Aircraft Recognition, subtitled The Inter-Services Journal, was a British monthly magazine published during the Second World War, dedicated to the subject of aircraft recognition. It was published by the Ministry of Aircraft Production between September 1942 and September 1945.
Publication History
The magazine was published monthly by His Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) on behalf of the Ministry of Aircraft Production. The first issue appeared in September 1942, and the final wartime issue was Volume III, Number 13, published in September 1945. The chairman of the editorial committee was Peter G. Masefield, a technical editor of The Aeroplane who had previously edited The Aeroplane Spotter.
Background
Prior to the magazine's launch, aircraft recognition training among British armed forces was given low priority, with the exception of the Army Anti-Aircraft Command. A series of friendly fire incidents, including the Battle of Barking Creek in September 1939, highlighted the need for improved training. The Inter-Service Recognition Committee, formed in 1939, eventually recommended in June 1942 the establishment of a dedicated publication to coordinate training materials across the armed and civil defence services.
Content and Features
Each issue contained a mix of written articles on the theory and practice of aircraft recognition, along with practical tests. Regular features included:
- "Flying photographs" – series of pictures of aircraft in flight
- "Sillographs" – solid silhouettes, typically in three-quarter views
- "On the spot" – small head-on photos challenging readers to differentiate Allied from Axis aircraft
- "Muzzle Puzzle" – cartoon-based recognition tests by caricaturist Michael Cummings, continuing the style of E. A. "Chris" Wren's "Oddentification" drawings
- "Tail End" – photographic tests from behind
High-quality photographs were sourced from the RAF Film Production Unit based at RAF Benson.
Target Audience
The magazine was distributed free through official channels to members of all three British Armed Services (the British Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force), as well as to members of the Royal Observer Corps and civilian aircraft spotters.
Post-War Continuation
Publication was suspended after the September 1945 issue. Less than a year later, the journal was revived under the name Inter-Services Aircraft Recognition Journal. In 1950, it was renamed the Joint Services Recognition Journal, broadening its scope to include ships and vehicles. A final name change in 1993 to the Defence Recognition Journal preceded the cessation of publication in 2009.
