# Wing Archery



## Paws (Oct 14, 2002)

I would keep that bow. Read some information I found at http://www.archeryhistory.com/recurves/recurvesmain.htm and http://www.bobleearchery.com/history.html

In regard to shooting the bow, see the posting by curverbowruss at http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=14250

For your information and if you are interested perhaps you might attend and bring the bow to the 7th Buckhorn Traditional Archery Rendezvous May 17-18 at Stockbridge Sportsman Club, Mass. You could show the bow to Walter of Southern New England Traditonal Archery and Ray of Lost Nation Archery and get their opinions. 

John Rook and Lenny Rock will be the guests for the weekend! The American Broadhead Collector's Club will have their 29th Annual meeting (first time on the East Coast). 

Hope to see you there.


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## Floxter (Sep 13, 2002)

That bow will probably be a real shooter. Wings were (are) great bows. Just check to make sure that there are no signs of delamination of the limbs from improper storage. Otherwise go ahead and enjoy a real piece of history. By the way, the "40X @ 68" marking means the limbs are 41# when coupled with a riser giving an overall 68" length.


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## Bo Hunter (Apr 15, 2003)

Well thats good to know. I was going to junk it. How long should the string be? Its a 64" version. So what should I start with. I put a string thats a bit too long on today just to draw it. Draw feels smooth to me. It also has an original "Wing" arrow rest too. I haven't figured out how to get my webspace working yet, so I can't post pictures. It was purchased at a yardsale for like $2 so I guess it was a good buy. Has some splattered paint where someone appeared not to move it when painting something else. Other than that its not in bad shape considering how old it it. Wierd thing is, the riser is painted black with some metallic flake. Its factory paint, but all the pictures I've seen have been wood grain handles.

Bo


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

Paws and Floxter are all wrong - it's a piece of junk...Tell you what, I'll take it off your hands so you don't have to worry about it. I'll even give you back the $2 you paid for it and pay for postage.....

 

Seriously, it's a great bow if it's in shootable condition. Dacron string should be about 60" unstretched, brace height should end up around 8.5" (my opinion). 

A P-II was my first target bow - I remember getting one in the original case from Kittredge Bow Hut in California, with 3 sets of limbs for something like $125, maybe 30 years ago. When I think of what I ended up doing to it, it almost makes me cry. (It involved a hacksaw and drill...)


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## Bo Hunter (Apr 15, 2003)

Thanks for all the help guys. Any idea on how old this bow is? It is not drilled for sights. It has an original wing "brush" rest on it too. I probably won't take that off either.

Bo


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

Probably 1968-1970, somewhere in there. This is just a guess, but my P-II had a fairly thick grip area and I think it was one of the earlier models. I bought it used around '73.

Later they made the grip a bit more slim and came up with the target-painted risers. Wing started to come up with metal-riser target bows shortly after the 1972 Olympics, and had '72 Gold Medalist John Williams shooting a couple of their early models in photos in an instruction book. They around 74 or 75 they made the "Competition II" which Luann Ryon used to win the gold in '76.


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## AKRuss (Jan 10, 2003)

I have a P-II that I shoot on a regular basis. It has a beautiful riser of half black phenolic and half rosewood. It has two pairs of limbs 70" & 45# and 64" & 55#. It's quite a shooter. It doesn't hold a candle to the new FITA bows but then I wouldn't expect it to. I also have a gorgeous Bear Tamerlane target recurve of the same vintage. They really made some great recurves in the good old days. Of course, they still do!

These bows don't have nearly the resale value they should, IMHO. P-IIs and Tamerlanes go for less then $300 all the time unless they're in heavier weights.


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## Joe Barbieur (Jul 31, 2002)

The all black riser was built in the late 60s early 70s.Some where around 1970-1972 they changed the riser to a two tone as mentioned earlier. I still have the one I shot in 70-71 at Cobo hall in Detroit. I used that bow for a third place finish back then. FYI the first 300 shot at a major indoor was a Wing and it was shot by Jim Ploen, he shot that score some where around 1969 time frame. To the best of my knowledge Jim no resides in Texas. He was one of the two men to start the 21st Century long bow company. Jim was the Wing rep for Wisconsin in the old days.


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## Paws (Oct 14, 2002)

Found around the web - 

http://www.bobleearchery.com/takedowns.html
1963 Bob produced the Presentation II 

http://www.bobleearchery.com/bicentennial.html
best-selling Presentation II (1965), the first laminated three-piece bow ever produced.

From other webpages - 

Wing Archery was started by Bob Lee about 1951-1953. Wing Archery (when compand bows were becoming popular) was sold to AMF (American Machine and Foundry, the bowling company) about 1968. Wing Archery a division of AMF went out of business in early 1990's. 

Bob Lee Archery (same person) was started in mid-1980's. 

