Bob Lee WING WHAT YEAR IS IT?

[old wi bowyer]

Wing Red Wing Hunter 58" 54# RW 15916 Brown Glass
Reddish wood, Not Head or AMF,before them, can any one tell me what year it might be? Please PM or e-mail me. Thanks    [email protected]

[Kelly]

1966, Bubinga handle, chocolate brown glass, bubinga/white tip overlays. Great shooting bow!

[Stumpkiller]

How wide are the tips?

But I agree with '66 or possibly a '67.

[old wi bowyer]

The tips are 5/8" wide at the top of the string groove. Thanks

[Kelly]

Definitely not a 1967-they were totally different handle wood and different shape and decal. Also in 1967 they went to AMO measurement which created a longer bow. AMO measured to the string groove nocks in the tips-prior to that Wing measured to the end of limb tip. Also in 1967 Wing moved from Houston to Jacksonville and used a water transfer, white colored see thru decal, which eventually had the words Div of Head Ski added to the bottom. In Houston they used a gold embossed decal. Finally 1967 Red Wing Hunters serial numbers started with an R-????.

[old wi bowyer]

PM sent to Stumpkiller. Thanks

[Stumpkiller]

PM received - but I'll share.  ;-)


5/8" tips help helps age it a bit; as does whether they are smoothed or "blocky" and less shaped.

Here are three Red Wing Hunters - most recent (a Head version) on the left is post 1968. In the middle is a Wing with the silkscreened labels: 1966 to 1968 perhaps? On the right is older still. I suspect 1964 to 1966, but it may be older.

   

Wing was making 1500 bows a week, but the serial numbers are four digit. I suspect they went 1000 to 9999 and then back to 1000 to start over.


AMF/Head is more recent (I don't own one of those).

The early bow weighs about 30% less than the later two. It also is a bit "sensitive" and critical of form, like a Ferrari or Maserati, and the first one I had the tips snapped off when I had an arrow nock break and the bow dry-fired. I love it and treasure it, but I can see why Bob Lee widened the tips.

[old wi bowyer]

Thanks

[Bernie B.]

That's good information Stumpkiller.  Thanks for posting the "tip" pictures and approximate years of manufacture.  My Red Wings have all been post 1968 and to me are still one of the finer shooting recurves out there.

Bernie Bjorklund

NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin

[Sean B]

I have an early 60's RWH, its a solid bow, should I be weary of the tips?

[Kelly]

Originally posted by Stumpkiller:
PM received - but I'll share.  ;-)


5/8" tips help helps age it a bit; as does whether they are smoothed or "blocky" and less shaped.

Here are three Red Wing Hunters - most recent (a Head version) on the left is post 1968. In the middle is a Wing with the silkscreened labels: 1966 to 1968 perhaps? On the right is older still. I suspect 1964 to 1966, but it may be older.

     

Wing was making 1500 bows a week, but the serial numbers are four digit. I suspect they went 1000 to 9999 and then back to 1000 to start over.


AMF/Head is more recent (I don't own one of those).

The early bow weighs about 30% less than the later two. It also is a bit "sensitive" and critical of form, like a Ferrari or Maserati, and the first one I had the tips snapped off when I had an arrow nock break and the bow dry-fired. I love it and treasure it, but I can see why Bob Lee widened the tips.

The one on the right has a rosewood handle and is 1962-1964 depending upon serial number, which starts with the letter R.
The one in the middle has a bubinga handle and is 1965-1966 depending upon serial number, which starts with the letters RW.
The one on the left has a Shedua handle and could be from late 1967-1969 depending upon serial number, which starts with the letters RA.

[Lucas K]

Wow Kelly, you know your stuff on the wings! Do you collect them?

[old wi bowyer]

Hey Kelly Thank You for your help so it looks like mine is 65-66 than.