WWII Squadron Patches (USAAF, USMC, RAF, etc.)

[Zemke Fan]

Here are my favorites:

61st Fighter Squadron (patch in my collection):

64th Fighter Squadron (one I'm trying to get duplicated):

Show us YOUR favorites!

 

[Zemke Fan]

Group Insignia, too!

Group Insignia for the 57th FG:

 

[PADDY]

Paddy's "WEE WILLIE" of course...!

Make the most of it, as it'll be one of the few times you get to see my "wee willie!" in public. Yes that gallant bee with the feisty sting in its tale of the 21st BS. I just love his characature of him holding a red bomb, ready to thrust it at the enemy!

BROKEN LINK REMOVED

 

[The Wingnut]

You already posted mine, ZF. I have a 61st patch waiting for the right opportunity to go on my A-2.

I'll put this up instead, more D.I. than sqn.

BROKEN LINK

Beware the Thunderbolt!

...and Paddy, a close personal friend's grandpa flew 'Wee Willie' on its second tour.

 

[Zemke Fan]

DIs

Hey Wingnut: Thanks for posting the 56th FG emblem. I'm looking into getting some DIs made up for this group as well as the 57th. The ones that I have seen in various places (for example):

BROKEN LINK

appear to be post-WWII to me. Now it is true that DIs were not generally in use in theater, but I want some for my Class A uniforms anyway!

ZF

PS: My 61st Squadron patch is too valuable to wear. Going to get some repros of that, too.

 

[jake431]

Here's one of mine, it was my Grandfather's bomb group, the 11th.

-Jake

 

[BellyTank]

Not all my favourites...

...but some various bits that are lying around here.
I do like my 9thAF scarf that serves as the backdrop though-

I've sold many patches recently, what you see here is the stuff that didn't sell.
The chenille Bulldog patch came off an M422-a jacket but I can't trace the squadron.

I'll have to go and hunt the rest out...
B
T

 

[Zemke Fan]

Yes that gallant bee with the feisty sting in its tale of the 21st BS. I just love his characature of him holding a red bomb, ready to thrust it at the enemy!

I'm pretty fond of that one, too. Also like these a lot:

From left to right: 418th NFS; 422nd NFS; 473rd BS

 

[Alan Eardley]

Patches

BT,

I love the 'Disney' 415th Night Fighter Squadron patch - I have one on a 1941 pattern Tanker jacket.

Alan

 

[Sefton]

Swell looking patches!

I'm wondering how you fellows attach your patches. I'm expecting a jacket from Aero and may want to place a patch on it sometime in the future. Did the original WWII A-2s have the patch sewn through to the lining (if the jacket is open you'd be able to see the threads) or did they open the lining,attach the patch and close the lining? After spending so much on this jacket I'd like to make any changes as close to the "original way" as possible. Thanks for your help. Sefton

 

[shamus]

most patches were sewn in the field and as far as I've seen were sewn through the lining. The army didn't issue them with patches as far as I know, but maybe someone has more info on that...

What did you buy from Aero?

 

[Sefton]

I bought an Aero real deal horsehide 1942 contract model in seal brown w/rust knits. It's been some time since I ordered the jacket. It seems that for the first time they actually ran out of horsehide in Scotland! I've been assured that my jacket will be the first one made when the horse arrives. Giddyup already! I can't wait much longer!

 

[Zemke Fan]

One of my favorites sold on eBay recently...

Here's a photo of *da-bear-on-da-bomb* patch. (Must have been a Chicago fellow in charge of patch development for the 473rd BS, dontcha think?)

Sefton: Shamus has it right. Most of the patches were sown through the lining as far as I know.

ZF

 

[nightandthecity]

The army didn't issue them with patches as far as I know, but maybe someone has more info on that...

Interesting point Shamus. I confess I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have the answer in my large library and its something I have never thought to ask vets themselves.

As far as I know for mandatory insignia (ranks, collar brass, etc) the same rules applied as to uniform: Enlisted would be issued and officers would be expected to buy from either government or private sources. Squadron patches however were not mandatory. Even at the group and squadron level they seem to have been for the most part voluntary, though it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s possible that in some units local HQ may have made them mandatory. To some extent Squadron patches existed in a kind of semi-official limbo: in principle they were approved by higher command, and all individual insignia were supposed to be submitted for approval by the Army?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s Heraldry Unit. In practice most designs seem to have never been submitted for approval and remained unofficial. Sometimes a unit had an officially approved insignia whilst actually using an unofficial locally accepted design. Given this situation it seems unlikely that many Squadron Patches were ever officially issued by the Army through QM channels, though it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s possible that some of the formally approved designs were.

At the local level, however, Group HQ?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s often operated a policy of official procurement. This was the case with the 385thBG of which I have some knowledge. 385th Group HQ even had a design contest for each squadron, the winners got a weekend pass. And they set up their own ?¢‚Ǩ?ìworkshop?¢‚Ǩ? to screen print them on canvas. But there was no rule saying you had to wear a patch, and they were never issued in the way the actual jacket was issued. Given the voluntary element in all this it is not surprising that even where ?¢‚Ǩ?ìofficial?¢‚Ǩ? patches were available many flyers had their own made by local craftsmen ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äú this was particularly common in Italy and the CBI.

As for how to attach it ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äú the great majority were sewn directly through both the leather and the lining, but again, there was no rule. I have seen them hand tacked through the leather only, I have seen them glued on, and of course some were painted directly onto the leather.

 

[Corey]

How about a little Navy representation?

Can't let you AAF guys dominate the thread. How about a classic Navy patch? Sorry, but apparently I'm too junior to the forum to post pictures, so a link will have to do.

VF-3: http://www.flightsuits.com/patch_vf3.html

 

[Zemke Fan]

Posting pictures

Corey... All you need to do is right mouse click on the photo you're interested in posting, copy the "properties" information, and then click on the little icon with sun/mountains. A dialog box will appear and you paste the url of the photo link. This will work so long as the Internet address of the photo doesn't change!

Brgds, General Z

BTW: This one is a favorite of mine, too!

 

[Corey]

Thanks!

Okay, I'll try and test this newfound ability with my favorite USMC patch, that of Pappy Boyington's VMF-214 Black Sheep. They might have been Leathernecks, but you gotta love the Corsair.

 

[Zemke Fan]

Leather patches signed by Boyington

Corey: Know a guy who worked the airshows in the 1970s with Pappy B. I'm thinking about purchasing several leather A-2 patches autographed by Boyington as well as some unsigned versions such as this. Send me a PM if you (or anyone else for that matter) are interested.

ZF

PS: Can also get AVG-1 patches and blood chits signed by PB.

 

[BellyTank]

USN

There are a couple of USN patches in my posting above;
top left and right- and maybe the chenille Bulldog patch is USMC Aviation but I can't be sure.

Felix.

 

[PADDY]

Here are a few of my favourite things...

I have a few here that I took pics of ages ago. Also a couple stored away in the loft in an old suitcase (which I'll try to dig out at some point).

First is of the 500th BS (APACHES); Second is the 90th FS; Third is one of the FLYING EIGHT BALLS squadrons (just had a mental block on that one for now!).