A SHORT HISTORY OF
RECOGNITION MODELS

Aircraft recognition (identification) training began as a necessity in the trenches of World War I. At first it was the soldier who needed to be sure whether he was firing up at his own side or under threat from attack. Pilots too, learned that it was a matter of life or death to distinguish a friendly plane from an enemy at a distance. Flying close enough to recognise national markings or a characteristic paint scheme almost always entailed manoeuvring within firing range and was rightly considered far too dangerous. The only real and safe way to distinguish one aeroplane from another was by its characteristic shape. This could best be taught by learning the outline from three points of view (head-on, side-on and planform). Approaching aeroplanes were often masked by light and indistinct in detail and the silhouette was finally settled-on as a standard method of visual training aid for recognition. By the end of World War 1 the British, the French, the Americans and finally the Germans all had their own books of Aeroplane silhouettes identifying both their own, allied and enemy aircraft. And aircraft recognition, albeit in a very rudimentary sense, was born as a necessary training element for both ground gunners, observation groups and aircrew alike.

The lessons learned during World War I were largely unlearned during the military relaxation of the following decade and, it wasn’t until the British Air Exercises (Air Force War Games) of the mid 1930’s that it was realised that Aircraft Recognition was indeed vital if Britain was ever again to come under threat. Against a background of warmongering noises from Germany the British Air Ministry revised its approach to silhouettes and, in 1933, formalised the restricted issue of simple recognition hand-books to both the Army and the Royal Air Force. At the same time it reintroduced the World War 1 experiments of positioning and tracking enemy aircraft by using sound-locaters. Emphasis was also given to the restructuring of the Observer Corps (The eyes of Britain’s defences and not part of the RAF but under the control of the Air Ministry) and on improvement of communication and reporting between the Army, the Observer Corps and the Royal Air Force. Little attention was, however, paid to formal aircraft recognition training and tools for improving this were in sparsely supply from the Air Ministry. Secret experiments in radar location were taking place and, despite the ‘darkening of storm clouds over Europe’, to those in ‘the know’ the success of these experiments (which led to the implementation of a Radar network covering that stretch of Britain’s coastline within reach of German aircraft) seemed more significant. At times the public seemed better informed about aircraft types than the military, since it could get its information without restriction from sources like cigarette cards and commercial aviation magazines.
Collection of visual aircraft
recognition training aids.


Lacking official backing and following an embarrassing and covered-up incident in the first days of World War 2 when a Squadron of British Spitfires was scrambled to attack a Squadron of British Hurricanes (resulting in one fatality and the loss of a precious aircraft), the Observer Corps decided to take the initiative. Silhouettes were one thing but aircraft now flew much faster, had a higher rate of roll and often presented themselves at strange angles to the observer. Formalised aircraft recognition training was essential, photographs and film were essential and models, which trainees could handle and examine from any angle, were vital (particularly with enemy aircraft where little or no visual material was initially available).

The first in a series of monthly meetings of Ground Observers was held in December 1939 and it represented the true beginning of a new formalised approach to aircraft recognition training. In mid 1940, the Army followed the lead and established an Army Aircraft Recognition Wing training programme at RAF Biggin Hill for AA-battery crewmen. And, the Royal Air Force founded their aircrew training school in late 1940 on the Isle of Man.
Instruction for spotters attached
to anti-aircraft batteries

In his book ‘Identification Friend or Foe’ Tim Hamilton relates the memories of Cpl. Leslie Whitfield, one of the founding army instructors at Biggin Hill and how they tried to get their hands on anything that could help with training, literature, photos, drawings, film, sound tapes and models. The Air Ministry had granted the princely sum of £5 sterling for purchase of items not available through official channels. Whitfield stated that it was quickly spent on Frog Penguin models such as the Hurricane, Lysander, Miles Magister and others.

The German air raids on Britain inflicted a great amount of damage and during the period of 1940-41 early air raid warnings and frequent false alarms became an increasing problem, causing a huge loss of valuable production. Raid Spotters (factory workers that observed the sky from the factory roof and could warn exactly when an attack was imminent) were officially created and soon established a close working relationship with the Observer Corps to considerable reduce these war production losses. Raid Spotters, of course, also had to be trained in Aircraft Recognition and began to organise, growing to a figure of 150 groups by August 1941. Modelling clubs allied themselves with the spotters, and civilian-made solid models, in various scales, became part of the overall scheme. Peter Masefield, then technical editor of The Aeroplane magazine, decided to convince his publishers, Temple Press, of the need for a weekly paper keeping the armed forces and public alike up-to-date with information both visual and verbal on the latest developments in rapidly changing world of aircraft design and production, always with Recognition to the forefront. This journal, The Aeroplane Spotter, became the single most important source of recognition information for the whole course of World War 2 over half its output being purchased by the military where it became obligatory reading. After establishing and then editing The Aeroplane Spotter for two years, Peter Masefield left to join Lord Beaverbrook in the Ministry of Aircraft Production and handed the reins to Charles W Cain who did much to encourage and report on the activities of the model makers. Special attention being paid to information supplied by AIG (Air Intelligence-German) who analysed reconnaissance material, captured photographs and crashed examples to provide up-to-the-minute drawings which, published by The Aeroplane Spotter, were then modelled by individual model makers, used by the military and eventually found their way into the commercial model market.
The Aeroplane Magazine September 1941

