Patches
Some point during 2022, 'GAP' seemed to vanish from the patch making world, leaving a big 'gap' (he he) in the hobby. Everyone suddenly started asking me where was the best place to obtain patches from was, nobody was making anything accurate... so everyone was at a loss. One guy stepped in to start making a version of the 101st type1 patch, but then said he wasn't going to make them anymore. A company in the US has started making them, but they are not considered 'cost effect' by us and others; and with shipping and taxes to go on top, it's simply not viable, no matter how good they are. So, getting fed up with this situation, I decided one day to tackle this issue once and foreall. With nothing but determination to solve this and a load of really good books that I had purchased over the last year or so, I set out to a local embroidery company. I arrived unexpected and asked if they could make patches. NO, we don't make patches. I explained that these are not really patches, but embroided onto cloth and that I didn't want them cutting out, it is simple embroidery on cloth... exactly like the T-shirts that they were infact doing in front of where I was standing! The guy went away and checked with someone else, who I could see looking rather puzzled in background, the answer was still a resounding 'no', but they did give me a different local company to try. I went straight away, I walked in, spoke with a guy behind the desk (Ian) and he referred me to a young lady called Leanne and said she would look after me. I got out a few books, explained what I needed and wanted. I showed her a handful of original patches and said that that what we need to make need to look 'exactly' like these. There was a few glitches in the matrix at the start with the designer doing things his way, but that was soon ironed out. Leanne has gone above and beyond on this mission and I think is learning lots of absolutely loads useless knowledge as a result of my invasion. What I discovered, was not only how easy it is to sort this out (with Leannes help of course), but how inexpensive it can be. These 3 101st patch are the first attempt! Compare them to the originals in the photographs and decided for yourself, all our patches will be priced at between £8.00 and £9.99. The more you buy, the more discount I can give you, remember, we do this for the hobby and to help support our group.
So the good news... they'll be as cheap as I can make them. They'll be as perfect looking and as close to the originals as I can possibly make them...
The bad points... don't go 'raving' in them, as you'll light up the room like a floodlight. I'm not creating fakes, these are to be used by re-enactors and living historians.
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HOW TO ORDER - As we have created these for everyone in the hobby, including ourselves, the prices are kept down, nothing here is automated, we believe in good old communication with likeminded individuals... so you have to click 'contact us' and send us a message, telling us what you want to purchase using the codes in the PDF and I will reply. This is of course a little slower than an automated served, but you'll get a better deal, you'll pay the correct postage, sometimes you'll get discount or free things thrown in too. If you really want an automated service, you can go on ebay and and find us, user name 'missdrop44'... yes they are more money... will they be shipped any quicker... NOPE! You'll simple pay more...
So I understand that popping back and forth to a website is a pain in the arse... feel free to click on the pdf below and it'll give you a saveable pdf patch catalogue. It'll be updated each time new patches are designed and added, or when prices to patches become available.
101st SSI
Top photo - The 101st type 1, original on the left and our repro on the right. Perfectly sized, the eye doesn't match that type 1 example perfectly, but if you look at a handfull of them, there are tiny varations between each of them. The border could have done with being a little thicker, but that could be resized later.
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Middle photo - The 101st type 3, my rare original white tongue example in the centre, flanked by our reproductions, available in white and red tongue. I can also do a pink tongue version as these did exist, albeit very rare!
Bottom photo - The 101st type 15 'Ugly Bird'. Oddly one of my favourite 101st patches (assides from the type 8 of course), it's strange and almost parrot looking in its appearance which just sets it aside from the usual looking eagles.
Eventually almost all of the WW2 101st eagles will be produced, they are all already allocated on the pdf at the top of the page. Just in various stages of the manufacturing process... that pdf will be updated each time a new change is made.
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(thanks John Jarrett and Sarah for the corrections!)
All 101st types £7.99 each
(except Type 8)
Coming very shortly (or might be here already if I haven't updated this!)
Above Left - The stitch files of the earliest 101st patch of this style. OD border, it shares the almost idential design/style of the type 9. So these three are group together. Currently waiting its first test sew out! As amazin as Leanne is, she has other work to do and isn't sat waiting to fullfill my 'patching demands.
Above Centre and Right - The standard type 9 patch, all these are slightly larger than the standard size of 101st patches. An interesting thing to note is the early red 326th Airborne Engineers tab was fairly large when sewn with other 101st patches, so it is assumed it was first designed to go with and possible made by the same company who made the type 9 patch. So we will pair it with that. All these 3 are awaiting test sew out. If interested in any of these, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list
Left - The type 7, suspected as being one of the earlier 101st patches to be manufactured. This is very common within the 502nd and can be seen in lots of period photographs where identification of patches is possible. The tab on these should always be attached, they were never made as a 2 piece patch.
