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44th Bomb Group

Yardstick

Well-Known Member
I'm a big fan of those units where each constituent squadron used a unique version on the Group insignia. In the PTO there was the 90th BG with its squadron specific 'Jolly Roger' patches and the 22nd BG with colour coded versions of the 'Red Raiders' Group patch for each squadron. However, one of my favourites is the 44th Bomb Group of the 8th AAF. I love the simplicity of the 'Flying Eightballs' Group insignia and how this was adapted to each squadron with a different a coloured nose for the caricatured eightball. A few years back I made a couple of 44th BG patches in multi-piece felt but was never completely happy with how they came out. After much detective work and access to higher resolution images, I worked out the original patches were edged in robe braided cord trimming to give them a 3D relief effect. It took me a while to track down the right sort of cord and work out the technique used to attach it but having done this, I have now finished two more multi-piece patches with the correct cord trimming but also managed to retrofit cord to the original two. For good measure I also knocked up a canvas version of the 67th BS Flying Eightballs patch to complete the set.

So here there are: 66th BS (red nose), 67th BS (yellow), 68th BS (white - this one is a later variation where the base of the nose was yellow for all squadrons with only the tip coloured differently) and 506th BS (green). The bottom patch was used by the headquarters / tower personnel and combines all 4 squadron colours as well as a 'stop/go' sign and the 'Flying Control' motif. The final pic is an original 506th BS patch for reference.

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B-Man2

Well-Known Member
I'm a big fan of those units where each constituent squadron used a unique version on the Group insignia. In the PTO there was the 90th BG with its squadron specific 'Jolly Roger' patches and the 22nd BG with colour coded versions of the 'Red Raiders' Group patch for each squadron. However, one of my favourites is the 44th Bomb Group of the 8th AAF. I love the simplicity of the 'Flying Eightballs' Group insignia and how this was adapted to each squadron with a different a coloured nose for the caricatured eightball. A few years back I made a couple of 44th BG patches in multi-piece felt but was never completely happy with how they came out. After much detective work and access to higher resolution images, I worked out the original patches were edged in robe braided cord trimming to give them a 3D relief effect. It took me a while to track down the right sort of cord and work out the technique used to attach it but having done this, I have now finished two more multi-piece patches with the correct cord trimming but also managed to retrofit cord to the original two. For good measure I also knocked up a canvas version of the 67th BS Flying Eightballs patch to complete the set.

So here there are: 66th BS (red nose), 67th BS (yellow), 68th BS (white - this one is a later variation where the base of the nose was yellow for all squadrons with only the tip coloured differently) and 506th BS (green). The bottom patch was used by the headquarters / tower personnel and combines all 4 squadron colours as well as a 'stop/go' sign and the 'Flying Control' motif. The final pic is an original 506th BS patch for reference.

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Outstanding work!
We really do have some amazingly talented people here .
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
I'm a big fan of those units where each constituent squadron used a unique version on the Group insignia. In the PTO there was the 90th BG with its squadron specific 'Jolly Roger' patches and the 22nd BG with colour coded versions of the 'Red Raiders' Group patch for each squadron. However, one of my favourites is the 44th Bomb Group of the 8th AAF. I love the simplicity of the 'Flying Eightballs' Group insignia and how this was adapted to each squadron with a different a coloured nose for the caricatured eightball. A few years back I made a couple of 44th BG patches in multi-piece felt but was never completely happy with how they came out. After much detective work and access to higher resolution images, I worked out the original patches were edged in robe braided cord trimming to give them a 3D relief effect. It took me a while to track down the right sort of cord and work out the technique used to attach it but having done this, I have now finished two more multi-piece patches with the correct cord trimming but also managed to retrofit cord to the original two. For good measure I also knocked up a canvas version of the 67th BS Flying Eightballs patch to complete the set.

So here there are: 66th BS (red nose), 67th BS (yellow), 68th BS (white - this one is a later variation where the base of the nose was yellow for all squadrons with only the tip coloured differently) and 506th BS (green). The bottom patch was used by the headquarters / tower personnel and combines all 4 squadron colours as well as a 'stop/go' sign and the 'Flying Control' motif. The final pic is an original 506th BS patch for reference.

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Amazing! No seven year old could master that! ;)
 

Yardstick

Well-Known Member
Thanks all for the kind words.

Very nice job. You should be proud of all your hard work. About how long does each patch take you to do?
It varies wildly. For the embroidered stuff, the more stitches the longer it takes. For a simple patch maybe 10-12 hours, for a more complex fully embroidered patch like the 70th Troop Carrier Sq that I posted a couple of weeks ago, upwards of 50 hours.

These 44th BG patches are probably about 10-15 hours each. I had to experiment to find the best way to do the cord piping but got better/quicker with each patch.

The painted canvas patch was pretty quick about 3 hours all told. I sealed the canvas with gesso and drew the design freehand. Since the canvas was sealed, the paint went on very easily and only needed a single coat.
 

Cocker

Well-Known Member
Love those! I have a soft spot for the 68th BS as this is the squadron "my" B-24 in Target for Today belongs to.

Say, how much would one of these set me back?
 

Son of an 8 Ball

New Member
Thanks all for the kind words.


It varies wildly. For the embroidered stuff, the more stitches the longer it takes. For a simple patch maybe 10-12 hours, for a more complex fully embroidered patch like the 70th Troop Carrier Sq that I posted a couple of weeks ago, upwards of 50 hours.

These 44th BG patches are probably about 10-15 hours each. I had to experiment to find the best way to do the cord piping but got better/quicker with each patch.

The painted canvas patch was pretty quick about 3 hours all told. I sealed the canvas with gesso and drew the design freehand. Since the canvas was sealed, the paint went on very easily and only needed a single coat.
Do you contract for individuals to create patches? If so how much fir a flying 8 ball with red bill? Have my fathets original but it is framed and I'm looking for one for my new A2 reproduction jacket
 
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