J Temple-West

Hi F, Looking at the aircraft he's in I wonder if the 'Flying Boot' emblem is for a training squadron. There is a book out on these units, I'll see if I can get hold of a copy.

reverse.

Juncker certainly had big quality control problems with these Flak badges, ranging from what you?d expect to the downright sloppy.

Reverse.

By no means mint, but in quite nice condition.

Stan, If you happen to have a set of digital callipers I would very much like to get some precise measurements of that 'DRGM' wreath. Height, width and thickness would be great.

Close, Rich. All zinc AG/FE badges look very similar. Another case of the makers working from the same designer's tech? drawings, me thinks. Juncker (left) Assmann (right)

Marc, Same flaw on this one..

?From a die?? is the right question, Johan. Some thoughts before leaping into the car for an evening out. If we look at the timeframe for early buntmetal RO/AG-AG/FE badges we must assume that on the institution of the AG/FE badge, manufacturers must have had stocks of RO/AG badges, or at least the dies to produce more badges, if necessary. Around the date of the institution of the AG/FE badge (22nd June 1942) the problem with the acquisition of raw materials must have been taking hold and plans for the use of zinc, as well as dies for zinc series, would have been on the drawing board, so rather than producing a new set of dies for the short term, I?m sure makers would have found it more cost effective putting the workforce to work finishing existing RO/AG badges as AG/FE by removing the bolts during the finishing process. This would explain the nice job found on types such as Richards? and others I?ve seen of a similar quality. As for the others such as the one shown by Steve? On receiving the order, it must have been something like ?Has anyone got a pair of pliers?. To date I?ve not seen a buntmetal AG/FE badge that differed in its die pattern from its RO/AG counterpart. I suppose it?s possible that examples are out there in buntmetal that were produced from the dies intended for zincers?

And a big 'WOW' from me too, Paul. Now you'll have to find a tuba to go with it.

A side by side comparison. So it would seem that BSW used various finishing techniques during production?.experimentation perhaps.

Then there's this example that I had the opportunity of handling recently? quite different from the norm.

Hi Stijn, Here's the finish, I think you'll agree, that we tend to look for on BSW gliders.

Wolfgang Schenck

Werner Hoffmann

Robert Olejnik

max-Hellmuth Ostermann

manfred Meurer

Albert Kesselring

Karl-Heinz Krahl

Josef Wurmheller

Josef Priller

Heinz Rokker

Heinz Marquart

Hartmann Grasser