Are these WW2 para wings?

[akiko]

Can someone tell me whether this style of para wing was worn in WW2 or were they post-war? Thanking you.

[3battalion]

Hi Akiko,

I believe your wing is very similar to the first type of post war Rhodesian parachute wings.

See attached photo and similar set from my collection.

Paul

[akiko]

Ok but I wonder whether they worn in WW2?

[tcrown]

Paul said post war Rhodesian parachute wings.

[Tonomachi]

Here is a set of four WW2 era British paratrooper wings that has provenance having been part of an OSS grouping in a private collection. If you look at the wing in the upper left it is very similar to the one Akiko is asking about. I have one in my collection and I've added some close up pictures of my piece and it seems to be very similar to the one Akiko presented except it is embroidered upon a black material instead of a tan colored material. Is it possible that the wing presented by Akiko was produced during the war? As Rhodesia was a British Commonwealth could they have simply adopted this particular design out of the UK in the late 1950s to early 1960s which continued to be produced after the war?

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post-185107-0-60524500-1544571627_thumb.jpg

post-185261-0-68842400-1544486706_thumb.jpg

post-185261-0-47003500-1544486759_thumb.jpg

[3battalion]

My first impressions when I obtained the wing I posted was that it was WW2 but then a very experienced Rhodesian collector shared the photo of it being worn and stated that it was the first version of the parachute wing issued by post war Rhodesian forces.

I believe it's perfectly feasible that the design was copied from a war-time wing perhaps even copied from the one highlighted on a black background.

I'll search my photo archives and see if I can find a wartime photo of a similar wing being worn.

Paul