I have had probably seven Bob Lee bows over the last decade. Presently still do have a Classic recurve 62 AMO, a Charlotte Lee recurve with purple riser and white limbs, and the New Bicentennial longbow; and the wife has a new Bob Lee Stick, special ordered with a wine and wine riser and maple limbs.


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## Stash (Jun 1, 2002)

> FYI the first 300 shot at a major indoor was a Wing and it was shot by Jim Ploen, he shot that score some where around 1969 time frame.


That turns out to be not the case. The first 300 (PAA round, same as NFAA today) was shot by Bob Bitner at Vegas in 1965, I believe using a Golden Eagle bow. He lost the event that year to Lester Gervais who shot a 300 the next day. This was of course pre-compound/release.


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## Joe Barbieur (Jul 31, 2002)

Hey Stash, I looked up my facts, you may be correct. Jim is credited with the first 300 on the east coast. He was a two time international indoor champion. I am not sure of the dates. It was well before compounds ro release aids. He was also the desingner of the 21st century longbow. He and Buddy Stamper were partners in that indeavor. They both used to work for Wing in the old days.


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## kingwillie (Dec 31, 2010)

*Wing Archery "Presentation II"*

Would you be willing to sell the bow? [email protected]


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## Viper1 (Aug 21, 2003)

King -

You realize this thread is almost 8 years old, right?



Viper1 out.


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## rmansberger (Feb 9, 2016)

*Wing Competition II and Red Wing Hunters*

Having just gotten back into archery after and 25 year absence because by hunting partner, my Dad, could no long pull back his bow due to medical reasons. We became sailors, another nice father and son adventure. This past winter I went to buddy of mine archery league shoot and the flame was turned back to high on something that I had done since I was 9 years old. I started to research the new bow technology scene, I had never shot with a release and went out and got equipped to participate with my pal Swi and his fellow shooters. It got to be so fun, my daughters, and son all got bows for the birthday and we all shoot together. 

While down at Schupbach's Archery Shop in Jackson, MI, I shot a few arrows on some Bear recurves they had, 1959 Kodiak and Bear Takedown. I loved the feel and simplicity of shooting recurves again. I went home and down to the time travel vault where I keep everything because our family never throws anything out and there on the wall was my collection of recurve bows. I had not touched them for 20 years since we moved into our house but they will on the rack my dad made looking back at me with many memories of days with my Dad in the woods and shooting in the backyard.

When I was 12 years old I bought my first recurve bow, a Ben Pearson Gamester 40# - 56" wonderful bow and there it was. Along with all of its bow partners which included:

My Dad's first longbow from 1949, he got for $2.00 because no one else could string it. 

My Dad's first recurve a Bear 1954 Kodiak II Compass edition 60" amo

My Dad's last recurve a 1968 Bear Kodiak #47 60" amo

My first and only hunting bow 1972 Wing Red Hunter #55 - 58" amo equipped with the Wing Quiver

Then came the bows that I acquired from my good friend Tom Nelson at Anderson Archery which at the time was the largest archery retailer in the world in Grand Ledge, MI. Tom can be seen today on Cabela's American Archer. Tom truly followed his dreams. Compounds were coming into the market and recurves were considered useless and Tom would call me with the deal of the day and if I had the cash I would go buy them for dimes on the dollar. These bows have never been shot; some were setup with sights as backups in case my number Red Wing Hunter failed. They include:

1976 Wing Competition II Tournament Edition White Riser with 2 sets of Limbs 45# and 65# 64" amo. This is same bow as the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Winner, I wish I had the lighter pound limbs set.
1976 Bear Kodiak Hunter Grayling Production 55# - 58" amo
1977 Wing Red Hunter 45# - 58"amo
1977 Wing Red Hunter 55# - 58 amo
1978 Wing Red Wing Pro Slim 55# - 58"amo

These five bows were never shot; the Competition II was never strung. 

But now all that has changed, with the help of Scott and Art Turner Gun's and Bow's in Morrice, MI these bows have all new strings, nock sets, and brace heights adjusted. 

Arrows have been launched downrange through each one and I must say that the biggest surprise was the Wing Competition II. No wonder it won Gold in '76, smooth, graceful, quiet, just a joy to shoot.

As I look at all the bows on the table they are beautiful works of arts. Except for the last 5 that were never shot until now, each one holds a lot of memories of adventures with my Dad.

Shooting compound bows with my family is priceless and they all like the fact that they all hit the bullseye after about 20 shots and continue to do so on a regular basis. 

But shooting a recurve bow is truly an art form to be cherished like fine wine. Basic string and stick, no releases, nothing really to adjust, just the quiet feel of mankind's history in your own hand.

Thanks to my Dad for giving me the don't throw anything away gene. My closets may be full but so are my memories.

Rick out


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