IMME Para badge Eagles - 2 distinct eagles!?

[Thomas Durante]

Hi guys,

Instead of hijacking the other IMME para badge thread, I figured I would start a new one to show some of different variants of eagles found on IMME para badges. When I started researching for my upcoming Para badge book, I looked forward to writing the IMME section because it seemed to be a straight forward badge without many variants (unlike Juncker & Assmann for instance). While searching around, I found nothing on any of the discussion forums about different eagles, only the rare mention of an IMME marked badge found with a Juncker eagle or found with a Juncker wreath.

Only when I started to study the badge did it occur to me that there are two distinct IMME eagles! The differences are very subtle and can easily be overlooked if you aren't studying them for hours at a time. These two distince eagles are also different from the Juncker eagle, so we are only talking about the characteristic "slender" neck eagle that is well known of IMME Paras.

Here are some pics of the two distinct IMME eagle patterns. I refer to these as the "Fletched Wing" and "Fletchless Wing" respectively since the top wing fletching is the biggest difference between the two types. If you look at the top, leading edge of the wing, one ealge has many little diagnol wing fletches, while the other eagle has no fletching at all. There are many other subtle differences, but this point is what to look for on the different patterns.

First up is the Fletched Wing variant

Tom

[Thomas Durante]

Fletched Wing - Closeup

[Thomas Durante]

Here is the "Fletchless Wing" variant, as I like to call it.

[Thomas Durante]

Fletchless Wing - Closeup

[Thomas Durante]

To complicate matters a little further, each of the eagle variants (Fletched Wing or Fletchless Wing) can be further categorized into another two distinct variants each. These variations are a little smaller and less signficant, but nonetheless apparent and probably due to die wear or degredation.

The Fletched Wing Variants can be categorized by the main tail ridge, which can be "intact" or "cut". The first picture is the "Fletched Wing & Intact Tail Ridge" variant, and the other being the "Fletched Wing & Cut Tail Ridge" variant. Both of these variants are ONLY found on IMME's own distinct Para wreath, so in my opinion, these are the true IMME para badges. The ones that were actually produced in house by IMME and constructed with their hardware and finished with their own tools.

Here is the "Fletchless Wing & Intact Tail Ridge" variant.

[Thomas Durante]

Here is the "Fletched Wing & Cut Tail Ridge" variant. Notice how the "cut tail ridge" variant also has die flaws in between the two wings above the tail as well, another sign of die degredation.

[Thomas Durante]

The "Fletchless Wing" variants can also be broken down into two distinct types, which can be differentiated by looking at the gap between the tail and the bottom wing. One variants has no flaw in it and is perfectly clean "Fletchless Wing & Flawless", while the other has a very distinct hour-glass shape raised flaw, which I call "Fletchless Wing & Flawed".

The Fletchless Wing variants can be found on IMME wreaths, but also on Juncker Para & Pilot Wreaths, so it is my thoughts that these were either produced by Juncker and sold to IMME for them to put together in house, or the dies were made by Juncker for IMME to use, but that is obviously subject to debate.

First up is the "Fletchless Wing & Flawless" variant:

[Thomas Durante]

Here is the "Fletchless Wing & Flawed" variant.

[Thomas Durante]

Just a little taste of what will be in the Para Badge book, on its way to being released in a few months

Tom

[Marc Garlasco]

But will you be covering ARMY Para badges?

[Thomas Durante]

Yes, but only half assed. It will not be as detailed and "anal" as the Luftwaffe para section

[Marc Garlasco]

I disagree. The writer of the much rarer ARMY para section is half German. He is much more anal than some souther WOP...

[LuckyLuudje]

Very interesting Thomas,

Mine has the flaws in between the two wings also.
Do you also know how many maker marks have been used by IMME?
I searched for JMME's marks and never found another with this same mark yet.

[michael c]

I have a fleckless variant jmme&sohn with the defect. I also noticed the diffrence (defect) on the upper wing, my jmme also has that variant as well. Thats some great info thanks!

[WEISNER]

Thomas, Have you noticed a difference in the upper portion of the beak between the nostril and eye in these two Eagles? I see a difference but wonder if it is just the photos and not found with badge in hand?
A most interesting study, and a book eagerly awaited by the Paraheads!
Best of luck with the release!
Kevin