Sterling Wings! Who?What?When?Where?

[DiggerBug]

Donna (Nana40) and I were hunting a new spot for the second time. We hit the back yard today and I found these wings right out from the back door.
They are marked Sterling on both inside wings. I have found similar ones online but they are all flat. Why are these curved? Are they aviation wings or what?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

Harley?

 

[Montana Jim]

I dunno about Harley - but it sure looks hood-orimantish, or trophy/statueish.

Sterling though, so thats pretty cool!

 

[Jeff In North Georgia]

Looks like a WWII silver military metal like (http://www.hdwt.net/jherke3.html) that has been altered to make some type of jewelry.

My guess.

Jeff

 

[warsawdaddy]

Kinda reminds me of a WW11 instructor(non-military)hat insigna.They had them to instruct 'observers/pilots'.If only the center emblem was still on it.Several wings resemble it,paratrooper,chaplin(s),medical,etc.And all Services had them.Almost definetly WW11 era.

All of the above is just guess work with a very vague memory,please take with a grain of salt.Goodluck on identifying.Nice find!

 

[DCMatt]

My first thought was bicycle badge. But it's pretty fancy for a bike...

DCMatt

 

[AeroMike]

You have found a US army air corp badge, congrats! it is silver and normally would have been flat and not rounded, (someone obviously bent it) and on the back on the tips of the wings, you will see where the pin posts would have been. This is how the soldier attached the badge to the uniform. The clasps that would have gone on the posts are nick-named "damn its" because that is what we said when we lost them, lol

On the front of yours, it looks like it would have been a prop (propeller) but the blades are broken off on yours.

Here is what it would have looked like complete.

 

[DiggerBug]

Thanks everyone! I don't believe it's Harley related. I agree with the military comments. The closest ones I have found were the Observer and the Air Corp propeller wings. I did find a WAC one that was similar too.
My best guess was the same as AeroMike's. I believe the propeller was broken off. No they were not in the hole with the wings. I triple checked, then searched in a circle from the hole out.
The curiosity of why they bent it dumbfounds me!

Thanks again ya'll! Your all just great!

 

[Montana Jim]

I do not believe it was bent that way - but made that way... that accounts for the three mounting/connecting points. IMO

 

[warsawdaddy]

I do not believe it was bent that way - but made that way... that accounts for the three mounting/connecting points. IMO

I agree Jimmy ... I feel the door is still open on this ID ... If it was "MODIFIED" there would be more tell tale signs ...



~ Nick ~

PS IMHO

As an ex-machinist,I agree with you both.No way was it bent/folded after it was manufactured.Oh,imo.

 

[Montana Jim]

I have been looking at wings till my eyes bled... and offer this site to back my opinion that while it may represent some military thing, it's not a pair of uniform aviation wings.

I've checked all the American entries, but none of the foreign entries.

Bookmark the site - it's a great resource!

http://www.ww2wings.com/main.shtml

 

[DiggerBug]

After studying it closely I don't believe that it was modified either. The metal does not look stretched on the outside or crimped on the inside from bending.
It could still be military wings, but what were they made for? It wouldn't be practical on a hat, too small for a bracelet, too big for a cane. You wouldn't put sterling silver on a flag pole? I don't know?

 

[DiggerBug]

LOL! Me too Jim! I've been looking at them for 2 days!

 

[warsawdaddy]

Here's another site to look at;

http://www.1903.com/categoryList.asp?categoryID=1

 

[DiggerBug]

These are great sites and there are many more.

Here's a US Army Air Force Cadet cap badge with the propeller though it's not silver. This site also has a similar one that's a US Army Air Force officer branch insignia.
http://snyderstreasures.com/gallery/uspilot/USArmyCadetCapF

I said I had seen a WAC wing insignia but it was a WASP
http://www.1903.com/productView.asp?productID=506

 

[AeroMike]

I am still standing by my original reply and I do believe it was bent on purpose. I do not believe it to be made in this form, look closely at the ends, they do not matck up on the bends. I have seen these wings found in Germany in an allied POW camp by a fellow military detectorist and they look indentical except Bob's was flat.

In WW2, the Army Air Corps service wings were silver, too bad I do not live in Savannah, Georgia, they have the Army 8th Air Corps museum there and could tell if it is definately Air Corps or not.

Is there any maker marks at all? I doubt since the front is worn in the middle, but check on the back.

 

[AeroMike]

Here is the back of the cadet badge, notice the middle post has the screw type fastener and in your pic it is the same size except missing. Also notice the end pins on the back and again yours are missing. My best educated guess is that someone busted off the pins and post on the back and bent it to fit around something, what this 'something" is ido not know.

 

[Montana Jim]

Mike! Good work on the three prong thing... that was a stumbling block for me...

Now, can we match that center design to a real pair of wings, broken props or not?

 

[Peerless67]

 

[Peerless67]

AAF Cadet Hat Badge, Note the double row of feathers along the top, the other is AAF Branch insignia