The full size metal parachute wings that have two pins on the back and not three pins liked the issued type are actually American manufactured wings. I have them in my collection and have seen them in two different American Defence Contractor catalogues. They are easy to notice due to the different shaped maple leaf on the wings.
The strange thing I cannot figure out is why the contractors made the wings with a "white leaf". Since foreign jumpers are not issued the white leaf and are issued the red leaf. I have had a few British jumpers complain to me that their country issue Canadians the proper wing for an airborne status jumper, but we do not.
As for the metal wing with the red canopy, I have seen it in William Scully's catalogue. What I heard it was made as a prototype when they made the first metal wings. One wing had a white canopy/leaf and the other had a red canopy/leaf.
Seen once at a surplus store here in Ottawa a cloth subdued wing with an orange maple leaf. Was told by the owner of the store that it was the prototype for the Para-Rescue wing. Never thought anything of it, should have bought one at the time.
The foreign subdued wing that has the black wing, with red leaf and black border is manufactured here in Canada by a guy in Quebec and isn't used by the Americans. There was also one made with a white leaf.
Thanks to the internet creating a big interest in military collecting Canada has become loaded out there with fake and fantasy badges. Getting as bad as the United States (mostly Vietnam related) and Germany (most World War 2 related) collecting fields.
The strange thing I cannot figure out is why the contractors made the wings with a "white leaf". Since foreign jumpers are not issued the white leaf and are issued the red leaf. I have had a few British jumpers complain to me that their country issue Canadians the proper wing for an airborne status jumper, but we do not.
As for the metal wing with the red canopy, I have seen it in William Scully's catalogue. What I heard it was made as a prototype when they made the first metal wings. One wing had a white canopy/leaf and the other had a red canopy/leaf.
Seen once at a surplus store here in Ottawa a cloth subdued wing with an orange maple leaf. Was told by the owner of the store that it was the prototype for the Para-Rescue wing. Never thought anything of it, should have bought one at the time.
The foreign subdued wing that has the black wing, with red leaf and black border is manufactured here in Canada by a guy in Quebec and isn't used by the Americans. There was also one made with a white leaf.
Thanks to the internet creating a big interest in military collecting Canada has become loaded out there with fake and fantasy badges. Getting as bad as the United States (mostly Vietnam related) and Germany (most World War 2 related) collecting fields.