From Viktor's Attic

World War II Mapmaking and Radar Technologies

Artifacts related to Viktor’s World War II service have been discovered by Foundation archivist Craig Bara. Documents, photos, models and even pieces of dimensional maps tell a fascinating story about then-classified advances in map-making and radar technology that developed with Viktor’s assistance. This article is the first part of a two-part series that describes Viktor’s work on these developing technologies during his Navy service.

When World War II broke out, Viktor was 37 and too old for the draft. He also had deferments because of his involvement with defense work. However, Viktor was anxious to do his part for the war effort, and, at the encouragement of a captain in the Navy, applied for enlistment. Viktor was told it would take several months to process his application, but a phone call five days later asked him to report for duty immediately.

After basic training, Viktor was sent to the Special Devices Division, Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, at a secret base in New Jersey. There multiple branches of the military were working on a top-secret project: the development of radar. Even the word "radar" was classified. At this time, Special Devices not yet deciphered the scattered feedback received on radar screens. Commanding officer Luis De Florez theorized that the pattern had something to do with the shape of the targets, and requested assistance from a sculptor, who would be sensitive to shapes. Enter Viktor Schreckengost.

Viktor joined the Special Devices Division’s efforts to interpret radar. They created detailed scale models of plausible scenarios in real combat locations and learned to interpret the radar feedback. As radar became an operable technology, it became increasingly imperative to have highly accurate, three-dimensional terrain maps to inform radar-guided bombing missions.

Under Viktor’s guidance, a new system of dimensional mapmaking was developed. Formerly restricted instruction manuals found in Viktor’s archives describe this work: "How to Build Terrain Models" and "The Development of Landfall Techniques and Landfall Recognition Models." A series of 8x10 black-and-white glossy photographs also found in the archives clearly illustrates instructions in these manuals.

The photos depict methods for creating 1/1000th–scale topographical molds out of plaster or sticks covered with plaster. Aerial photographs on the correct scale would then be glued on a wire mesh over the mold, with the photo paper pressed carefully into all the crevices. (The process would be akin to laying a photograph of a face over a mannequin's features and creating a photo-real, three dimensional face.) When the wire mesh dried, the rigidly-formed map and mesh would be removed from the mold. The maps were touched up with paint and tiny models that indicated buildings, forests, ships and the like. See a room-sized, finished map of the Turtle Islands below.

Tiny models, including detailed aircraft carriers and the even smaller airplanes that rest on their platforms, are also among the artifacts unearthed in Viktor’s attic. Next month’s article will feature photos and descriptions of the completed maps and the miniscule models that covered their surfaces.

Background material for this article was obtained from Viktor Schreckengost and 20th-Century Design by Henry Adams. Third printing now available for purchase.