Waiting test sew out. If interested, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list
Right - The type 10, a much later patch, made from very late 1944 onwards. It came on both a dark blue and black backing cloths, unlike the tradition tan/khaki as most patches usually came on. This patch was made for a long time post war, as a result it is near impossible to tell the post war from the wartime if on either cloth colours.
These will be supplied on black cloth with uncut centres as these have been found by collectors. It is possible that this is a patch that could have been spefic to 502nd, as all the ones indentified to troopers have all been from that unit.
Waiting test sew out. If interested, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list
Above Left - The stitch file and patch of the type 17. An interesting patch that shows some details from the type 4 and 7, yet was different enough to earn its on 'type' classification. An extremely rare patch and one missing from most 101st patch collections.
Above Right - An interesting variation in a type 17 was the one issued to Doc Lage the regimental surgeoun of the 2nd Battalion 502nd PIR. For those unfamiliar with the name, he is the guy in classes that many people like to show when people start discussing how right/wrong it is to no wear glasses. Despite him being a trained surgeoun and not a combat soldier! He is known to have had a type 17 that contained an error, the beak was sewn on out of positition, probably a result of the patch being moved downwards on the frame somehow. How could we resist not offering our own Doc Lage version of this type 17 patch.
Both now available!
Type 8
£15
Above - The unusual 101st type 8 'Angry Bird' with its 3d looking feathers and slight hole in the beak, both these two patches don't show the backgroup as they are sewn directly onto the correct material and do not have a FE background. Awaiting test sew out... the velvet material has been found and purchased! If interested, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list
Below Left & Centre - The stitch files of the coming British type 1 (B-1) patch design and the 'British Ugly Bird' patch (B-3) that are currently waiting for the first test sew out. If interested, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list. Both these two British patches don't show the backgroup as they are sewn directly onto the correct material and do not have a FE background. Awaiting test sew out. (Space on the right reserved for B-2)
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82nd SSI
Coming very soon... Spurred on by my number one super fan, Andrew Holloway and with much laughter I'll be doing several versions of the 82nd patch as well. Stay tuned...
Left - The early OD edged 82nd patch, very similar to the early 101st OD edged patch. Very rare and unsual.
Waiting test sew out. If interested, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list
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See pdf for all the ordering codes and variations
Right - The most standard type of 82nd patch we will probably do. The small trail of stitches going from the base through the tab is a track of stitches that would then lead to the next patch to be made on the same piece of material. If the centre piece is left uncut, these would be seen. If you cut them out, thats fine too. Better to include them, than to not.
Waiting test sew out. If interested, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list
Left - Now who doesn't love a British Made patch, the colours will be slightly more 'washed out' that the regular patch, ignore the colours shown as that is just the software colours. The most interesting feature that we are adding to certain patches is the black backing thread. This British variant had that... so ours will to.
Waiting test sew out. If interested, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list
Right - Rare beyond belief, in fact some don't even believe this was a patch! However, it appears in several high qulaity airborne books. There was also a matching 101st patch (coming soon) with the number on too.
Waiting test sew out. If interested, contact me now and I will bump it up the priority list
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See pdf for all the ordering codes and variations
82-#
Parachute Cap Patch
At the same time as designing the first 3 101st patches, we started to design all these parachute cap patches. If we found a photograph of an original, then it was to be included as an option. These were to be made in FE (fully embroided onto backing cloth with the correct underlayers of stitching) and also offering those directly embroidered onto wool/felt (refered to as simply 'wool' from this point onwards) with a back material on the reverse. Only configurations that we had seen examples of are ever to be created. In the wool the following examples are currently available, left to right.
Parachute on Wool C-PW-#
ON WOOL
Top row - Infantry sky blue - Infantry medium blue - Infantry dark blue
Middle row - Artillery - Medical - Military Police
Bottom - ummm either I've forgotten what it is, or we made that in error!!! *updated* - Leanne made that patch in error and as she has a sense of humor, included it with all the others and didn't say anything to me... resulting in it being photographed and included on here... I guess it can stay!
Parachute Fully Embriodered C-PE-#
Full embroidered
Top row - Infantry sky blue - Infantry blue - Artillery
Bottom row - Medical - Signals - Quatermaster
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Bottom laid over - Military Police
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See pdf for all the ordering codes and variations
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Parachute on Twill C-PT-#
On cotton Twill
Parachutes on a coloured twill material with cheese cloth backing on the reverse just like the originals. Available in 8 variations, including Artilly, QM, Signals and two unit specific versions.
