The purpose of the Luftwaffe's rescue buoy, known as the Rettungsboje, was to shelter pilots and crew members who were shot down or had to make an emergency landing over water.
Generaloberst Ernst Udet, the DirectorGeneral of Equipment for the Luftwaffe, proposed that the buoys be built in 1940 under the supervision of the German Ministry of Air Navigation in order to provide a safe landing area for downed Luftwaffe pilots over the English Channel. As a result, they went by another name, the UdetBoje.
The first buoys had a basic design, measuring 1m × 5m in size and 2m high. They provided minimal shelter. A flag pole was used to raise the flag or lantern, and supplies such as ropes, water, iron rations, life jackets, and a basic medical kit were available.

In 1940, 50 of the upgraded buoys were anchored in the English Channel after they were designed.
The buoys were square or hexagon shaped, with a floor area of roughly 4 m² and a cabin rising above the float at a height of 2.4 m (8 ft.). This cabin had an oval turret on the upper deck that stood 1.8 meters (6 feet) tall and was equipped with a signal tower that held a wireless antenna. Along the outside perimeter, both below and above the water line, were tube rails that the stranded flyers might cling to.
There was a door leading from the turret, where a ladder led, to the cabin below. The buoy was secured in place by a 100meter (320foot) redandyellow rope that allowed for some drift, which helped planes in trouble determine which way the river was flowing. The turret's sides were painted with red crosses set against white circular backgrounds, and the buoy was painted a pale yellow color above the waterline. Copyright Disclaimer: Under section 107 of the copyright Act 1976, allowance is mad for FAIR USE for purpose such a as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statues that might otherwise be infringing. Non Profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of FAIR USE.