Can any one ID this?

It's WW II vintage.

http://www.mts.net/~rsveinsn/

"Ancient Mariner" wrote in message
...
Maybe not. Check

http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/usaaf/usaafobserver.shtml


Answer from Can.community.military

I believe it to be an Operational Tours Badge, non-standard. Usually
the "O" is open and there are 8 lines of feathers. Size would be 41mm
wide and 10 high and made from gilt brass.


Cheers
CJ Adams

This is what I believed it to be, but I am searching for more
info.
Thanks to CJ Adams

Robert

"Robert Sveinson" wrote in message
...

"Ancient Mariner" wrote in message
...
Maybe not. Check

http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/usaaf/usaafobserver.shtml


Answer from Can.community.military

I believe it to be an Operational Tours Badge, non-standard. Usually
the "O" is open and there are 8 lines of feathers. Size would be 41mm
wide and 10 high and made from gilt brass.


Cheers
CJ Adams

Do you some more about this?
I believed that it was only awarded to RCAF aircrew who
completed a tour of operations. If the crewman completed
another tour a small plaque was attached by a chain link
below the wings.
What sparked this search was seeing a display of Andrew Mynarski's
medals in a frame on the wall of the St. George Hotel
at Middleton St. George, the RCAF airbase where he was stationed
at the time of his death. The St. George Hotel was the Officers Mess
during WW II.
AFIK he hadn't completed enough ops to be "tour expired",
but along with his medals there was one of these badges.
I have only seen a couple on TV on the lapels of some WW II
aircrew vets, and that one in the hotel is the only one that I have
seen "in real life".

Was this badge awarded to Mynarski by the appropriate military
authority, or was it added to his display for sentimental reasons only.
If it was awarded by the appropriate authority could one expect
that it was awarded to all RCAF aircrew who died on "ops"?

I have only seen these wings relating to RCAF aircrew, and
it has been a well kept secret (from me at least) as I have only
read one book that refers to these wings and plaques.
The book is : Chronicles Of A Nervous Navigator
by
John Iverach (RCAF)

I had read his book many years ago and his reference to the
"tour wings" and "bars" but I did not remember this.

After I had seen the wings at Middleton St George I re-read
Iverach's book, not because I remembered his tour wings, but
for another reason.

That started my quest which except for the picture that I posted
has remained fruitless. The picture that I posted, believe it or
not I got from EBAY!

Any more help will be appreciated.

Robert

On Sat, 29 Mar 2008 21:18:38 -0500, "Robert Sveinson"
wrote:

It's WW II vintage.

http://www.mts.net/~rsveinsn/



Robert:

The pin is the Operational Tour Wings pin which was awarded to
individuals who completed a certain number of tours. For Bomber
Command it was 30 sorties and Fighter Command it was 200 hours
Offensive and 400 Hours Defensive, Night Fighters: 100 Hours or
18months. These numbers changed during the war.

It was also exclusively a Canadian award.

Ken Murphy

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"Ken Murphy" wrote in message
...

Robert:

The pin is the Operational Tour Wings pin which was awarded to
individuals who completed a certain number of tours. For Bomber
Command it was 30 sorties and Fighter Command it was 200 hours
Offensive and 400 Hours Defensive, Night Fighters: 100 Hours or
18months. These numbers changed during the war.

It was also exclusively a Canadian award.

Ken Murphy

Can you point me to anything with more
information?
Below is a copy of everything that I know
about it, and it is not much.
So far everyone that responded that knew what
it is has added one or two nuggets of knowledge.

I am astonished at how little is know about this award.
I have no excuse for my ignorance, except that I
first saw one in the summer of 2007 in England.

My previous post.

Do you some more about this?
I believed that it was only awarded to RCAF aircrew who
completed a tour of operations. If the crewman completed
another tour a small plaque was attached by a chain link
below the wings.
What sparked this search was seeing a display of Andrew Mynarski's
medals in a frame on the wall of the St. George Hotel
at Middleton St. George, the RCAF airbase where he was stationed
at the time of his death. The St. George Hotel was the Officers Mess
during WW II.
AFIK he hadn't completed enough ops to be "tour expired",
but along with his medals there was one of these badges.
I have only seen a couple on TV on the lapels of some WW II
aircrew vets, and that one in the hotel is the only one that I have
seen "in real life".
The ones that I saw on TV appeared to be silver coloured,
but their significance didn't jar my mind at all.

Was this badge awarded to Mynarski by the appropriate military
authority, or was it added to his display for sentimental reasons only.
If it was awarded by the appropriate authority could one expect
that it was awarded to all RCAF aircrew who died on "ops"?

I have only seen these wings relating to RCAF aircrew, and
it has been a well kept secret (from me at least) as I have only
read one book that refers to these wings and plaques.
The book is : Chronicles Of A Nervous Navigator
by
John Iverach (RCAF)

I had read his book many years ago and his reference to the
"tour wings" and "bars" but I did not remember this.

After I had seen the wings at Middleton St George I re-read
Iverach's book, not because I remembered his tour wings, but
for another reason.

That started my quest which except for the picture that I posted
has remained fruitless. The picture that I posted, believe it or
not I got from EBAY!

Any more help will be appreciated.

Robert



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Newsgroups
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On Mon, 31 Mar 2008 18:36:51 -0500, "Robert Sveinson"
wrote:


"Ken Murphy" wrote in message
.. .

snip
Any more help will be appreciated.

Robert


Hello again Robert.

I am enclosing a page scanned from an RCAF publication of badges. This
explains the reason for the award.

Limited steps towards creating Canadian Military honours were taken in
the middle of this century, beginning with a few unique medals during
the Second World War.
ref - http://www.forces.gc.ca/dhh/honours_...h/honsys_e.asp

With regards to the Ops Wing in the Mynarski display at the St. George
Hotel, I can give no explanation. He did not complete a tour,
therefore would not be eligible. You could call the hotel, or visit
there again. As you said, perhaps it was bestowed in his honour by an
admirer for sentimental reasons.

That is as far as I can go Robert. The Archivist at the Canadian
Warplane Heritage Museum where I volunteer has assisted, several of
the Educational Instructors who tell Mynarski's story have also
helped, having visited the statue at the hotel.

Further information may be gained by inquiring at the website I
referenced above.

Best wishes in your endeavors.

Ken Murphy
Oakville, ON

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"Ken Murphy" wrote in message
...

Ken

Thank you very much for all your effort on my behalf.
All my Googling accomplished was to find that
picture that I posted, and it was on EBAY.
My knowledge is much improved.

Robert