Mystery Map - Aviation?

[JohnC]

I wonder if anyone can identify the purpose of this map, photos below? It's a 1:100,000 sheet 11, Lens, printed in grey as a base map. There are no colours at all apart from a green overlay which shows the outlines of woods and forests. There are no annotations or key, apart from the OS (OB) and date stamp of April 1918. I have never seen one like it. I'm wondering if it was intended as a flying map for the newly formed RAF. I know that a few 40,000 and 20,000 sheets were produced with woods and settlements outined in green, as an aid for aerial observation. Although this one doesn't have the railways and rivers emphasised, which were useful navigating aids. I don't think it's for forestry or timber supply, for which the standard sheets would be adequate (as per final photo, for comparison). I can't find any reference to this particular format in any of Peter Chassaud's books. So my guess is that it's a flying map, but I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has suggestions or information.

Thanks,

John

[Gunner Bailey]

I'm not sure what is the world's oldest aviation map. Certainly there were airfields on that map's area. Conteville,  Auxit le Petite, Bofflers, Remaisnil etc

 

Would they have been marked on an aviation map at that time?

 

Very interesting and I'd not discount it at present.

 

John

Edited 28 May , 2020 by Gunner Bailey

[JohnC]

Hello Gunner. I believe the French claim the first purpose made aviation map. 1910 I think, from memory, maybe 1911. The British army made an experimental version for an exercise around the same time. The Germans were printing Fliegerkarte of western Germany up to the French border in 1913. These showed airfields and ground suitable for emergency landings. Most wartime aviation maps don't seem to show airfields, I suppose for security, and pilots could easily mark up their own maps. The only maps of both sides that seem to consistently show airfields are Enemy Organisation ones, in 20,000 and 40,000. So if an allied pilot wanted to see his own airfields he would have to use a captured German Enemy Org map! Some if my other posts show examples.

Cheers,

John.

PS I've had a reply from Linselles about the Potato Maps, I'll forward to you.