Click on the images to see a larger version and the back of the wing/badge
NOTE: I've included this wing since it is so similar to the aviation badges and often confused as an aviation badge itself. This was actually worn by tank drivers. Rudy D'Angelo's description of the badge is as follows. "These are the models and variations I've been able to find. The tanks are the L3, the L6 and the Fiat 2000. The official name was "Pilota Di Mezzi" Corrazzati which literally translates to "Pilot of armored means" or armored vehicle or tank pilot/driver/navigator. These wings were privately purchased and issued at tank schools from 1935-1943. They are non-regulation items. The Italian Army was going to issue a final regulation for the tank pilot but the war ended in September 1943 before the official regulation was put in effect. These continued to be worn even into the R.S.I. period of 1943-1945. There is no official regulation as to why the tank appears above or below the eagle (the only importance was the vehicle the pilot was trained for) or the metals and size used be we can assume, since all these were made by the same companies that made the official Pilot wings, that they were of different sizes depending on the type of uniform of the day the pilot would be wearing. There are also lapel badges for the tank pilot as there were for the Air Force pilots to be worn on civilian jackets when the man went out in civilian dress."
Width:
Height:
Hallmark:
Pin/Clutch:
Contributor:
Date Added:
Pin
Width:
Height:
Hallmark:
Pin/Clutch:
Contributor:
Date Added:
Pin
Rudy A. D'Angelo Collection
1/2/2004
Width:
Height:
Hallmark:
Pin/Clutch:
Contributor:
Date Added:
Note:
Courtesy of S. Andreanelli
2/12/2004
A rare period photo of a tank pilot wearing this type of badge.
