Quote:
Originally posted by Dave Block
I had such good response to my previous question that I've decided to risk 'going to the well once too often' 
Can anyone ID these wings? Are they even from RCAF? Someone suggested they might be South African in origin.
TIA, Dave
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Short answer...I'm not sure. But here is what I think they are and why. They are not a national air force patch as those have the country below the eagle....or albatross! (I'll get into that later) With no nationality on the patch, that means it is most likely a qualification badge. Everybody agree with me so far? The fact that the bird is on a black background points to the Navy. I know that back in WWI officers of the Royal Navy Air Service wore an eagle/albatross patch on their sleeve above their rank, so my guess: R.N.A.S. or R.C.N.A.S. arm patch. I don't think its S.A.A.F. because all the S.A.A.F. patches I've seen were irregular and roughly followed the outline of the eagle so the patch wasn't rectangular.
So, is it an Eagle or an Albatross? Naval air service types wouldn't accept a land-locked bird as a symbol so they have steadfastedly maintained that the bird on the patch is an Albatross. However, here is the official description of the RCAF patch, which was copied from the RAF patch as approved by H.M. the King on Jan. 1943:
“an eagle volant affronte, the head lowered and to the sinister.”
Hope this info helps.
CHIMO