RCAHMS : aerial photography collections

Royal Air Force vertical aerial photograph of Scotstoun and the King George V dock, taken in 1947 as part of the National Air Photograph Survey, which covered most of Scotland between 1946 and 1950.

Royal Air Force oblique aerial photograph of Pinkston power station, Glasgow, taken in 1960. Many images such as these were taken by the RAF in Scotland and the service continues to collect oblique aerial images for training purposes.

Ordnance Survey vertical aerial photograph of North Queensferry and the Forth bridges, taken in 1963. Ordnance Survey has been involved in taking aerial photographs of the UK since the mid-1950's, as a key element of its map revision programme. RCAHMS holds all OS aerial photography of Scotland up to 1979.

Vertical aerial photograph of Kirkcaldy, Fife, taken in 1971 by Meridian Airmaps Ltd. Meridian Airmaps photographed many areas in Scotland on a commercial basis between 1965 and 1982. Its prints and negative films were obtained by RCAHMS when the company ceased to trade in the late-1980's.

Vertical aerial photograph of Edinburgh taken during the All Scotland Survey in 1988. This aerial survey was commissioned by The Scottish Office and the entire country was photographed between 1987 and 1989. It remains the most up to date cover available of many areas of Scotland.

Oblique aerial photograph of Hirta, St Kilda, taken in 1995 by Photoair Ltd. This company photographed many of Scotland's most important natural areas, at the request of Scottish Natural Heritage, between 1990 and 2000; these and many other negatives, acquired during a wide range of commissions for various forestry companies and councils, among others, were obtained from the company in 2002.



	RAF WWII vertical aerial photograph of Leuchars Airfield, Fife. SC752245


		The Air Photographs Collection comprises over one million aerial photographs and negatives covering the whole of Scotland and ranging in date from the 1940s to the present day. These aerial photographs provide invaluable 'snapshots' of the Scottish landscape, at a variety of scales, over the last sixty years. The majority of photographs are black and white although some colour photography is available. Most of the photographs are vertical views (i.e. taken from directly overhead) but some are oblique (i.e. taken at an angle to the ground). The collection includes aerial photographs from the following sources: Royal Air Force - vertical stereoscopic cover of all of Scotland from the late 1940s at c.1:10,000 scale, obliques of some coastlines and cities. Small and medium-scale cover of various areas from 1944-83. Ordnance Survey - vertical coverage from the mid-1950s with most of Scotland covered at scales ranging from 1:7,500 to 1:27,000. All Scotland Survey - A vertical survey of the whole of Scotland from 1987-9 at a scale of 1:24,000 with central Scotland in colour. Aerial photographs also come from: Private Companies - a partial register of air photographs of Scotland with some prints available for purchase and some for consultation only. This includes the 1970s colour coastal survey. RCAHMS own photography - Targeted obliques of specific sites of archaeological and architectural interest since 1976. Catalogues published for 1976-1995 - later years available through Canmore. Find out more about RCAHMS aerial survey. Luftwaffe - Over 100 annotated photographs and maps of specific targets in wartime Scotland. Catalogue published in 1999. RAF WWII - Over 4,000 images of various locations taken during WWII. Catalogue published in 2000. Appointments are always essential for consulting the Air Photographs Collection. Please contact us by telephone, fax, letter, or email info@rcahms.gov.uk. AirPhotoFinder is an application hosted by RCAHMS to help you to locate and order vertical Aerial Photography in Scotland. Contained within AirPhotoFinder are details of flight plots which illustrate where there will be vertical aerial photographic coverage. The system is not yet comprehensive and it is always recommended that you contact info@rcahms.gov.uk to check whether additional aerial photographs are available.


	SC 892334	Royal Air Force vertical aerial photograph of Scotstoun and the King George V dock, taken in 1947 as part of the National Air Photograph Survey, which covered most of Scotland between 1946 and 1950.

	SC 682554	Royal Air Force oblique aerial photograph of Peebles, Scottish Borders, taken in 1948.

	SC 802947	Royal Air Force oblique aerial photograph of Pinkston power station, Glasgow, taken in 1960. Many images such as these were taken by the RAF in Scotland and the service continues to collect oblique aerial images for training purposes.

	SC 802948	Ordnance Survey vertical aerial photograph of North Queensferry and the Forth bridges, taken in 1963. Ordnance Survey has been involved in taking aerial photographs of the UK since the mid-1950's, as a key element of its map revision programme. RCAHMS holds all OS aerial photography of Scotland up to 1979.

	SC 796521	Vertical aerial photograph of Kirkcaldy, Fife, taken in 1971 by Meridian Airmaps Ltd. Meridian Airmaps photographed many areas in Scotland on a commercial basis between 1965 and 1982. Its prints and negative films were obtained by RCAHMS when the company ceased to trade in the late-1980's.

	SC 602078	Vertical aerial photograph of Edinburgh taken during the All Scotland Survey in 1988. This aerial survey was commissioned by The Scottish Office and the entire country was photographed between 1987 and 1989. It remains the most up to date cover available of many areas of Scotland.

	SC 722682	Oblique aerial photograph of Hirta, St Kilda, taken in 1995 by Photoair Ltd. This company photographed many of Scotland's most important natural areas, at the request of Scottish Natural Heritage, between 1990 and 2000; these and many other negatives, acquired during a wide range of commissions for various forestry companies and councils, among others, were obtained from the company in 2002.

	Updated 9 Feb 2005