retired pilots badge

[Terry OToole]

hi guys --- any good?

[Terry OToole]

reverse

[skip]

Terry,

if you believe in them its good. If you don******180;t its not.

We******180;ve had a few heated discussions about these in the past.

Skip

[Jeff V]

Skip is right. We have had some good discussions about these in the past. I happen to believe that zinc retired pilots were made during the war, and that this is a good badge. Others, like Skip do not believe in them. If you want a 100% retired pilot you must find a early example by Juncker. best wishes,
jeff

[Gregory Koepp]

he's right, I bought me a very nice Junkers retired badge and thought it was good and then it was pointed out that the top of the "J" was missing the little slash, but boy it was a nice one and so I had to return it. but yours above I don't like at all, it's made allot different than what is said to be good and the finish is wrong and not marked too.

Gregory koepp

[PODO01]

****

A Nice Looking Zinker. Very Crisp Details. My Opinion Also An Original Piece In Great Condition.

Tom

[Terry OToole]

thanks for the opinions guys i don t know enough about these i ve read all the relavent threads but still have a question , if these zinc badges arecontraversal is it because none of these were awarded mid to late war,i know other badges were manufactured in zinc due to war shortage but these were still awarded throughout . pardon my ignorance and thanks for your time ,cheers Terry

[Jeff V]

Yes, the retired pilots badge was awarded middle to the end of the war. I know of two people who received during this time. One in 43 and one in 44. best wishes,
jeff

[Terry OToole]

so Jeff it follows that they would have been produced in zinc at that period?

[90th Light]

Hello, not all zinc badges are late war. If you get to read some of the retailer stock take lists from 1941 you will see that they offer the badges in;

1/ frosted and burnished quality - most expensive
2/ bright quality - lower price than 1/ above
3/ matt / dull quality suitable for combat - cheapest

In some cases this could be three different finishes from the same maker. Of couse as the war carried on then in many cases the zinc badge may well have been the only option but in some cases it was a consumer choice at the time.

My question is, why would they not offer a plated zinc / muck-metal retired pilots badge which might be lighter at a cheaper price than a solid nickle or plated brass option. This makes good retail sense at the time and it was available for other badges. Not everyone wants to pay top dollar, no mattter how much they like their leader or airforce boss.

I am not referring to the badge actually awarded at the time but instead to the additional badges one could buy once an individual held the award document. They were then entitled to go and buy as many as they liked. Some only had the one and transfered that award piece from tunic to tunic but others purchased one for every tunic. Bright ones for parade & Sunday best, dull zinc for combat & concelment.

What do others think, Chris

[Stan]

Retired Pilot's Badge

Yes, the retired pilots badge was awarded middle to the end of the war. I know of two people who received during this time. One in 43 and one in 44. best wishes,
jeff

I presume that Jeff is refering to zincers because this award was presented from 1935 onwards.

Stan

[Jeff V]

so Jeff it follows that they would have been produced in zinc at that period?

Yes, especially as every other badge was produced in zinc during the latter parts of the war. best wishes,
jeff

[Jos L C]

Although many zink items are middle/late war I think zink was used in the early days also..
The best example is the drooptail (pre-war) NCO cap eagle IMO, you can find them in aluminum, but also in pure grey zink ( lost silver wash) with copper flat prongs.
I bet these were just cheap items and I don't think they started to reproduce the drooptail in 1943 or so..
We know less about these items and can only guess or say 1+1=2..
I think Feinzink was a very good and beautiful product then and not how we see it 60+ years later with all the bubbles and damage.
I personally think the retired pilotbadge was produced from start to end and so we can find buntmetal or feinzink pieces, just like the glider and other badges.
Zink badges are not that popular, so knowledge is too much focussed on nickel and buntmetal in general IMO.
The fact that buntmetal/nickel pieces are popular is because a certain group of people are trained in these because of their interest, that's very good ofcourse, hence too many new people think to play safe only to focus on high quality because they're safe investments.
Zink items don't have many followers and interest is low, which is a pity..,these badges deserve a lot more, they're also history.
I personally think that the badge in question is a good badge ......, just because I like the whole badge..., I do like the wear, I do like the finish...., please tell me the wrong details.
Just my thoughts,

Jos.

[mmiller]

Just guessing here, of course, but whose to say this isn't an unmarked Juncker? Say 43' or '44? The hardware is a close match to a known Juncker example. Silver wash is close in tone.

Regards,
Mark

[all1knew]

I am not referring to the badge actually awarded at the time but instead to the additional badges one could buy once an individual held the award document. They were then entitled to go and buy as many as they liked. Some only had the one and transfered that award piece from tunic to tunic but others purchased one for every tunic. Bright ones for parade & Sunday best, dull zinc for combat & concelment.

What do others think, Chris

A little off topic, but this is how private purchase went........a wearer had to prove he was awarded the badge and allowed to wear it by showing a document?

William Kramer