When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Size: 19 x 25 inches
This original ‘RESTRICTED’ aircraft identification poster was published by the U.S. Naval Aviation Training Division Feb 1944. This poster was posted as a training tool as well as an in theater ID poster to help U.S. and other Allied pilots, bomber crews and Naval personal to identify Allied and enemy aircraft. W.E.F.T.U.P. or Wing, Engine, Fuselage, Tail, Undercarriage, Peculiarities was a system set up for the purpose of aircraft identification and recognition.
World War II saw some of the first introduction of these aircraft ID poster to prevent friendly fire and more accurate plane recognition in combat. It was believed these posters alone could save countless lives from friendly aircraft-on-aircraft or friendly anit-aircraft fire. These posters also could cut down precious second pilots, bomber gunners, and naval gun crews would have to ID a plane flying towards them intern saving their lives by shooting first.
Each poster provides the silhouettes, dimensions, and relevant information to educate both air and ground personnel in aircraft identification. Immediate identification of aircraft, friendly or not, was essential in order for the observer (whether in the air e.g., pilot, gunner, or patrol observer, or on the ground, e.g., anti-aircraft crew) to determine his next course of action (e.g., acknowledge, attack, evade, or report). Each poster details a large clean sky and background image of the specified aircraft located as the main top imagine on the poster. It also contains important ‘peculiarities’ such as where certain gun emplacements are located, other special aircraft features, as well as wing and length measurements.
Blohm & Voss BV 222:
TheBlohm & Voss BV 222Wiking(Pronounced \"Viking\") was a large, six-engined Germanflying boatofWorld War II. Originally designed as a commercial transport, it was the largest seaplane to attain production status during the war.
V1 made seven flights between Hamburg andKirkenesup to 19 August 1941, transporting a total of 65,000kg (143,000lb) of supplies and 221 wounded men, covering a distance of 30,000km (19,000mi) in total. After being overhauled at Hamburg, V1 was sent to Athens, from where it carried supplies for theAfrika Korps, making 17 flights between 16 October and 6 November 1941. The V1 was at this time unarmed, and was given an escort of twoMesserschmitt Bf 110heavy fighters.
Following these flights, the V1 returned to Hamburg to have defensive armament fitted, comprising a 7.92mm (.312in)MG 81 machine gunin the hull, twoturret-mounted 13mm (.51in)MG 131 machine guns, and four 7.92mm (.312in) MG 81s in waist mounts. The registration was changed to X4+AH at the same time and the V1 formed the basis for the new air transport squadronLufttransportstaffel222 (LTS 222). Between 1942 and 1943, the aircraft flew in the Mediterranean theatre, until in mid-February 1943 it sank following a collision with a submerged wreck while landing atPiraeus harbour.
The V2 (CC+ER) made its first flight on 7 August 1941, and after extensive testing was assigned to LTS 222 on 10 August 1942 as X4+AB. Since the aircraft was intended for long-distance overwater flights, in addition to the armament fitted to the V1 it received two rear-facing wing-mounted turrets with dual 13mm (.51in) MG 131s, accessed via the tubular wingsparwhich was 1m (3ft 3in) in diameter.
In 1944, the V2 participated inOperation Schatzgräber(\"Treasure Seeker\"), the code name of a German weather station atAlexandra Landin the Arctic, whose sick crew needed to be evacuated. The BV 222 dropped a spare wheel for a Fw 200 which had sustained damage during landing near the station.
The V3 (initially DM+SD) first flew on 28 November 1941, and was transferred to LTS 222 on 9 December 1941. After V1\'s sinking, V3 returned to Hamburg where it was armed. It was destroyed along with V5 on 20 June 1943 atBiscarrossebyRAFde Havilland MosquitosofNo. 264 Squadron RAF.
V4, which had an altered height tail, was also assigned to LTS 222 for Africa flights.
V6 was shot down on 21 August 1942 on theTarantoto Tripoli route by aBristol Beaufighter; V8 was shot down on the same route on 10 December 1942.
The V7 (TB+QL), which made its first flight on 1 April 1943, was fitted with six 746kW (1,000hp) Jumo 207C inline two-stroke diesel engines. With a takeoff weight of 50,000kg (110,000lb) and a range of 6,100km (3,800mi), it was intended as the prototype BV 222C.
Following theInvasion of Normandyin June 1944, the remaining BV 222 aircraft were transferred toKG 200.Of these, C-09 was probably the BV 222 reported to have been strafed and destroyed byHawker Typhoonaircraft ofNo. 439 Squadron RCAFon 24 April 1945 at Seedorf.[8]V7 and V4 were scuttled by their crews at Travemünde andKiel-Holtenau airportrespectively, at the end of the war.
C-10 was probably the BV 222 reported shot down southwest of Biscarrosse on the night of 8 February 1944 by a Mosquito ofNo. 157 Squadron RAF.
One BV 222, V4, is said to have shot down aUS NavyPB4Y-1 Liberatorof VB-105 (BU#63917) commanded byLieutenantEvert, on October 22, 1943. Since the war this has often been mistakenly quoted as a BV 222 shooting down anAvro Lancaster.
