens up less than halfway.Stop1.jpg

Stop2.jpg

[Uncle Bert]

Thanks for your helpful replies. The pin indeed only opens to approx. 80 degrees, which I assume is better than if it opened the full 180?

[Tonomachi]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bert

Thanks for your helpful replies. The pin indeed only opens to approx. 80 degrees, which I assume is better than if it opened the full 180?

Yes thanks for this photograph and this is what you look for on an original WW2 NS Meyer pilot wing.

[Frank Kelley]

Were these also worn by the British Army?

[PembrokeYeo]

As already stated an original N S Meyer.
Also given to British student pilots during WW2 on successfully qualifying as a service pilot in the US. Retained as a memento but not worn officially. PY.

[dumdum]

And here is the New Zealand made version.... Auckland maker still going in the late 1970s but as a shadow of itself.

The eagle's eye has GOT to have been done with a centre punch!

[Frank Kelley]

Clearly, it is die cast, so I am not sure why it would have been?

Originally Posted by dumdum

And here is the New Zealand made version.... Auckland maker still going in the late 1970s but as a shadow of itself.

The eagle's eye has GOT to have been done with a centre punch!

[Frank Kelley]

So rather unlikely to have been worn by the units that this particular forum section represents?

Originally Posted by PembrokeYeo

As already stated an original N S Meyer.
Also given to British student pilots during WW2 on successfully qualifying as a service pilot in the US. Retained as a memento but not worn officially. PY.

[dumdum]

You don't know the depths to which they sank. I'm picking that the detail from the die wasn't quite good enough so out with a pin punch...

Have only seen one other and the eagle's eye was just like this but a bit "off".

The company was called Young & Co and they made everything from bowling badges to cups to lapel pins for ex-servicemen's associations. I have a photo of their shop taken after the property was sold around 1973 or so and they even dared to call themselves "jeweller's" on their street sign.

I'm told that latterly it was run by the widow, Mrs Young, and her male "partner".