RFC Metal wing

[Jack]

Hello all,
can any body tell me if this is good or bad.Or what to look for on the badge to tell if its crook or good.
Cheers Jack

[Jack]

back

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[yellow]

Hi Jack,

From first examination I would say this badge looks very good. I like the folding blades and the bronze finish. However I must say the dies for this badge were sold off and many reproductions have been made in rather shoddy brassy coloured metal.......these wouldnt fool anyone.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Royal-Flying-C...QQcmdZViewItem

I`d say this is an ok badge it certainly the nearest Ive see to an original anywhere.

Still wouldnt mind a fondle though to see if the metal has age hardened.

Steve.

[Jack]

rare or not

Thanks Steve,
for your reply.Are these any rarer than the cloth version??And what would the value be for this?
Cheers Jack

[yellow]

I do believe they are rarer than their cloth counter parts due to the fact Ive never seen an original for sale.

Havent got a clue as to value for the above reason.

But please remember its so hard to ID fakes from just photos.......have you tried to give is a little bend?

Steve.

[SHEARING-CROSS]

Hello Jack ,
sorry to bring bad news iam certain these are original but `believe` they are not infact an item of uniform insignia ,they were a private purchase item designed to be fixed to a R.F.C photo frame , they are often sold by dealers ( not always dishonestly / but by mistake ) as an officers mess dress formal function item etc the blades are the real give away , i would feel safer to have a hands on look at your badge with out giving a 100% that they are what i believe but they do match very close to examples i have owned , having said that i would imagine they may ??? have been used as insignia in rare cases regards ,Michael.
p.s they are still quite a rare item and worth a good few bob.

[24-7]

The wing debate !!

This debate has been raging on for years are bladed RFC issue or non issue.I purchased so wings from Wallis and Wallis some years back all belonged to an air ace.These came out of a house clearance..some were bladed.
logicaly speaking look at the blade construction to the rear now try to fit in a wooden frame !!
I think they were issued and used,but then what do i know...
regards
steve

[Adam Lewis]

Hello all,
can any body tell me if this is good or bad.Or what to look for on the badge to tell if its crook or good.
Cheers Jack

Jack,
I correspond with Warren Carroll the guru of Commonwealth wings. I had an opportunity to purchase a set like yours and asked him if they were worn as pilot wings. He advised they are not genuine issue pilot wings.

[Bob Hritz]

Many years ago my aviation collection was stolen in a burglary. When unpacking, from my move to Arizona, I found this RFC whing which I had gotten about 20 years ago. It is a dull gilded red bronze. The reverse of the wing tips have plates soldered on to hold the catch and hinge. There is a small plate, soldered to the reverse that says "BRONZE".

Any ideas on this RFC wing?

Bob Hritz

[Bob Hritz]

Verso

[Bob Hritz]

detail

[SHEARING-CROSS]

HIYA ,further to my earlier reply , for a period i did in fact collect R.F.C items , over the years i have owned two of these badges and a friend had a third set , in conversation with R.F.C collectors of long standing i was told the story about the picture frame item ,there where special slits in the frame for the blades to be passed through then folded flat ,
( i will try to find a picture of the frame from my files )
to be fair it is usual to find R.F.C pilots wings made from high quality materials often silver or gold some even with jewels in them ,also the style of blade fixing to the rear of the above badge would I.M.O be un safe and insecure if afixed to a uniform ,the location of the blades so near the centre of the badge would allow the wings to stand away from the chest in what i think would be a dangerous way.

iI am not trying to be negative or ` talk down ` a nice item that is not my desire , what i am trying to say with out causing the owner of this badge any embarrassment ,
If he has been sold these by a dealer with the story these are rare ( and expensive ) R.FC uniform wings he has been mislead , i did not wish for him to be `out of pocket` for a large sum of cash .

I will go through my files and try to get more details on this badge ,regards ,Michael.

[aeroraider]

Metal Wing

I believe there is a picture in the Carroll book of this type of wing being worn. In my opinion the metal wing should be rarer than the cloth wing, but in fact, I would say that I see more of these metal wings for sale than original cloth ones. I have owned a few of this type, including a white metal version with a Gaunt disc on the back. The latter apparently made for a 1970s reunion.
I suspect that this pattern wing was legitimately used, briefly, and then marketed for other purposes like picture frames.... but this is purely speculation.

[Jack]

Thank you all for your input.Michael do not feel bad about me getting these I think they are quite nice and look good in my collection of RFC stuff.I just want to know if these were worn at some stage or fitted to a frame as you said the next question is what would these be worth? in UK Pounds.
Cheers Jack

Hey Bob are you selling them if so I would be very interested in them.

[Gary Cain]

Hi Bob,
I have seen many fakes of this type wing. That being said it looks good but as with all things you have to handle it to tell for sure. It is my experience that all RFC wings are rare, cloth and metal especially so. Also
the RFC changed their regs a couple of times. In 1912 for instance the collar dogs were supposed to be of silver color, this lasted for all of 9 or ten months before they changed back.

Gary

Many years ago my aviation collection was stolen in a burglary. When unpacking, from my move to Arizona, I found this RFC whing which I had gotten about 20 years ago. It is a dull gilded red bronze. The reverse of the wing tips have plates soldered on to hold the catch and hinge. There is a small plate, soldered to the reverse that says "BRONZE".

Any ideas on this RFC wing?

Bob Hritz