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WW2 Era British Paratrooper Wings


Tonomachi

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Tonomachi

Thanks for this fantastic reference! I do not collect British Airborne insignia, but over the decades some wings found their way into my "misc insignia boxes". Going through your posts, I´m almost sure that my examples are

1) all British, and 2) all post WW II.

Is that correct?

 

Para1.jpg

 

Para2.jpg

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On 11/18/2020 at 3:37 PM, Proud Kraut said:

Tonomachi

Thanks for this fantastic reference! I do not collect British Airborne insignia, but over the decades some wings found their way into my "misc insignia boxes". Going through your posts, I´m almost sure that my examples are

1) all British, and 2) all post WW II.

Is that correct?

 

These are all mostly current British paratrooper wings.  I forgot to mention that this rule regarding the direction of the threads in the wings of these British paratrooper wings covers the majority of the WW2 era British paratrooper wing, with the exception of one particular style that has thin feathering with pointed ends (see below). This, so far, is the only WW2 era British paratrooper wing that doesn't follow the thread direction rule.

 

Brit Padded Para Wing (2).JPG

 

Brit Para WW2 Combo (2).JPG

 

Brit thin feathers (2).jpg

 

Brit.jpg

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Now here is one advertised as a British WW2 era paratrooper wing that looks like the ones above with the thin wings and pointed ends, but it is not of the claimed era.

 

s-l1600 (1).jpg

 

s-l1600.jpg

 

Here is another that may look like the thin feathering with pointed end tips but it is not and either a copy of a more current British paratrooper wing.

 

s-l1600 (2).jpg

 

s-l1600 (3).jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here is a tough one to determine authenticity.  The front looks pretty convincing however my gut says reproduction due to the jumbled thick threads on the reverse and the fact that the eBay seller has a LRDG beret badge which is obviously a copy yet being sold as original.  You see this jumbling of thick threads on reproduction SAS beret badges and wings.  The chute of this British paratrooper wing mimics the early layered variant which I have never come across before on a reproduction.    The more I look at this wing the more uncertain I feel.  I'm not 100% sure this is a copy but I have been collecting WW2 era British paratrooper wings for going on 40 years now and I haven't come across this variant before, so you never know.  

 

Brit.jpg

 

Brit1.jpg

 

Here is a genuine older British paratrooper wing that just sold on eBay that is the dark colored background version of the one in Post #27.  The actual background color may be dark blue instead of black which may indicate an RAF piece which would push the era of this piece into the post war era instead of WW2.

 

para.jpg

 

Para1.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

Here are more examples of what are probably all Far East WW2 British or Commonwealth paratrooper wings where they have been modified by the wearer so they can be removed from the uniform prior to laundering.  I don't own any of these but kept photographs for future reference. 

 

PB Brit Common Styles (4).jpg

 

PB Brit Common Styles (5).jpg

 

PB Brit Indian Para Wing (3).JPG

 

PB Brit Indian Para Wing (2).JPG

 

PB Brit Indian Para1 (2).jpg

 

PB Brit Indian Para1 (1).jpg

 

PB Brit Para WW2 Combo (4).JPG

 

PB Brit Para WW2 Combo (5).JPG

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In Post #1, I mentioned that the first style WW2 British paratrooper wing was the only one with the three layered embroidery in the chute.  Well, I was wrong, as I came across this piece which I found on an auction site.  I don't know who the successful bidder was, but this is the only one I have ever come across in 40 plus years of collecting.  

 

Brit Rare Wing (2).jpg

 

Brit Rare Wing (1).jpg

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I kept these photos of a brass back plate of the type sewn on the back of WW2 British paratrooper wings so they could be removed from their uniform prior to laundering.  

 

 

PB2 (1).jpg

PB2 (2).jpg

PB1.jpg

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  • 5 months later...

Here is a WW2 era British paratrooper wing variant that recently sold on eBay (see link) for a record price of $3171.24.  It is a very nice and desirable variant, which was probably made and worn in what the British refer to as the far east (China Burma Indian Theater), but not at this unheard of price.   I can only guess that two advanced WW2 British paratrooper wing collectors with deep pockets just had to have this variant at any cost.  

