Click on the images to see a larger version and the back of the wing/badge
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"Extremely rare, the Irish Army Air corps pilot wing in Sterling is a most well-made thick, robust and surprisingly heavy piece of Irish silver work, balanced with elegance, organic coloration and undulation. The Irish Army Air corps (attached to the Army) was a small Force from a neutral WWII Ireland. There were few officers to fill pilot needs at the beginning of what Ireland called "The Emergency" and therefore in 1943 was initiated a Flying Sergeants program that turned out 13 in the first year. There were 163 interdictions regarding escorted emergency landing, forcing the landing of belligerent Nations' aircraft that had violated Irish airspace, warning off belligerent Nation aircraft and crash landings. These led to long term, strong relationships amongst the Germans, Brit etc pilots and the Irish pilots who escorted them down in many cases . There were countless barrage balloon malfunctions in England and Scotland which became dangerous obstacles in the flight path of the RAF Ferry command, RAF Transport Command, Air Transport Auxiliary etc and the Irish cleared these impediments faithfully and consistently. Ireland was one of the most non-neutral, neutral nations in history and contributed many pilots to the RAF including 13 bonafide aces at the top of their game, the top Irish RAF ace with 28 victories. The Irish used as their most modern fighter, the Hawker Hurricane for interdiction incidents and the Gloucester Gladiator for visual patrol duties.
On the top obverse tier is set a roundel shield with a perfect pair of concentric circles. The outer circle includes the inscription Óglaiġ na h-Éireann (Irish volunteers). The Irish font stylized "FF" ie Fianna Fa'il, is in the inner circle; Fianna is the name of a third century version of a military force on the Irish Island and Fa'il is a term that means Destiny but you must look back to what Ireland was called over the years innishfa'il" which means "island of destiny" and so it basically means Army of Ireland or Army of the Isle of destiny
The makers mark J.M.C⁰ is from Jewelry & Metal Manufacturing Company of Dublin which began business in the 1920s until 1970. The following assay marks are 1) The Hibernia mark indicative of Irish silver which is the lady sitting with the branch in her hand. 2) the crowned harp which is the city Mark of Dublin 3) the silver was stamped prior to being die-struck so the final letter, confirmed by the other known example and by the shape of the letter itself which remains in view, is the letter C which signifies 1944, precisely when a wing of this design would have been made for the small Irish Army Air Corps. "
- Description of the top badge courtesy of Mel R. E. "mtnman""
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Mel R. E. "mtnman" Collection
08/31/2021
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Tod Rathbone Collection
12/17/2002
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Tod Rathbone Collection
12/17/2002
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All electronic scans remain the copyright of Bob Schwartz or the specific contributors and cannot be reproduced by either digital, electronic, electrostatic or lithographic or by any other means without expressed permission from the originator of the web site or its contributors.
Aviation Wings and Badges of the World Wars
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