Ludlow Pathfinder Wing with the ORIGINAL Pin Assembly

[Mtnman]

I am relatively new to RAF and Commonwealth wings, but I am very experienced in US military aviation insignia, especially wings, including those that are boys picked up in the UK as they passed through to North Africa, Italy or joined the 8th and 9th Air Force in pounding the Nazis. Ludlow is a wing maker that rarely shows up in US Army Air Force insignia so I have studied it relentlessly and I am familiar with the actual design of the standard pin assembly that they use on wings.

I have encountered a 3 Pathfinder badges which have the Ludlow London maker's mark since beginning collecting and perusing both US Army Air Force and RAF material. Each of those Pathfinder badges had replacement pins on them and 2 of them had been smeared with a great deal of solder/braze to attach the pin which muddied up the rear.

I recently got in touch with an individual who had amassed quite a collection of beautiful Pathfinder badge examples over the years and was about to purchase the one he had which was a Ludlow with the smearing all over the back when he had 2nd thoughts and allowed me to see his perfect Ludlow London Pathfinder badge with all the original pin assembly parts undamaged!

I was very excited and he actually allowed me to purchase it as he is downsizing. The badge has the exact same pin assembly as the three-inch pilot wings from the US Army Air Force except for on the miniaturized scale which made it so aesthetically beautiful to my eyes in seeing the pin hinge which is a simple barrel made out of the sheet of brass with the pin bent through it to create resistance so as to lock the pin into the pin catch. The pin itself is a beautiful golden brass and the pin catch is completely unique to Ludlow of London and identical yet smaller than the US Army Air Force pin catch for Ludlow of London.

The badge is die stamped as it has the shear marks around the edges and the artistry of the die maker was simply exemplary which you will see in the pictures. I am so joyful to be able to share this with my fellow collectors of RAF insignia....IMG_1945_tn.jpg

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[Mtnman]

The collector from I purchased some of the finer items from in his Pathfinder collection, was the source of this badge as well. As we all know, Firmin is one of the most prolific and historically significant insignia makers in British history. The badge itself is exquisite and along the top ridge of the posterior face of the badge along the wing Ridge, one can see clearly the die stamp shearing.

The Dexter wing has the double tipped undulation coming out from the shoulder at its end distal to the central axis of the badge, which I have noticed is a common element too many Pathfinder badges. There is a split tail on the Firmin and the Ludlow badges with a tiny V marking where the attitude of the fletching splits to the Dexter and to the Sinister directions. The eye itself on the Firmin badge as a more pronounced "pupil" and a deeper aspect to it which certainly gives effect to the deliberate and menacing look of an eagle we are all familiar with. Enjoy ladies and gentlemen collectors and blessings in your collecting...

[Frank Kelley]

"Dexter wing" please explain?

[Mtnman]

Thank you for the question....Dexter is the right wing and Sinister the left wing from the perspective of the badge itself, in the language of heraldry, which governs the construction of these badges. Hope that helps, tell me if this is unclear and I will explain further and also, there are several sites available with heraldry glossaries or dictionaries.