The Royal Air Force

Kept in lofts at RAF Calshot, this bird is being released from a basket on a flying boat, 1939.
Hulton Archive / Getty

Flying Fancy
Pigeons provided an unlikely but important link between bases and fighting forces during WWII. Kept in lofts at RAF Calshot, this bird is being released from a basket on a flying boat, 1939.

Get the Latest Photos from Time.com
Get TIME photos and pictures of the week delivered directly to your inbox.