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464th PFAB - Parachute Field Artilley Battalion.
Yellow Border, White Parachute on Red cloth
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Available in mulitple other variaions, see pdf.
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C-PT-464
101st Glider Cap Patch
At the same time as designing the first 3 101st patches and all the parachute cap patches, we also did all the versions of the 101st glider patches! We've been bloody busy!!! Again, sticking to our guns, we only made configurations of examples that we saw photographs of. We are not here to make farby weird items that might not have ever existed. Like the parachute patches these came in both FE (fully embroided onto backing cloth with the correct underlayers of stitching) and also directly onto wool/felt (refered to as simply 'wool' from this point onwards) with back material on the reverse. left to right.
Glider on Wool C-GW-#
ON WOOL
Top row - Artillery - Infantry sky blue
Bottom row - Medical - Military Police
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See pdf for all the ordering codes and variations
Glider Fully Embriodered C-GE-#
Full embroidered
Top row - 801st Ordnance - Signals
Bottom row - Medical - Infantry sky blue - Artillery
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See pdf for all the ordering codes and variations
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Above Left - MP Military Police Above Right - QM Quatermaster 426th Airborne QM Company
Glider Fully Embriodered C-G2-#
Next on the cap patches being made is the more generic fully embroidered glider patches. Availalble in left and right facing and in 20 different variations, including different branches of service like Medical, Signals Artillery and QM.. See the pdf for all the ordering codes and variations.
C-G3-7
Glider patches are also available on a twill base, with cheesecloth backing just like the originals. Availalble in both left and right facing and in 12 different variations, including different branches of service like Medical, Signals, Artillery and QM. See the pdf for all the ordering codes and variations.
Glider on Twill C-G3-#
Para/Glide Cap Patches
On Black Base
508th PIR, 82nd Div.
Red Border, White Details on Black cloth
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C-PGs-#
~~~ There are lots of variations of the Para/Glide patch coming, including 'No Skis', 'Bomber', 4 versions of the British made types too ~~~
Unit Specific cap patches
325th Glider Infantry Regiment Garison Cap Patch
C-325-1
pics coming soon
88th / 326th Glider Infantry Regiment Garison Cap Patch
C-88/326-1
other airborne patches
505th Un-official bazooka patch - Sicily veterans
£6
A request that came in by a couple of guys (Cheers Alex Birch and Max Murray) this was a fun thing to do, only took about 30 mins once I got around to sorting it. Although it did involved all sorts of strange things, like measuring medal ribbon bars, measure the distance between pockets... then considering the original is faded to hell and back, working on the original colours was fun!
It can be seen being worn on the left front pocket flap of the top pocket on the M42, as well as other positions like on arms.
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The test sew out was amazing, even showing a variation with a gap between the 'pipe' and lightnight flash.
regular infantry patches
29th Division
Along with the many request for airborne patches, came this nice oddity. The 29th Rangers 'title' or 'flash' or what ever else people want to call these things. Sewn to the same size, scale, same direction of thread and matched almost perfectly to the example we copied. This is the result! Very pleased... albeit not something I need myself.
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£9 for a pair, or £2 for the runs of three as they came out the machine. Why 3 you ask... its just fits nicely, that's the only reason!
£9 a pair, or 3 (as above) for £12
29th SSI are done too!
USMC patches
Well, something I didn't account for when I started this patch project was the random things that people might ask for and what is lacking in the hobby. Apprently almost all USMC raider impressions are using the wrong type of patches... well we can't have that, can we!
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Awaiting test sew outs!
USAAF patches
Airforce! OK, so technically not army... although neither is the USMC, so when I got a request for a 602nd Bomb Squadron pocket patch with a giant Goofy on it, how could I resist the challenge!
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Awaiting the test sew out!
Also coming soon with be the rare OVAL 8th Airforce patch.
Aircraft & Engine companies
So these random patches are my fault! I discovered one and thought... HMMMMM that's interesting and rare and I wonder if anyone would be interested. I pinged a couple of messages out there and YES! Definetly an interest. So these entered the que to be designed... now they are waiting the test sew outs.
Mustang P51
Clarkson &
Startz
Boeing
Allison Engines
Patch King
As soon as we mentioned patches on FB, I could hear 'ping', 'ping', 'ping', 'ping', 'ping'..... as the questions and interest... sorry, 'excitement' of messages started to flood in.
A new Facebook group was setup as an easy method of sharing all the patches, manufacturing and other things related. We are working on doing all of the infantry divisions... not only one patch of each but several versions. Including World War one, the interwar years as well as World War two. And WOW do some of them look amazing!!!
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Click the banner below for a link to the Facebook group.
