Incised Italian operations USAAF squadron patch...well, kind of ;-)

[ties70]

Hi guys,

it's been a while since I last posted one of my patches, but after two months here in Spain, I caught the bug again...

No reason for you to ask about the squadron...it doesn't exist!

The patch is a pure work of fiction, with two ideas behind it:

1. I always liked the insignia if the 85th FS....I just wondered, why they never did it more detailed and more "artsy".

(Copyright by MASH, Japan)

2. Then, on FB, I found this, designed by comic book artist Eric Herenguel

...and decided to merge them into my own design.
I incised the leather, as would be authentic for squadrons operating in MTO / Italy, changed the colors and added some more details.

Hope, you like it!
As I contacted Eric Herenguel prior to posting this here, I can assure you that he approved my work! Thanks Eric!!

Take care!

Ties

 

[Brettafett]

Absolutely love your work Ties!
I keep saying I want to give it a go... Just time.

Say, where'd get your leather and what paints you use? Enamels?

 

[ties70]

Brett,

my leather usually comes from an almost 100 year-old family business in Hamburg, called Leder-Detmer. Usually, I just take their natural, untanned pigskins or the goat, but they have basically everything....sometimes even decade old hides from animals that you can't hunt or slaughter anymore.

The leather used for this patch is probably 10 years old and has darkened considerably.

The paint is normally heavily diluted acrylics (yes, they were not around in WWII, but so wasn't the horse our jackets are made of today, or the sewing machines, and at AEROLEATHER they are not working for USD 2.50/week, still), that I apply rather thinly to avoid any plasticy appearance.

Of course, I could make everything with enamels, as well.

Everything will be sealed with Tandyleather Satine Shene (not applied to this patch, yet).

Ties

 

[Terry le Pirat]

Beautiful design and beautifully done! Very nice with the B-3? jacket!
Regards,
Jerry

 

[ties70]

Beautiful design and beautifully done! Very nice with the B-3? jacket!
Regards,
Jerry

Yeah, it's a B-3....I will add the collar straps next time

 

[Cocker]

Great job, Ties! Eric is a stand-up guy, with a keen eye for WW2 art and flight jacket restoration!

 

[flyincowboy]

NICE JOB Very impressive youv'e got a very good talent ! congratulation.

 

[busdrivermike]

Awesome, I love the idea of a fictional squadron patch

 

[Spitfireace]

Looks fabulous! Nice work!

 

[B-Man2]

Ties
You’ve got skills ... no doubt about it.

 

[Spitfireace]

Brett,

my leather usually comes from an almost 100 year-old family business in Hamburg, called Leder-Detmer. Usually, I just take their natural, untanned pigskins or the goat, but they have basically everything....sometimes even decade old hides from animals that you can't hunt or slaughter anymore.

The leather used for this patch is probably 10 years old and has darkened considerably.

The paint is normally heavily diluted acrylics (yes, they were not around in WWII, but so wasn't the horse our jackets are made of today, or the sewing machines, and at AEROLEATHER they are not working for USD 2.50/week, still), that I apply rather thinly to avoid any plasticy appearance.

Of course, I could make everything with enamels, as well.

Everything will be sealed with Tandyleather Satine Shene (not applied to this patch, yet).

Ties

I think using enamel paints gives a patch a "more plasticy look". That's what they would have used, but it then cracks, and chips, and yellows. Hard to replicate that. Also I think that modern reproductions are generally too detailed. I don't think at the time they had a lot of greatly skilled artists making these patches. They were more rudimentary. That's not a criticism of your patch. Just an observation.

 

[Thomas Koehle]

Another work of art!

Congrats for your skills Ties!

 

[ausreenactor]

Not sure how I missed this...

More stunning work Ties.