Retired Pilots Badge Opinions ?

[Ken Brown]

Unmarked A little help Please

[Jeff V]

best wishes,
jeff

[Rob83]

I dont like it either, but to be honest, this is one of those badges that I assume is at first a fake until I find out otherwise.

[90th Light]

best wishes,
jeff

Hello Jeff,

there was a good thread about these zinc types which I have brought to the top again and hopefully Leroy plus Tom. D. will see this thread.

From what I can see via a computer image, the badge has potential.
The question is did they make a zinc version during the war ?

I would certainly like a hands on to be able to say more about this one,

Chris

[Winston]

Thats a crappy bird

[kapten_windu]

sorry, it's bad!

[Sebastien T]

Hello,

Bad one sorry

[Jeff V]

Hello Jeff,

there was a good thread about these zinc types which I have brought to the top again and hopefully Leroy plus Tom. D. will see this thread.

From what I can see via a computer image, the badge has potential.
The question is did they make a zinc version during the war ?

I would certainly like a hands on to be able to say more about this one,

Chris

There are original zinc badges Chris. This is not one of them. There are no cut out leg originals.
best wishes,
jeff

[Ludwig]

Not good!

[AndyC]

Not a Cigar this time


Andy

[Tim Calvert]

There are original zinc badges Chris. This is not one of them. There are no cut out leg originals.
best wishes,
jeff

Chris believes in ALL badges!

[Thomas Durante]

Hi Ken,

Its always good to see the reverse hardware on this type of badge, but I generally agree with the others that this type is likely a postwar produced badge.

Tom

[magnusmilitaria]

repro badge

[90th Light]

Chris believes in ALL badges!

It is not a case of that at all Tim

A civil engineer I worked with taught me the hard way to work through a series of "indicators" before making a summation let alone drawing a conclusion.

Weigh up the positive indicators against the negative indicators and see which is greater.

When it comes to German Third Reich badges such a process is;
base metal,
pin,
plating
and rivet test.

The badge which started this thread may in fact pass some of these.

Also we have never come to any conclusion for sure about the zinc examples of this badge. We know S&L made some. There appears to be a strong case that they continued production after the war. This does however leave the nagging question of what did the war time examples made from zinc by which makers look like and what are the distinguishing period foot prints of that type.

So far the only accepted version is the buntmetal "Juncker" examples. Although not all of those are accepted either. For there to be only one maker and just in early materials, nothing else is a little narrow is it not ? esp. when the highest number of pilots qualified for this badge in the years 1943 and 1945 although many of them were dead. For there to be only one early maker is a blinkers on and the earth is flat approach no matter which way you look at it.

This badge may well a reproduction but based on those unclear images who can see what to decide. May be you will be good enough to share the indicators that you can see.

Some say that there were no retired pilots badges with cut out legs, What is that based on ? Has that been proved beyond doubt ? I suppose also that there are no Panzer badges with cut out grass or General/ Infantry Assaults with cut out swaz.

I am not defending this badge or even trying to say that it is real. What I am questioning is the quality of the images from which to make a judgement and the lack of qualification with which judgements are being passed so freely plus quickly,

Chris

[Tim Calvert]

Chris, I'm just messing with you.

Would love to see some pictures of your collection one of these days though!!!!