Forensic Research Archive of Manipulation and Exploitation
Volunteer for Flying Duties, 1939 UK poster: A photograph of an airman in flying helmet and oxygen mask gazes upward in front

Volunteer for Flying Duties

A photograph of an airman in flying helmet and oxygen mask gazes upward in front of a large RAF roundel, with age limits for pilot, air observer and wireless operator/air gunner listed beside him. The transfer is the roundel placed behind his head like a halo, lending the service's emblem to the individual volunteer.

Propaganda techniques used in this poster

Transfer
Date
1939
Period
Second World War
Made by
Air Ministry (printed for HMSO by J. Weiner Ltd, London); artist Jonathan Foss
Region
Western and Central Europe
Country
United Kingdom
Medium
Poster
Issuer type
State
Regime
Churchill Government
Leader
Winston Churchill
Audience
Domestic public
Purpose
Recruit
Theme
War and the military
Event
World War II
Regime
Churchill wartime government
Leader
Winston Churchill
Source
Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
Source
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Foreign Posters, retrieved October 3, 2026
Rights
Public domain (UK Crown copyright, 50 years from publication, expired before 1996; no URAA restoration)
Air Ministry; printed for HMSO by J. Weiner Ltd; artist Jonathan Foss. U.S. National Archives, WWII Foreign Posters (44-PF-499).

Text on the object

Original (English) · read from the image, not independently checked

VOLUNTEER FOR
FLYING DUTIES

You can be accepted
NOW
For the R.A.F. as a
PILOT (AGE 17¼ TO 30)
AIR OBSERVER
(AGE 17¼ TO 32)
WIRELESS OPERATOR/
AIR GUNNER
(AGE 17¼ TO 32)
APPLY
R.A.F. SECTION
COMBINED
RECRUITING CENTRE

FOSS
ISSUED BY THE AIR MINISTRY, LONDON
PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY J. WEINER LTD., LONDON, W.C.1. 51-385

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