WWII Spanish Pilot Wings. © 2010 John Slemp
As a fan of history, it is not often that one has the opportunity to “touch” history. And yet, I had the rare chance to do just that last week, when I photographed several WWII aviation artifacts in a private collection. They belong to my friend and P-51 Mustang fighter ace, Bob “Punchy” Powell. Having lived through the dark days of WWII, he has since amassed quite a collection of memorabilia, including several items I’d never seen before.
WWII Nazi pilot wings. After the war, the swastika was removed, per regulation. © 2010 John Slemp
One of the things that most struck me about the different items was how design “traits” of the various countries was evident in their military insignia. I found the German wings beautiful, but “showy” and a bit foreboding as well. I’m sure that was intentional…
WWII Japanese Pilot Graduation Wings. © 2010 John Slemp
I found the Japanese wings to be subtly beautiful, almost like a piece of jewelry. Apparently the training to become a Japanese pilot was very rigorous emotionally, physically, and militarily. The washout rate was high and if memory serves, it took over a year to complete the training, which did not work in their favor as losses escalated later in the war.
"V Mail" letters that Punchy's mother kept. © 2010 John Slemp
Punchy also introduced me to “V Mail”, which I had never heard of before. In an effort to keep the weight down, and therefore the logistical requirements to ship home letters from servicemen, V Mail was developed. Letters were written home on a standard sized sheet of paper, which was then reduced in size, using microfilm. Shipped back to the US, it went to prescribed locations near the recipient, and was then enlarged onto lightweight photo paper, 4.25 x 5 inches in size, for delivery to the recipient. The soldiers were urged to write legibly so that the reduced sized letters could still be read. As you can see, Punchy still has over 100 letters he wrote home to his parents…
Aircraft recognition playing cards, and a silhouette model which hung from the ceiling. © 2010 John Slemp
These playing cards help servicemen learn how to recognize friend and foe aircraft. The metal models were hung from the ceiling of break rooms, and bets were often made as to who could name the most aircraft.
"Gun" camera from a P-51 Mustang. © 2010 John Slemp
This 16mm camera was linked to the pilots firing button, and recorded the action for an additional 10 seconds after release. This was so subsequent hits, explosions, etc. could still be recorded. This was important for verifying shoot downs, and the film was often used to gather intelligence as well. The camera was in such good shape that it looked like it could work today, and had a #12 yellow filter on the lens to increase contrast.
A "friend or foe" clicker issued to all airborne troops, just prior to their D-Day jumps. © 2010 John Slemp
Lastly, Punchy shared with me a personal item issued to the airborne troops who jumped on 6 June, 1944. It was a small, metal “clicker” that we often played with as kids. I’m sure it drove my mother crazy, but they served a very important function on that day…
Thanks! are in order to Punchy, not only for his generosity in allowing me to photograph these rare items from his collection, but for his service as a pilot in WWII as well…
Blue Skies!
John
