Are these original wings?

[CRBeery]

I came across these heavily worn wings and decided to buy them. They are heavily padded and heavily worn. They came with a New Zealand pair in the same condition. Any one know if they are original and what era they are from?

Edited December 8, 2015 by CRBeery

[Tony]

Chet mate, they look South African to me, this site shows them on a WWII Belgian uniform worn by a pilot who got his wings with the SAAF http://www.be4046.eu/RAF1.htm

 

[Chris Boonzaier]

Indeed, South African 1940s I think.

[Odulf]

All of the South African pilot's wings from that period are heavily padded. It looks all right to me.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

I think most wartime ones were not, padding seems to have become populat either at the end of the war or a bit later?

[Odulf]

Here is mine, also padded. But when looking at the back and the stitching, it looks like the padding was more of a private job and not an official issue. Mine is from an undisputed source (the man served in the SAAF in England during the war).

[CRBeery]

Look at the stiching! They look the same. Odulf has the wings as issued and have them after they have been through a war. I don't think my pair has any real monetary value but along with the NZ pair I posted they represent some "been there" pieces. 

As the wear is so heavy on both is it possible for one pilot to have worn both on the same uniform? I don't think I have seen such a photo.

[Brett Hendey]

I have the similar wings of a SAAF fighter pilot from the tunic he left with his father in 1943 while on leave after the North African campaign.   He returned to his squadron and went to Italy, where he was shot down and killed.  His father gave me the wings and all the buttons from the tunic.  I will post a photograph later.

Brett