Glider wings

[Warman]

Hi everyone can anyone tell me exactly what I have here I’ve tried to look online but can’t find all the variations many thanks

[Luke H]

Cloth is not my thing so I’ll let others comment, but, if genuine you’ve hit the jackpot there I suspect

[Warman]

Thanks knowing my luck I haven’t tho

[Mike B]

I am looking forward to comments from the Airborne experts - I think you have some nice wings there, and potentially, one very nice half wing, although I am not sure about that one .... lets see what folks say ...

[JON188]

Hi Warman,
I think you’ve some belters there mate.
A few £££ worth.
Jon

[Warman]

Thanks hopefully they are all ok, can anyone recommend a book that shows all the variants thanks

[JerryBB]

Look good from the pic, individual pics, front & back would help

[54Bty]

Those with the Royal Artillery grenade in the centre are for Royal Artillery Air Observation Post Pilots.

Marc

[Warman]

Thanks everyone and yes I’ll post up some front and back photos when I get round to it cheers for all your help

[Luc]

The three large wings are original WW2 examples, the smaller ones are genuine but post-war in my opinion as well as the the observation post wings. Both second pilots wings are fine late war examples. All three shoulder titles are fine and wartime.

I'm not sure on the date of the small bullion wings. The half wing appears to be a butchered wartime specimen.

As a whole a very nice and collectable lot.

[Unknownsoldier]

Originally Posted by Luc

The three large wings are original WW2 examples, the smaller ones are genuine but post-war in my opinion as well as the the observation post wings. Both second pilots wings are fine late war examples. All three shoulder titles are fine and wartime.

I'm not sure on the date of the small bullion wings. The half wing appears to be a butchered wartime specimen.

As a whole a very nice and collectable lot.

Half wing looks original, as there's no sign of the other wing having been there...

[54Bty]

Originally Posted by Unknownsoldier

Half wing looks original, as there's no sign of the other wing having been there...

Who would have worn it?

Marc

[Luke H]

Originally Posted by 54Bty

Who would have worn it?

Marc

I recall this thread… https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/fo...ad.php?t=22015

Believe there was another but cannot find it.

[DougSA]

Originally Posted by Warman

Thanks hopefully they are all ok, can anyone recommend a book that shows all the variants thanks

Lovely lot - congratulations!

A nice reference book is Oliver Lock's 'British Airborne Insignia' (particularly Vol.1; there is also a Vol.2). Also, Jon Mills' 'Badges on Battledress' (again especially Vol.1).

[Farang]

The half wing version of the Army Flying badge was an unofficial award to volunteer personnel trained to fly in AOP aircraft and support the pilot in observation duties. This is pictured in the earlier thread showed an LAC RCAF in battledress with an Army flying badge with one wing removed on his left cuff. The response by SRDJUG was;

''The fellow conversing with the gal is either a rigger or fitter (RCAF) in either 664, 665 or 666 Air Observation Post Squadron, RCAF, who has also been trained in "Squadron Lines" as an AOP observer.
"Half" AOP wings were created by the AOP observers and sanctioned by the C.O. of each Canadian AOP squadron (in every case, a Major from the RCA, who was also senior pilot for the squadron).
The "army formation" badge above the LAC prop is AGRA (Artillery). RCAF HQ in London had to sanction RCAF groundcrew serving in AOP squadrons to wear Battledress; many of the fellows also wore berets.
In my book, "Artillery Flyers At War" (page 398), I published a photo of LAC Ernie Little of 664 AOP Squadron, RCAF, wearing a beret with his RCAF Cap badge, leaning on an Auster V aircraft. Also refer to page 410, same publication, of photo of LAC Hal Ulmer, of 665 AOP Squadron, RCAF, wearing near-identical insignia to the fellow in this photo.''

Ken Joyce in his excellent book on the history of Canadian Airborne Qualification badges 'Jump Wings' shows on page 41 a picture of another LAC wearing a half wing on his left cuff. This picture was taken on his return to Canada at the end of the war.

So the half wing illustrated with this group of Army Flying badges is likely a scarce and unofficial AOP Observers badge.

Andy