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/284331500825?mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&campid=5335821211&customid=&toolid=10001&mkevt=1

 

3171 dollars (1).jpg

 

3171 Dollars (2).jpg

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Here is what I believe to be a very good copy of a British WW2 Paratrooper Wing that is up for bid on eBay (see link).  The seller him or herself doesn't think it is genuine either.  The direction of the threads in the wings are parallel to the ground which is what you look for in a genuine period wing.  In addition the black thread mixed in with the color threads on the reverse is something you look for with genuine WW2 era British made US shoulder sleeve patches.  However if you compare this wing with a known copy made for reenactors by a company specializing in reproduction British airborne uniforms and kit you notice a similarity.  The slight high relief or budge along the shoulders of the wings which is what you look for when trying to identify these reenactor wings are very similar.  It might be genuine or maybe a legitimate post war piece but I doubt it.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184909378415?hash=item2b0d75336f:g:aOAAAOSwuMVgxsCx

 

Brit UK UNKNOWN REAL (2).jpg

 

Brit UK UNKNOWN REAL (1).jpg

 

Fake WW2 Brit.jpg

 

Fake WW2 Brit1.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

A new reproduction has surfaced but this time either manufactured in France or manufactured for someone selling reproductions in France.

 

s-l1600.jpg

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  • 4 months later...

Here is one I believe to be a copy of a WW2 era British far east style paratrooper wing being sold out of the UK.  The thread used is just too thick and the back shows the thick jumbling mass of thread collectors refer to as spaghetti.  One of the ways to determine if a particular item is a copy is to look at what else the seller is offering for bid.  In this instance there are a number of supposed WW2 era pieces made the same way utilizing the same thick threading and all have the rear spaghetti look.  The artificial aging on the back is particularly convincing.  

 

s-l1600 (17).jpg

s-l1600 (18).jpg

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...
On 12/11/2018 at 10:19 PM, Tonomachi said:

Yup the exact same wing and here is a poor photograph of SOE Agent Lt Col Tony Brooks, DSO, MC, Legion d'Honneur, Croiz de Guerre, supposedly wearing this exact same wing. There is another photograph which I can't seem to find right now that is in better focus showing a better resemblance of this wing.

post-185261-0-97469200-1544595532.jpg

I found a much clearer photo of SOE Agent Lt Col Tony Brooks, DSO, MC, Legion d'Honneur, Croiz de Guerre, wearing the British style paratrooper wing with the black background pictured below.  There is also a version on a Khaki background pictured below.  I've also attached photos of post WW2 Ghana paratrooper wings which I've always thought were very similar in construction with these SOE wings.

 

 

Brit SOE Tony Brooks.jpg

Ghana Look A Like (1).jpg

Ghana Look A Like (2).jpg

post-185261-0-68842400-1544486706_thumb.jpg

post-185261-0-47003500-1544486759_thumb.jpg

$_57-(6).jpg

$_57a.jpg

DSCF1376.jpg

DSCF1377.jpg

Ghana Military Forces Insignia.jpg

On 12/11/2018 at 10:19 PM, Tonomachi said:

Yup the exact same wing and here is a poor photograph of SOE Agent Lt Col Tony Brooks, DSO, MC, Legion d'Honneur, Croiz de Guerre, supposedly wearing this exact same wing. There is another photograph which I can't seem to find right now that is in better focus showing a better resemblance of this wing.

post-185261-0-97469200-1544595532.jpg

I found a much clearer photo of SOE Agent Lt Col Tony Brooks, DSO, MC, Legion d'Honneur, Croiz de Guerre, wearing the British style paratrooper wing with the black background pictured below.  There is also a version on a Khaki background pictured below.  I've also attached photos of post WW2 Ghana paratrooper wings which I've always thought were very similar in construction with these SOE wings.

 

 

On 12/11/2018 at 10:19 PM, Tonomachi said:

Yup the exact same wing and here is a poor photograph of SOE Agent Lt Col Tony Brooks, DSO, MC, Legion d'Honneur, Croiz de Guerre, supposedly wearing this exact same wing. There is another photograph which I can't seem to find right now that is in better focus showing a better resemblance of this wing.

post-185261-0-97469200-1544595532.jpg

I found a much clearer photo of SOE Agent Lt Col Tony Brooks, DSO, MC, Legion d'Honneur, Croiz de Guerre, wearing the British style paratrooper wing with the black background pictured below.  There is also a version on a Khaki background pictured below.  I've also attached photos of post WW2 Ghana paratrooper wings which I've always thought were very similar in construction with these SOE wings.

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Here is an odd ball piece that popped up on the USA Chute & Dagger newsletter and The British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum as possibly having come off of a WW2 era New Zealand uniform.  This does look like a British or Commonwealth country period piece with an unusually high number of feathering separation in the wings but the person at the base is what is most unusual.  The only other WW2 era British jump qualification insignia with a person at the bottom of the shroud lines is in Post 7, the printed version of the so called light-bulb cuff insignia.   There was speculation that this was possibly a WW2 era Belgium paratrooper wing as some of their post war wings have a little person at the base of the shroud lines.  However an authority on Belgium paratrooper insignia who wrote a book on the subject said this was not a Belgium paratrooper wing.   I've also attached a poor photo of a supposed WW2 era Belgium paratrooper wing that came out of an older UK Chute & Dagger newsletter.    

