Original Item: Only One Available. This is a rough but exceptionally rare original British WWI public aircraft identification poster issued to help civilians distinguish between British and German airships and aeroplanes. Printed in 1915 under the authority of His Majesty’s Stationery Office, the poster combines aircraft silhouettes with clear civil-defense instructions telling the public when to take shelter and what information to report if hostile aircraft were observed.

An identical example is held in the permanent collection of the Imperial War Museum in London, underscoring the historical significance of this early-war public warning poster.

The poster measures approximately 19 1/2 x 29 1/2 inches and retains strong color and legibility despite considerable age-related damage.

The main title and warning text occupy the upper portion of the sheet in black, while the lower three-quarters contain 24 silhouetted depictions of British and German airships and aircraft, accompanied by explanatory text in both black and red. The entire design is set against a white background and enclosed within black and red borders.

The aircraft depicted are clearly of early-war types, helping date the poster visually to the opening period of WWI aviation.

The principal warning text reads:

PUBLIC WARNING

The public are advised to familiarise themselves with the appearance of British and German Airships and Aeroplanes, so that they may not be alarmed by British aircraft, and may take shelter if German aircraft appear. Should hostile aircraft be seen, take shelter immediately in the nearest available house, preferably in the basement, and remain there until the aircraft have left the vicinity: do not stand about in crowds and do not touch unexploded bombs.

In the event of HOSTILE aircraft being seen in country districts, the nearest Naval, Military or Police Authorities should, if possible, be advised immediately by Telephone of the TIME OF APPEARANCE, the DIRECTION OF FLIGHT, and whether the aircraft is an Airship or an Aeroplane.

The identification section includes:

GERMAN AIRSHIPS

Note specially the shape of the Airships and the position of the passenger cars

ZEPPELIN
SCHUTTE-LANZ
PARSEVAL

BRITISH AIRSHIPS

H.M.A. ASTRA TORRES
H.M.A. BETA
H.M.A. ETA
H.M.A. PARSEVAL

The aeroplane section warns:

Note specially the sloped-back wings of the German Aeroplanes

Among the German aircraft illustrated are:

STAHLTAUBE MONOPLANE
RUMPLER TAUBE MONOPLANE
AVIATIK BIPLANE
D.F.W. BIPLANE
ALBATROSS BIPLANE

British aircraft illustrated include:

BRISTOL BIPLANE
BRISTOL BIPLANE
AVRO BIPLANE
AVRO BIPLANE
SHORT BIPLANE
B.E. BIPLANE
H. FARMAN BIPLANE
SOPWITH TRACTOR BIPLANE
SOPWITH TRACTOR BIPLANE

The lower publishing line reads in part:

LONDON: PRINTED UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE, By SIR JOSEPH CAUSTON AND SONS, LIMITED, 9, Eastcheap, E.C. ... 1915. PRICE TWOPENCE ... COPYRIGHT Sir Joseph Causton and Sons, Ltd London.

Condition is fair and should be carefully noted. The poster has heavy fold lines throughout from long-term storage. Two large pieces have torn away from the lower left corner. These pieces are retained and can be aligned with the main sheet, but even when positioned correctly there is still some material missing from that corner.

There is also additional minor paper loss at the upper left corner, along with scattered edge tears, staining, and general wear throughout the margins.

Importantly, the printed information remains largely clear and the colors are still vibrant, so the poster retains excellent visual impact despite the damage.

With professional archival framing, the detached pieces could be positioned in alignment with the main poster without being permanently reattached, allowing the original condition to remain honest while presenting the piece effectively.

This is a particularly evocative piece of British WWI home-front material, produced at a time when aerial warfare was still new enough that the public needed printed guidance to distinguish friendly aircraft from hostile German machines.

Note: This poster ships folded.