Unmarked Pilot Badge Question

[Tim B.]

Here's a question; Has anybody ever noticed that the eagles are mounted at slightly different angles on the wreath? I would have thought that the dies would be pretty standard for the placement of rivet holes when manufacturing these, or are we looking at different dies?
Tim

[Tim B.]

Notice the placement of the left wing and the number of laurel leaves from the top. The center eagle is actually rotated slightly.

[Tim Hart]

Nice pair of badges Tim and very interesting observation.Regards,

[Mike Kenny]

Hi Tim,

Rivet holes built into the dies???

I've always believed the holes were hand drilled (through the wreath and possible small "pilot" holes in the eagles before the posts - read "rivets" were soldered in), probably using some sort of holding/alignment jig. Movement/misaligment within the jig or a new/different jig would probably explain differences in hole locations.

Regards
Mike

[Tim B.]

Hi Tim!

Yes, I was just playing with the PICS a moment ago.

I never noticed it before, but have compared some of these in other collections with the same differences.
Tim

[Tim B.]

Hi Mike!

That's what I always thought too, but I recently saw a post where the badge was in pieces and the wreath looked like the holes were part of the die. I'll look for it and double check.
Tim

[Tim B.]

Here's the PIC--One of JTWest's old shots. Maybe you're right, they drilled them afterward, but for some reason I was thinking they were in the die. I believe the eagle on this one already had the posts on it.

***Never mind, I think this is a cast copy that was taken apart for reference and comparison. Not sure if the original buntmetal ones were similar though.