UNK Maybe Brit Para Man.jpg

WW2 Belgium.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Some more reproductions which are getting more and more convincing due I think to the reenactor community who are really detail oriented regarding the uniforms and insignia they wear.

 

 

 

 

DSCF2764.JPG

DSCF2765.JPG

s-l1600 (2).jpg

s-l1600 (3).jpg

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  • 4 months later...

I came across photos of this Australian Army Training Team Vietnam brassard with one of their paratrooper wing sewn upon it which is the very same one in Post 5.  By itself the paratrooper wing has characteristics of a WW2 British paratrooper wing but like previously mentioned it is actually post war.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

AATTV (1).jpg

AATTV (2).jpg

AATTV (4).jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here are additional photos of post war Australian paratrooper wings that share characteristics with British WW2 paratrooper wings like the orientation of the weave in the wings that are parallel to the ground.  

 

s-l1600 (44).jpg

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  • 1 month later...

Here is something interesting where someone took a known fake WW2 era British paratrooper wing, removed the backing material and destressed the front in an attempt I guess to pass it off as a genuine period wing (photo 1 & 2).  The wing they started off with is in Photos 3 and 4.  In addition they seem to have coupled this fake wing with an original Parachute Regiment beret badge to help sell the wing.  Don't fall something for this.  I have seen this done with SAS wings where they take a 1980s SAS wing and carefully remove the backing material and some of the stitching on the front before destressing the wing to try and pass it off as a WW2 era SAS Wing.  

 

 

s-l1600 (82).jpg

s-l1600 (83).jpg

s-l1600 (84).jpg

s-l1600 (85).jpg

I got lucky on eBay and purchased this theater made WW2 era British paratrooper wing for about 30 dollars.  I believe the threads are silk so this probably came from the Far East Theater.  It even came with a note from the original British paratrooper whose name I can't make out.

 

 

DSCF3192.JPG

DSCF3193.JPG

DSCF3191.JPG

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The counterfeiters in the UK have come up with in my opinion a new fake but very convincing British WW2 paratrooper wing.  One of the things that the counterfeiters use to do is to sew their fake insignia onto a piece of battledress wool so you wouldn't be able to view the back.  I came across this grouping of insignia sewn on a large rectangular piece of battledress wool as if it was cut off of the arm of a battledress uniform jacket.  The paratrooper wing didn't look exactly like any I've seen but very close to some and very convincing as there were so many variations produced during the war.  However the same wing was sewn on both rectangular pieces of battledress (Photo 1 thru 4).  What are the odds that the same wing variation (photo 5 & 6) happen to be sewn on these two rectangular pieces of wool and suspiciously both being sold out of the UK.  Also the Pegasus SSI are identical (Photo 7 & 8 ) again with all the variants produced during the war what are the odds.  I then came across a pennant (Photo 9 & 10) being sold out of the UK with an identical paratrooper wing except with different colors.   If you compare the para wings sewn on the rectangular piece of wool and the pennant (Photo 11 & 12) they were produced by the same person and have all the characteristics of a WW2 era British paratrooper wing.  However they are in my opinion a new fake wing that the British are now peddling in the US.  Buyer beware.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe (2).png

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe (3).png

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe (4).png

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe (5).png

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe Look (2).png

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe Look (4).png

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe Look (3).png

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe Look (5).png

s-l1600 (2).png

s-l1600 (3).png

s-l1600.png

Same Wing & Pegasus SSI Fake Maybe Look (2).png

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Like I figured it was just a matter of time before someone in the UK started selling these fake wings on eBay advertised as, "WW2 PARA WING ORIGINAL WARTIME ISSUE. VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL CONSTRUCTION GENUINE" (see link):  

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/374413980352?hash=item572ccff2c0:g:aU0AAOSwDMBjmesC&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoLg4W6Hjm6S8hIrsi1kVfUq1Z7mxmckXbTvLdR5yzJNYZ3sg18UxxPZ%2BmvU9sh3eyjX1qVxhDKvTU2TnGXVNvDLILTMe2K4Xo1fgVv6my8e6cxbkW%2FwN1ZVEJlUysB1Rke7FD4hbJNNNWx7jMsSYJf8Fo%2F3ntR0ialfedwMYCC1D%2F765ldwiE66xHZlAXUtURhvSZ2lRrKKYndFrWDs6wkg%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR56OxtqmYQ

 

However for whatever reason the direction of the weave is not parallel to the ground like the above pictured wings which is what you look for in a WW2 era piece.  So this new fake WW2 era British paratrooper wing comes with two different weave directions.  

 

 

s-l1600.jpg

s-l1600 (1).jpg

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