Aircraft Recognition Posters!

Mitsubishi, Heinkel, Douglas, Vickers, Hawker, Bristol, North American, and Vultee are just a few of the companies represented in AirCorps Library's aircraft recognition poster collection!

Recognition materials were distributed by a huge variety of companies during WWII. There were a wide selection of aircraft spotter and identification books published, playing cards were printed with aircraft silhouettes, cigarette cartons had small identification cards tucked into them, the list goes on and on. And of course there were the recognition posters themselves. In a recent donation from the Tri-State Warbird Museum, AirCorps Library received over 100 digitized military-issue aircraft recognition posters, and have added them to the website. These posters cover aircraft from 1942 to 1944 and include American, German, Russian, Japanese, Italian, and English manufactured aircraft. The characteristics of each aircraft are highlighted using the WEFTUP system, a more detailed version of the WEFT identification system of aircraft. WEFTUP stands for the following:

• W - Wing
• E - Engine
• F - Fuselage
• T - Tail
• U - Undercarriage
• P - Propulsion

Recognition posters weren't just for fighters and bombers - they covered liaison, cargo/transport, and observation aircraft as well. In some cases there were multiple posters for an aircraft, one for the Navy and another for the Army variation.

Original versions of these posters sell for thousands online - one reason I was excited to be able to add such a large collection to AirCorps Library. Non-members can download the high resolution files for just $8 each ($7 for AirCorps Library members)! This is the perfect opportunity to create a collage wall, or just reprint the full size poster of your favorite aircraft - at a much more cost effective rate!

Browse the full list of recognition posters here in alphabetical order, and click each one to link directly to the information page, or head to the main recognition materials area here to view the posters and other spotter info!