WWII RNZAF Wing and eagle

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Team

Here are several more Items from a WWII Kiwi Returned Serviceman.

The wings have a pinkish colour on the cover design and the reverse bobbin thread. Thinking this could be more of a laundry issue than a olour variation.

The Eagle came with this group and is very detailed and heavilly embroidered.

Would this be a typical eagle or was it trimmed down from a larger piece?

Any help would be appreciated.

cheers

Phill

[nbroadarrowz]

Hi Phil,
Your pilots badge looks like it was made by Robert of Palmerston North or maybe 'the Kaiapoi'. Part of the name is still visible, but you will have to compare it to the name on other items.

The eagle badge has been cut down from a standard ordinary airman's/women's shoulder badge. refer page 351 of the Air Force book.
Barry

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Barry

Do you think the wing has been discoloured, im guessing it should be white.

And will have to get me the AF book.

cheers

Phill

[Home Guard]

Phil, Been a while since I collected wings, but a buff color was the norm I always saw/had. I think it was made that way.

Terry

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Terry

Thats interesting , the only known coloured wings ,crown, NZ that I have seen tend to be white with diffferant coloured wreath/ferns surrounding NZ.

Why would they have a "buff" coloured wing?Also the reverse bobbin thread is an "Olive drab" colour-note the terms Buff and Olive drab are US unsure what the British or commonwealth colouring terms are called.

cheers

Phill

[Home Guard]

Hi Phil,

I wish I had taken pictures of my wing collection before I traded it off, but I do have this picture of some of my WW1 wings, and they are all buff, except one, and I always thought the white one was a fake.



I had at the time, late 80's early 90's about 100+ wings.

Anyway, I would not be concerned about buff colored feathers personally, but it's been a long time since I really looked at them.

And yes, the sans-serif title is a movie piece, from one of the 20's/30's made movies. It might have been the one with Gary Cooper. I have a still form it somewhere that I kept for proof. It was a very well made title though.

Terry.

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Terry

I beleive there has to be a reason for the colour change whether authorized or manufacturer issue with thread colour interpretation etc..

They would of been made to a "specification", yes you can have variations this seems to be an odd colour, who knows they could of just run out of the correct colour thread for a batch?

cheers mate

Phill

[nbroadarrowz]

I would not get to hung up about a minor variation of the colour. There was a war on you know!
Plus, there are different manufacturers, different time period of manufacturer, different materials used and different wear etc.
I have NZ flying badges with wings that are a buff colour and some that are white.
Your badge was made by "The Kaiapoi" which is most likely a department of The Kaiapoi Woollen Mills. As yet the time frame for this marking is unknown.

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Barry

That is the missing link to this wing.Wartime manufacturing conditions.

Manufacturing shortages was a common occurance during the war, including olive drab thread.

The US used OD coloured thread/dye colour for clothing or gear( new uniforms 1943 onwards) and patch manufacturers had to replace OD bobbin thread with white thread or any other colour, the exception was the border on authorized SSI.

That is why I was also surprised to also see OD thread on the reverse.

cheers

Phill