HAPPY HOLIDAYS from The FLYING TIGER Antiques & Vintage Historical Artifacts!!!
UPDATE: WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29TH 2023: Thank YOU ALL for the Holiday Orders!!!
We Hope that all the LUCKY Recipients of these GREAT GIFTS will Just LOVE Them!!
So, NOW is the TIME to ORDER that wonderful ARTIFACT that you've had your eye on, Or that you are buying for that SPECIAL SOMEONE,
as it will SHIP within 24 to 48 Hours of Receipt of Payment, but USUALLY Same Day!!
Just an FYI: Kanae is in JAPAN through December 7th, so I am doing the best I can with shipping!!
And I hope to start LISTING in a day or 2, probably mostly PATCHES until Kanae returns!!
Happy Holidays & Happy Collecting, Ron & Kanae
ARTIFACT:
I have the privilege to offer here only the second example of an English-made WWII era USAAF Senior Balloon Pilot wing that I have ever had the opportunity to own. This wing is a "Holy Grail" addition to any WWII Theatre-made USAAF Wing Collection.
Sadly, the name of the original owner of this wing has been lost to time, but the light knock to the star, and the wear on the back of the wing where it was closest to the uniform: on the right side as worn, points to this wing having ACTUALLY BEEN WORN during WWII by one of the Old timers who had qualified as a Free Balloon Pilot before the Army Air Corps stopped training them in 1929. Also, while I have seen some of these wings with a slightly thinner gauge "c" catch, the only biographical UK-made Sr. Balloon Pilot Wing I have seen has the identical heavy gauge "c" catch. Truly a remarkably rare wing, especially since it appears to have actually been worn during WWII.
I don't know when or if I will ever have another to offer.
VINTAGE:
Circa early World War II.
SIZE:
Approximately 1-5/16" in height and 3-1/8" in width.
MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION:
Plated brass.
ATTACHMENT:
Horizontal pin with heavy gauge C catch.
MARKINGS:
FIRMIN LONDON.
ITEM NOTES:
This is from a UK-made World War II United States Army Air Forces wing collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. MAABHMV14 LBCGEX6/14 SAGHAX01/19
CONDITION:
7+ (Very Fine+): The wing has some small areas of wear.
GUARANTEE: As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.