Most sellers seem not to know what to make of aircraft spotter cards. There are several distinct varities made for different purposes. The most commonly listed are reproductions of the WW II decks issued for the civilian market. Military decks, until the common 1979 deck, were not playing cards but more like school flash cards with different information on the two sides.

     Civilian decks for WW II come with two distinct content information on the face and several standard backs. Most common are the bicycle decks with blue background. The card faces show two silhouettes for most aircraft in the early series. For example, the B-17E Flying Fortress is shown in front and side view in the early series and has a third view shown from the top added for the revision. Coca-Cola published these cards with more than one advertising back. Boxes will probably have a period revenue stamp. In addition, government distribution decks marked Red Cross and possibly others are known. Bicycle backs in both red and blue are known. Early boxes had a card glued on. Later boxes may have a card printed on as an integral part of the box. THE FINAL SERIES, THREE VIEW DECK, HAS BEEN REPRODUCED IN SEVERAL FORMS. THE PACKAGING INDICATES THAT THESE ARE REPRODUCTIONS. I AM UNAWARE OF ANY THAT ARE DIRECT COPIES OF BOTH FRONT AND BACK. Correction--a scarce reproduction was issued by the original maker. I have, as yet, little information.

      Actual training decks were issued by the Navy and Army. Navy decks illustrated both planes and ships. These are not playing cards. One side shows an identified ship or plane. For example, US planes are marked U.S. Navy. The other marked restricted shows the same ship or plane with no identification. This side is marked "Restricted" and is, to my experience, dated August 1944.  The Navy series came in blue standard pack size boxes for U.S. craft and red boxes for British, and yellow boxes for Japanese ships and planes. I have a set whch was identified as an Army set with no original box. These cards were also dated August 1944. U.S. planes in this series are marked U. S. Army.

     Other cards and card games exist. For example, Squadron Scramble decks No. 1 and No. 2 were issued as juvenile education. This series was published by Whitman Publishing Co.Both green and red backs were issued. A third deck associated with this game is artwork showing an individual allied or enemy aircraft. These were later distributed with blank backs in cereal boxes. AN ACCURATE AND COMPLETE REPRODUCTION OF SQUADRON SCRAMBLE EXISTS.

   POSTWAR official spotter decks revert to photograph or artwork on both sides of the flash card. Some  series have identification numbers on each card. GTA-44-2-15 was used after the 1979 playing card deck and was replaced at the time of Desert Storm. Early Cold War decks exist which do not have an identification number. They will have earlier aircraft such as M.I.G. 15 and similar jets and ships typical of the 1950 to 1970 period.

     British WW II sets also exist. If eBay listings are an accurate indication, they are less common than the US versions.

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