WWII Wings Rider

[Jim]

OK, heres a good one for you historians, what is the meaning of this pin? I heard one time that it was made for Canadian WWII despatch riders, and I have also heard it was just a pin made up for Post WWII motorcycle clubs. I have had NO really good answers to it. WWII pin collectors have never heard of it. This one that I have is a reproduction pin that I bought at Oley Pa AMCA meet. But, I have seen a "real" one on the front of a "Harley club hat". You could tell it was there for years, due to the green surrounding the pin where it went through the hat. This hat was for sale by David Wasserman (I think). I am sure alot of you guys know who he is, but he didn't have any info on it.


Jim

[HJahn]

Not a bad looking pin, but I have not seen it before that I can recall. Those big crashbars give the bike an American look to me. Fender "looks" sort of Indian like. Of course it's probably just an artist's rendition of a mc. The headlight has a skull-face and that's cool, but that's probably my imagination at work...

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Jim, that's one of the best pins I've seen yet! Wouldn't mind putting a pair of those on my recently acquired 'Bomber Jacket'! Looks well done enough to have been used by a Military Motor Corp. I go to Military shows and collect Marine Corp items, but I've never seen those before. The wings themselves appear cast from actual Military Pilots wings possibly British or American. The center motorcycle looks like it may have been cast from an old AMA pin or more likely an already existing aftermarket one. If it was designed from scratch they did a nice job of it. A good original pin from the WWII era would likely have been cast from brass making for really good detail as on the 'Hat' you seen. It's likely a 'Fantasy' pin made for the motorcyclists trade. The originals from brass and later re-popped in pewter/white metal. I have pins of a different design done in the same casting material as well as the original brass ones. Some I've purchased as recently as a couple years ago. I'll add that to my shopping list for this Spring Oley!... ...Hrdly-Dangrs

[HJahn]

I think I've seen those wings somewhere too.

British?

I have a book somewhere on military insignia - - if I can find it...

[AFJ]

WWII Wings

It is NOT a Canadian military insignia from WWII.

The Canadian Army dispatch riders used/use a cloth shoulder patch emblem of a "winged wheel" which was/is different in detail depending on whether it was WWI, WWII or later (current) issue.

[Jim]

Thanks for the Canadian update, well, that narrows it down some. It is looking more like a "club pin" from the post WWII days though. Maybe some enterprising person was in the Army Air Corps and put his "old" wings to a new use. Keep looking guys!

Hjahn, that is not a skull on the front. It is a headlight . The scan of it here at my home is probably clearer than on the internet.


Hardly, I will send you a Private message on where this guys spot is at Oley.

Jim