Military Reels

Military Reels

During World War II View-Master® was in the war effort "Doing their Fair Share"

In conjunction with the Armed Services, View-Master® produced self-study military reels for distribution to the men in uniform for Plane and Ship recognition and range estimation. Study and Test Military Reels exemplify the amazing contributions View-Master played in so many aspects of everyday life even in days that were far from everyday.

 The U.S. Army and Navy contracted View-Master® and several model making companies to produce accurate models of actual military aircraft and ships belonging to every belligerent nation to be photographed and made into 3D View-Master reels.

Pilots and Gunners:
Mainly for use by pilots and anti-aircraft/ships' gunners, these reels were to be used in self-teaching -recognition and range estimation- of planes and ships. Sets of varying sizes were boxed and accompanied by black Model B viewers, and were readily available for individual study.

These sets were produced in great quantities, but only a fraction of the sets found their way into one's homeward bound sack.

Three Classifications of Reels:
There were basically three types of reels:

• Recognition and range estimation of aircraft for pilots

• Recognition and range estimation of aircraft for anti-aircraft gunners

• Recognition and range estimation of ships for ships' gunners.

 And for each Classification there were two Types: -Study Reels and -Test Reels.  That makes a total of six different kinds of reels. The six kinds are pictured and explained below:

Study Reels for  (Aircraft)
A Study Reel features one plane in seven different attitudes (tilt/angle) and ranges for study of plane recognition. by example.
These reels are numbered: 

S#  

Test Reels for Pilots (Aircraft)

Test Reels for Pilots (Aircraft)
A Test Reel features 7 different planes on each reel, often mixed nationalities, and at different ranges and attitudes to test recognition.These reels are numbered: 

T#