Pilot What? Badge

[Brian S]

Stijn, once again, it is not my badge, I do not have it in hand, I cannot weigh measure nor in any other method produce info for you until I see it again in a few months. Sorry. From my knowledge of pilot badges and observer badges I like some of the features of this item. It's a die stamped badge. But the lack of rivets confuses me and takes back the positive I have, so on this one, I personally am neutral.

Thanks Chris, I'd forgotten this one was in the book, good to see it in wear.

This was offered to me for $5,000 which I turned down a couple of days ago.

[Brian S]

Here's the rest of the photo from which I took the details, last one I have.

[Brian S]

And some more detail here which shows the crevaces well and the solder in lieu of rivets.

[Stijn David]

Large eagle

Hello,


Thank you Brian for the additional pictures, feel free to provide more info iff you see the badge again, etc ....


Cordial greetings,

[Brian S]

Stijn, I would wager you are the only person on this forum to own one of these. In addition to the one in my friend's collection, that's two.

I think what you need are photos of these in wear and a period catalog of one for sale to help ID the wreath and eagle to a manufacturer.

These are NOT fantasy badges, but rare as hens teeth. Now that I've studied the photos of the one in my friend's collection I'm becoming convinced it's the real deal.

My only nagging question now, is why would they go from such a neat looking eagle of a very 30's stylistic pattern to that very boring soaring thin eagle?

Stijn, can you take photos of the eagle of yours and wreath and get some very detailed photos?

Brian

[Stijn David]

Large eagle Glider badge

Hello Brian,


You are correct that they are very rare.

In regards to the why they did have this large eagle => it is rather just the reverse, in questioning some Glider pilots who had one of these the following (story) came over and over again.

" These badegs where privatly purchased during the period mid 1941 to end 1941 and they where produced because the trained glider pilots felt in some cases that the original awarded badges looked to tiny and flimsy. Therefore they found a company (name not known at this point) that made the large eagle pattern. etc ... "

Offcoarse this is just a story and no prooven fact, the only things we can proove is that these badegs where worn in reality and that the persons who did wear them are always very early trained glider pilots (trained fully between the above named period of the last 6 months of 1941).

As far as i believe you will never see these in a period sales catalogue and they could very well be a local product !!!

The original and first awarded pieces where the juncker maker marked pieces IMHO. And these small eagle's are not boaring but delicatly made beauty's !!!!!

There are certainly other original such large eagle pieces out there but you have to find them offcoarse

Cordial greetings,

ps: I am very happy at this point as it seems that you have become a believer that these badges did indeed exist !!!!!!!, keep however in mind that the badge you show needs more investigation before it can be given a 100 % thumbs up.

[Stijn David]

Large eagle badge

Hello Brian,


Here is a scan from this very same badge => when there are better pictures needed you will have to wait untill i have a better machine

As you can see the badge is heavely patinated over the years, enjoy


Cordial greetings,

[Tim Tezer]

You see how much you learn on the forum? The last time I saw one of these for sale, I told the seller it was a fantasy piece and that no such badge ever existed. He told me to go do something with myself that usually requires 2 people.

I guess I was a bit hasty in my assumption.

Tim

[Brian S]

Exactly, but like the Condor Legion Tank Badge, we need to try to find what's right on these to "prove the badge". For now, I'm content to focus on construction which I think I'm happy with.