RAF Parachute Wings 1970's-80's cloth?

[Phill Lockett]

Hi Team

I beleive these are RAF Parachute Wings?

Can you confirm these are from the 70's-80's period.

Unikethe wings I have posted in the RN/RM catagory these do not have adhesive backing hence I beleive these are older.

Can you advise on the uniform these would of been won on.

cheers

Phill

[Colin S]

I’d agree that these are 1970s/80s for wear on camouflage uniforms (parachute smocks etc) and on the RAF service dress (RAF blue suit - I don’t know its formal name).

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks again Colin

Great info.

cheers

Phill

[blueboy684]

The Parade Uniform (shiny buttons) is No1 Dress, and is commonly referred to as 'Best Blue'.

These wings would also have been worn on the No2 Dress (Working Blue) comprising of battledress jacket/blouse pre-1972, 'thunderbird' (zipper) jacket post 1972 and then the HD Jersey ('woolly pully') from when the zipper jacket was withdrawn.

The only badge to appear on the Wedgewood blue shirt is the Chaplain's Branch brooch.

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Blueboy

Much appreciated for the additional info

Could this style of wing(and the backing tight weave) have been worn as early as the 60's?

Also can you check in Royal Navy Royal Marines there is a red on stone wing which could be RAF to ID.

cheers

Phill

[blueboy684]

The particular badge you show in the photo with the navy felt backing was introduced in 1972 - the one worn in the 1960's would be on a blue/grey backing (the same colour as the uniform).

In my collection I have a tropical version of the pale blue wings and white 'chute on khaki twill which I understand to be the RAF tropical version despite other RAF tropical trade/rank/eagle badges being in red thread on khaki twill (Mountain Rescue, ASR, Marksman, LAC, SAC, Jnr Tech, Chf Tech propeller, Fist/Sparks). The all red wings 'chute combo has always been a cause for confusion to me - logic based on the colours says yes, it is RAF but I can't shake the RM/RN connection.

Is there some knowledgeable person out there with the definitive answer?

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks Blue

I'm glad we can put a date to the wing when it was issued.

My feeling on the red chute and wing is that it would of been used on a specific tropical shirt , if the RAF/RN/RM had a perscribed khaki uniform(shirt) in use in the late 1990's-2000's period ,maybe the Royal Marines could of been issued the wing?

I really appreciate you nailing the date of use for the RAF wing.

cheers

Phill

[bess55]

Chaps, my examples:-

The dark blue, earlier example on the blue/grey and the tropical one.

[blueboy684]

Hi,
The badge on the stone-coloured nylon backing is the post-72 version, I have attached the pre-72 version on khaki twill.

[Colin S]

Originally Posted by blueboy684

Hi,
The badge on the stone-coloured nylon backing is the post-72 version, I have attached the pre-72 version on khaki twill.

I have always associated this version with the Royal Marines (especially with the Admiralty ‘Vocab’ numbers on it)

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks for adding more wings to the discussion guys.

The earlier Blue Grey would that have been 50's-72?

And the WWII era wing worn into the 1950's?

Wonder if anyone has a WWII era RAF wing to show?

I like the pre and post 1972 tropical wings , I will be sure to look out for those to add to my fledgling and education on Parchute Wings.

With having the pre tropical stone wing having that shape and extended drill , was that a deliberate atempt to ID as a RAF Tropical Wing (or RM wing) as opposed to an Army Wing?

chers

Phill

[Colin S]

The reason I associate the ‘pre 1972’ wings with the RM is that there are definitely RM wings issued in the 1990s in the same colours & configuration (excess material around the badge but with the same shape as the wings). Whether or not they were also issued to the RAF I don’t know but I know the smaller stone backed ‘post 1972’ wings featured above by Bess55 definitely were used by the RAF in the 1980s and 1990s.

Both the RM and the RAF used stone shirts extensively in hot climates, so could well have used the same wings, with the Army using OG or DPM clothing having no need for a stone backed version.

There were no official RAF para wings in WWII so those few RAF personnel earning wings would have used whatever they got issued or could buy as private purchase. Those serving in the Far East would have been able to obtain the black backed wings used there.

WWII RAF PJIs wore a different design - a parachute in a wreath.

[bess55]

Purely for interests sake, I also have the 'light bulb' from the same camp as the tropical wings.

[Phill Lockett]

Thanks for the clarification Colin

I have a better understanding of the preand post 1972 wings.

The only issue now is , were the below red on khaki drill(Stone)(note the reverse is covered in adhesive type substance) used in mid to late 90's with Stone shirts in temperate climates.

Just for my clarification is "stone" the term used for khaki coloured shirts and insignia embroidered on khaki drill?

And did the term "stone" come about?

Cheers for showing the light bulb "stone" Bess

Phill

[Colin S]

As I indicated earlier, in my personal experience from the early 1980s onwards, I have not seen the red coloured wings in use by any unit, RM, RAF or Army. The RAF used the white parachute with blue wings on stone rectangle shown by Bess55 and the RM used a white parachute with blue wings on the bigger stone outline.

The only service to use red wings was the Royal Navy - red wings on a navy blue background used on the everyday use blue uniform, which was discontinued in the 1990s. (Gold bullion wings being worn on RN dress uniforms.)

I think your red wings are a copy of a badge used sometime after WWII but before the 1980s by the RAF in tropical working dress, but I’m happy to be corrected if anyone knows otherwise.

‘Stone’ is the British term for clothing in the shade used for the background for the ‘post 1972’ wings shown by Bess55.