Japanese Airborne Patch Good Looking, but Bogus I assume

[Ed Hicks]

Japanese Airborne Patch Good Looking, but Bogus I assume. This patch was part of a large Airborne collection assembled from WWII through the early 1970s and stored away since then. This was the only Japanese Airborne item which I assume is a copy.

[beretta1934]

Ed

Yes, machine stitched fake - but it's entertaining!

From everyone I know who is a serious collector of either Japanese Round Rates or IJN paratroopers - no one has one, nor has anyone ever seen one of these

The consensus is that the Japanese never really made this patch and it's just a unicorn.

But people still publish "make believe illustrations" of this type of patch in so called "reference books" See attached photo

[Ed Hicks]

I have seen a couple of minor variations similar to this one in collections, but in all the years I've collected I have not seen one that had any provenance to WWII.

[beretta1934]

Agreed. Still someone would buy it just as a novelty.

[GHP]

Interesting. The red canopy reminds me of a sake cup to the 14th Infantry Regiment I saw a while back on an auction site; it had a red background between the risers.

I did a bit of Googling, but my google-fu must be weak; I couldn't find anything related to a 14th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Errrr .... that *IS* a parachute between the flags, right????

--Guy

[GeorgeP]

Looks like part of the mum to me. I would imagine kanji like 下傘, etc. would be on the cup if airborne related.

Also, all of the IJA airborne groups, brigades, and regiments never went beyond single digit unit numbers.


Tom

[GeorgeP]

Oh, I see what you are seeing now. Is it a rabbit or a duck?


Tom

[IrishRebel]

Even though it is a fake, still really nice looking!

Cheers

[GHP]

Oh, I see what you are seeing now. Is it a rabbit or a duck?

Tom

AHHHHHHHHH ... now I see what YOU are seeing now

It's a crysanthemum! That's the trouble with paratroopers & Airborne Qualified ... always seeing parachutes where there aren't any.

Check-Can-O-Peas!
--Guy

[beretta1934]

Oh, I see what you are seeing now. Is it a rabbit or a duck?


Tom

I see a ripe, juicy grapefruit... but then again I'm hungry

Did paratroopers carry those...