Spanish wings "rokiski"

[roger_m]

By 1940 the nationalist air force had 1149 aircraft of all types and more personnel qualified as air crews than aircraft, many formed in schools in Spain, Italy & Germany during the war (many never actually arrived in time to take part in the combats and many were immediately dismissed after the war as no longer needed). Add to those numbers all Italian, German, Portugese etc air crews and the fact that most aviators owned more than only one badge, that makes thousands of "wings" only pre-1940. The Escuadrilla Azul was a purely symbolic unit.

I insist, pilot wings during the war were manufactured in Germany

OK, do you have a proof?

It may be so, since that pilot symbol corresponds to uniform regulations 1938 (for the type of crown) and maybe to Spain and did not arrive in time before the war ended, and already in 1939 started Rokiski deliver their emblems

In any case, you seem to confirm that Rokiski-marked wings can not be considered "wartime" (Civil War), they are all post war. At least we agree in that.

[Francisco V.]

I have readed with interest all statements made in this thread and mostly are wrong; I have to say that:

1.Rokiski was not a jeweler and did not make any wings; he was merelly a engraver who assembled on request the wings devices according the speciality of the customer and engraved the name of him and also put his own marlings in the process. The actual maker mark was the hexagon with the goblet inside, also know for making spoons, forks and other silverware.

2.Obviouly Rokiski was not the only provider of wings for the air force. There was many other makers. Other decorations makers also manufactured wings. Find enclosed picture of a box for a wings made by SAZ in Madrid. Regretably only Rokiski marked the wings so it is a impossible task to track the origin of the unmarked wings.

3.Germans never made wings during the SCW. Take in account that its involtment in Spain should be secret. All wings, squadron badges and other supplies were ordered locally. Most important cities in the Nationalist rearguard had many jewellers, shops, tailors at the service of the well paid germans. German made wings were produced exclusivelly during the WWII as replacements. for LC veterans.

4.Although most wings wore by the airmens in the SCW were of the embroided type, metallic ones did exist, made of silver and less suitable for combat conditions were worn for walk out dress. There are two well known color photograph of Richthofen and Seidemann in the Madrid/Barajas and late in Berlin Parade with these wings. I am almost sure these were gifted to them by the spanish authorities.

Best regards
Fran

[Tod Rathbone]

Eagle of St. John

And let's not forget that the Eagle of St. John was only a symbol used on Spanish Air Force wings from 1936-1946. Originally they were symbols used by the Nationalists as a right wing throwback to the previous Catholic kings of the 16th Century (http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/es_15thc.html). Francisco reinstated the eagle as a reference to previous Catholic and Imperialist Spanish power, appropriate for a right wing fascist government. After the SCW, they were used on all Spanish Air Force wings as regulation from 1939 until 1946 when they were removed and the wings remained the same, just no eagle. The eagle has nothing to do with Germany or Legion Condor, FYI.

And trust Franco. He really is a scholar of these wings including citations of original Spanish regulations.