From late 1940, models were used extensively in aircraft recognition training programs. Tim Hamilton states, "Models were of prime importance not only for their versatility in teaching but, as with enemy aircraft, they were often the only subjects ready available for the camera". Most of these models were made of wood, but also Bakelite and Buckram (a cloth like material mixed with a binder and pressed into a mould – similar to a water-based version of ‘glass-fibre’ resin moulding) was being used. They were usually produced in 1/72 scale following the lead already set by the Sky Birds and Penguin models. Compared to the Penguins they were crude and less detailed, but that was satisfactory for identification purposes. They were usually painted in matt-black or matt-grey, an appropriate colour, as a real aircraft would appear in this manner when viewed from a distance.

Many other instructors, such as Cpl. Leslie Whitfield used Penguins during as an essential part of their training, and they were essential to help guard against ‘friendly fire’ although not so useful for recognition of enemy aircraft since by 1941 only the Dornier Do.215B and the Messerschmitt Me.109 had been issued - and of these the Me.109 was hardly useful due to its inaccuracy.
RAF fighter "Ace" Ginger Lacy carefully examining a model of a Focke-Wulf Fw.190.

Tim Hamilton writes that the early versions of official identification models were often inaccurate and much criticised. But by late 1941 revised models were being produced, based upon the latest AIG intelligence sources, such as crashed or captured enemy aircraft. He also states that these revised models were in great demand and that contractual requirements amounted to 200.000 models by mid-1941. Lines Bros. (manufacturer of Frog and Penguin models) was one of the companies involved, but also cabinetmakers and boat builders like Jack Holt and W.G. Woodason (who specialised in large scale wooden models for Recognition Training Films). Other model manufacturers included, Chingford Model Aerodrome, Model Aero Supplies of Halifax, Model Aircraft Stores of Bournemouth, Scalecraft of Southport, the Skybird League, and Skyleada Models of Croydon. The models made by Lines Bros. can be identified by a decal on the lower side of one of the wings, with the type and mark of the aircraft printed in red (see Recogntion Models - Photos).

In "Frog Model Aircraft" by Lines/Hellström only a single paragraph is devoted to recognition models and to other military production such as the target (powered) gliders produced by Frog. This is probably because Frog's wartime production was seen as not essential to their history in toy and model making. But the Penguin range is probably closely related to the recognition models, certainly took advantage of the drawings in ‘The Aeroplane Spotter’ and shared the same production design drawings; although it is unlikely that they shared the same moulds since the Air Ministry’s requirements were not for detail but rather a stylised approach to additions such as gun turrets and blisters.

The page PENGUIN HISTORY: The War Years (1939-40) details the significance of Frog’s production of recognition models during World War 2. This was both a national importance and a future benefit because Frog would have been forced to change production to War Work and it could easily have found itself making Hurricane components, which would have given it great difficulty for reinstatement and survival as a model making company in the post war years.

Frog Penguin advertisement in Meccano Magazine, December 1940. It clearly shows the way the toy modelkits were now part of the way to identify airplanes.

The role of models in military training has now completely changed. Identification of an enemy plane became more difficult as speeds of aircraft progressed up to and beyond the sound barrier. Today radar has almost completely taken over this task although following recent ‘friendly fire’ incidents both the USA and Britain are reappraising their attitudes to both Aircraft and Land Vehicle Recognition. Aircraft models are still being used as a classroom tool to simulate tactics and positioning, but today’s NATO models are tooled in steel and cast in solid aluminium, although they continue to be painted in a soft matt grey.

Steve Remington mentions George Cox as probably having the largest collection of British recognition models in England. George also has made a list all the models that he and other collectors have found, both wartime and postwar, and this list runs to something like 210 models. This list is available at Steve's website.
Regarding scarcity of the recognition models Steve quotes George saying that: "... the British wood models are probably scarce because following WWII, the British citizens faced economic hardship and privations including the lack of fuel so that surplus wood products such as the models would have been used for firewood."

Reference:
Tim Hamilton: Identification Friend or Foe – The Story of Aircraft Recognition - HMSO 1994 – ISBN 0 11 290496 3 (c) Tim Hamilton. All photos (except Aeroplane and Meccano Magazine) - used by permission.