British Airborne Insignia

[hmsbrinmaric]

Hi Everyone,
I have had the 2 patches for years and have never been able to determine if the are orginal WWII period pieces or not. They have been removed from a tunic. They are thick wool not thin like the reproductions I have seen , The light blue embroidery is detailed. Whats left of a thin paper backing appears to be almost like tissue paper. The wool smells old too, if that makes sense. What are you thoughts? If they are good what are they worth?
Thanks,
Keith

[Guy]

Hi Keith,

If you burn the bobbin thread (white thread on the back) You will probably find that it is nylon. In my oppinion these are very early post war pieces.

Yours, Guy.

The midddle pair of pegasuses below are the wartime variants of the patches you show here.

[hmsbrinmaric]

Thanks guy

Hi Guy,
You were right. I tried the burn test and it was nylon. The look so good though. Oh well. I got these wings in the same lot. They are probably repros too. The parachute wings are the puffy type. The backing is like oil cloth they do not glow. The other wings show wear and do not glow either.

Keith

[Guy]

Hi Keith,


Wings aren't my thing at all but I would say that the Bullion piece is original wheras the half Brevet is post war. Hope this helps.

Yours, Guy.

PS your pegasuses are still real just post war. Probably worth about £25 to the right man.

[SHEARING-CROSS]

Hello Keith , thanks for showing
guy , thanks for the info on the pegasus set , i have a set of round cut COMBIND OPS cloth patches , they are very heavily over stitch on the back with white nylon , but they have been worn ,they are mothed ,scuffed ragged etc pretty certain this is original wear and not artificial , i dont think they are what a re enactor has worn coz that does not fit with were they came from , any chance they are original post war ? going on how the back of the badge look i would have said copies , but the fronts look nice ? will try to do a photo ,
regards ,Michael.

[hmsbrinmaric]

Thanks guys

Thank you guy and Michael

Hello Keith , thanks for showing
guy , thanks for the info on the pegasus set , i have a set of round cut COMBIND OPS cloth patches , they are very heavily over stitch on the back with white nylon , but they have been worn ,they are mothed ,scuffed ragged etc pretty certain this is original wear and not artificial , i dont think they are what a re enactor has worn coz that does not fit with were they came from , any chance they are original post war ? going on how the back of the badge look i would have said copies , but the fronts look nice ? will try to do a photo ,
regards ,Michael.

[Charles Edwards]

The para wing isn't British, but obviously is based on the British PJI...it's from Ghana, dates from the 1950s/60s and was their Para Jump Instructor wing at the time.
==Charlie Edwards, PASS IN REVIEW