Sawyer’s View-Master Model B
Portland, Oregon, United States, 1940s
In terms of appearance, the bakelite, clamshell Model B is our favorite of the View-Master line. They’re curvy, cute, and vintage-looking without the fragility of the Model A. Featured here are the rare blue-black color (pieced together from leftover stock before Sawyer’s moved on to the Model C) and the uncommon colors mahogany brown & marine blue.
The Model B was also part of World War II military training sets. The viewers would be boxed with light beige or buff reels with hand-lettering for the Navy’s aviation and ship divisions and also the Army Air Forces division.
Blue & Black Model B View-Master
Marine Blue Model B View-Master
Mahogany Brown Model B View-Master
Model B, UK Version with flared eyecups
Ship-to-Ship Model B Set | USN Training Aids
A complete version of this hard-to-find set for the Bureau of Naval Personnel comes with 2 Model B viewers, one in each end of the box, with 28 reels in the middle. The reels provide identification of German and Japanese ships at night, during the day, and at different distances:
4 reels: Seven ships per reel, Height of the Eye-50’
3 reels: Seven ships per reel, Height of the Eye-50’, Night Study
21 reels: One ship per reel
The set was procured by the Bureau of Aeronautics Special Devices Division with photography by Transfilm, Inc, New York City.
Our set is missing one of the Model B viewers and No. 11 of the 21 reels.
Model B Promo Photos | Training Aids Division, AAF
