Posted 8 years ago
ohmyflyguy
(83 items)
Here is a Vintage WW2 Ashtray Model from the 100th Bomb Group. It came from a long-time associate who had acquired it in the 1960's. Unlike other heavily used ashtrays of the period, the first owner kept a shine on the bird. It originally had an odd sized nose (too long and to round) festooned with cheek guns and supposedly once owned by a navigator. It was requested to correct the various flaws of its original casting and refinish the classic 100th Bomb Group (Square D) Markings and diagonal wing stripe.
These were cast by an airman working in an on-base smelter at Thorpe Abbotts AAF Base. This was one of many cast from collected fragments left over from repairs or accidents then sand-cast into models for the officer staff and dignitaries. Other components were scrounged from shops in London when airman went on leave. This is an excellent example of the breed and will now become a prominent display in a private collection in Colorado.
Nice looking piece-- great to have the history on it.
I am not a big fan of the changes to the piece-- I'd rather see an untouched original, even with incorrect configurations.
scott
Scott,
Your focus seems to be closer to Trench Art of vintage construction using battlefield items mainly shells of various sizes of mostly with brass construction. Such items that have their wonderful patina should be left as is. As an aviator who has most associates being pilots, I find many pilots have a different perception than the typical vintage artifact collector. In fact, they tend to search for or request that any vintage aircraft item be finished with pristine appearances and corrected outlines whenever possible. This accounts for the plethora of vintage aircraft models on the market missing critical parts such as wings or tail assemblies that most pilots (who are collectors) tend to ignore. For them the credo is, "If it doesn't look flyable, its not collectible". Regards, Tom SANDMAN OVERHAUL
I agree with Ohmyflyguy. I don't think of this style of work as even remotely akin to trench art. These are not made from trench-war scraps. Different league entirely.