Unknown air force wing

[Tanker Mike]

I know these are sought after but I can't remember what they are for, the description is wrong. Are these a type of wings worn after flying so many sorties?
Also what are the pathfinder wings?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/151000503872?...872%26_rdc%3D1

[Voltigeur]

Hi Mike, these wings were for a completed tour for the RCAF crews (30 sorties IIRC), worn on the left pocket flap. Pathfinder wings are different, the look like the eagle of an officer's cap badge.

Jo

The Pathfinder wings;
http://www.rathbonemuseum.com/CANADA...anMAXChest.jpg

Statistically there was little prospect of surviving a tour of 30 operations and by 1943 the odds against survival were pretty grim with only one in six expected to survive their first tour, while a slim one in forty would survive their second tour. The overall loss rate for Bomber Command`s operations throughout the war was 2.2%, but loss rates over Germany were significantly higher, between November 1943 and March 1944 operations over that country resulted in an average 5.1% loss rate. The highest loss rate (11.8%) on one mission was incurred on the Nuremburg raid (30 March 1944). The disparity in loss rates was reflected in the fact that sorties over France were only counted as a third of an op towards the "tour" total, and crews derisively referred to officers who only chose to fly on the less dangerous ops to France as "François". Furthermore the official loss rate figures never included aircraft crashing in the UK on their return (usually due to damage suffered whilst on the operation) even if the machine was a write off and/or some or all of the crew were killed, this added at least 15% to the official loss figures. It must also be remembered that losses whilst the crews were training were significant, some courses lost as many as 25% of their intake before graduation, in all 5327 men were killed in training between 1939 and 1945.

[Tanker Mike]

Thanks, what was the purpose of the pathfinder?

[Voltigeur]

Long answer to a short question, Mike.
Jo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinder_(RAF)

[David Tremain]

The price so far looks reasonable as I have seen them selling for over a $100 Canadian. There are others which have a bar underneath indicating another tour of, I think, 20 sorties, and one with two bars for a third tour indicating probably another 20. Carroll actually shows one with three bars as well. Those would be quite rare as most crews didn't make it much beyond 30. I know someone who did about 33 ops. Curiously, it was only the RCAF that awarded them.

Warren Carroll's book, 'Wings. Canada & Great Britain 1913-1945, states (p.84):

"The Operational Badge, issued August 12, 1943, a double winged 'O', is sterling silver marked and gold plated, 41mm in width. A bar was added for each additional tour. It is to be worn on the centre panel of the left breast pocket, 10mm below the point of the pocket flap."

He goes on to say that there are two types:

"One with a ring cast both in the wing and the bar, with a separate ring between the two. The other has one ring cast in the wing, with one ring passing through and soldered to the bar. Two screw post are used to fasten to the tunic and they should not have pins with cinch-type fasteners. Three makers have been located: 'Scully' with their name and mark, 'Birks', and 'Stephenson' with name only.

David