German Air War Map

[behlftball]

Hi,

I recently bought this map in a collection of German items. The individual's father was a German captain in WW2 and they came to the US in the 1950's. I have been trying to find things out about this map, but have not had much luck. Google Translate has helped me identify what the writings are, but I am wondering what you guys think about it.

Thanks,
Phil

[Spitace41]

I am sure on of our German members will give you a far more detailed translation, but I would think that this was a commercially produced map designed to inform those who purchased it about the progress of the Luftwaffe in the battle of Britain as it was published in Vienna (Wien) in 1940. It may be before the BOB actually as France it not highlighted pink, which may indicate that the Germans had not yet overrun the country. This is just what I can make out as such as the photos come up a bit blurry on my computer. Cheers.

[Woolgar]

I love it!!

A little gem for any aviation enthusiast!

Nick

[behlftball]

I don't think it is a civilian map. The red cross hatched areas in the sea are labeled "minenwarngebiete" which I believe means mine warning areas. I wouldn't imagine they would list their mine fields on civilian maps, but I could be wrong!

[Spitace41]

You may be right, like i say, those are my first impressions. I didn't see the mine warning signs.

[big ned]

Interesting to note that the Lockheed P-38 Lightning is shown on strength with the RAF in 1940. This is incorrect, the USAAF didn't take them on charge until mid 1941, and then in very limited numbers due to vast problems ironing the bugs out of the design. The first batch of 3 aircraft of a total of 660 odd ordered by the RAF in 1939 off the drawing board at Burbank were not even test flown in the U.K. until May 1942. The inclusion of them on the map therefore must have been on the strength of released German intelligence or British propaganda. It's a bit like the British being convinced that the Germans were flying the illusory Heinkel 113 fighter during the BoB when in fact it never existed.

Regards, Ned.

[Gunny Hartmann]

I love it!!

A little gem for any aviation enthusiast!

Nick

I'll second that!....

[Jerry B]

The mine fields are not shown in any detail, so that is not a problem and it does appear to date before the fall of France and I think it is something for the home market, either one a member of the public could buy or the sort of thing given out with a newspaper. This sort of item was something you would get in Britain as well, partly propaganda and for the keen armchair student of the war.

[HPL2008]

As has been said above, it's definitely not a military map, but something commercially produced for the civilian market.

Notice it bears the taglines:

"Sehr wichtig!" "Für jedermann unentbehrlich!" "Überall erhältlich!"

...meaning:

"Very important!" "Essential for everyone!" "Available everywhere!"

Hardly the sort of markings one would expect to find on military-issue documents.

[behlftball]

Thanks for the replies! Still a neat piece in my opinion (even if its not military). Has anyone seen any similar to this? It is interesting that there are no Nazi symbols as everything in Germany during that time seemed to have some Nazi markings.