B&NL Radio/Air gunner badges

[Lorenzo Brown]

I've done a little more research on these badges and this is what I've found.
There were both 1st and 2nd pattern eagles and wreaths used for the
B&NL Radio badge and Air Gunner badge.

1) Tombak Radio badge uses 1st pattern eagle and 1st pattern wreath

2) Tombak Gunner badge (rare) uses 2nd pattern eagle and 2nd pattern wreath


3) Zinc Gunner badge uses 2nd pattern eagle on 1st pattern wreath.

[mgidhagen]

How about this one...?

Presently for sale (but not by me); is this a good badge?
/Mikael

[Lorenzo Brown]

Hah!...a new one for the books. Looks like a zinc radio badge using 1st pattern eagle and 1st pattern wreath. Looks good to me.

[Kecon]

Hi Lorenzo

Just bought the exact same Radio Operator, Mikeal shows at a show near Baltimore this past sat. B&L L with the cut out bolts and swas. Just now noticed the cut out bolts as I'm used to seeing the solid ones on zinc badges. The eagle on mine is more of a duller gray but the silver of the wreath is excellent. I think this one might be another keeper.

Regards
Ken

[Kecon]

Lorenzo

Whoops!!! Hit the wrong key. Its a B&N L.
Wasan't trying to mess with your head. It's my old age problem.

Regards
Ken

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Lorenzo,

That second pattern wreath you show is an Assmann wreath:

Cheers, Frank

[Frank Heukemes]

So is the rest IMO, except for the eagle.

[Lorenzo Brown]

Hi Frank. That example is the one listed on this site.
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/war_...nner_badge.htm

It appears to be an Assmann wreath, but the rivets look like B&NL. Interesting.

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Lorenzo,

I think the rivets look like Assmann´s as well!

Cheers, Frank

[Rich G]

Could this be another case of 2 firms sharing components? Or, is there something fishy going on there??!

Rich

[Lorenzo Brown]

Well, other firms have swapped components, so I think BNL could have done the same. I have blown up the reverse scan of the BNL, and to me they still look like BNL rivets. Assmann rivets are typically brass with "concentric rings". These look to me like typical BNL type.

[IVAN]

Hi Lorenzo,

thanks for your photos and your work, always appreciated!

I agree about the second badge, Assmann's wreath.

the other two , wreath are typical B&NL form.

about your zinc type for me the wreath is different from the 1st pattern in tombak, similar but different, it was made from another die.

Ivan

[Mike Kenny]

Hi,

I haven't seen a B&NL rivet (flattened top) that looked like an Assmann rivet (spun/cupcake) yet, but I thought it was widely known that (second pattern) Assmann & B&NL Pilot's Badges are very similar? Seeing similarities in other badges does not surprise me.

Regards
Mike K

[Frank Heukemes]

Dear Mike,

Sure, their pilot´s badge are similar, but we are not talking about similar in this case, it IS an Assmann wreath.

Cheers, Frank

[bergrenner]

But is there such a thing as a "2nd pattern" eagle with Blitzbündel(or a 1st without)? Would love to see pics.

Just curious if they filed them out, or if the die was this way.

Thanks, Stuart