Benbecula Aerodrome.
GB 10264b. August 1941
SC445491

The RCAHMS Air Photographs Collection contains over 1.5 million vertical and oblique aerial photographs taken by the Royal Air Force (RAF), Ordnance Survey (OS) and several private companies. Ranging in date from 1940 to the 1990s, the images offer a unique perspective of the Scottish landscape.

This highlight focuses on the imagery of Scotland, which dates to the years of the Second World War and includes photographs taken by the RAF and Luftwaffe.

RCAHMS holds about 130 Luftwaffe target aerial photographs taken between 1939 and 1943. These represent only a small selection of the target reconnaissance images taken by the Luftwaffe; the German Military Command had at their disposal large amounts of intelligence information in advance of a planned invasion or aerial raids on Britain. The air photograph coverage of Scotland was comprehensive and to a good standard due to the use of high quality cameras. The examples in the RCAHMS are annotated with intelligence information about potential targets.

In direct comparison, the RAF material was not taken for strategic reasons or target purposes, but as far as can be ascertained, training purposes. These images are for the most part, of an even higher quality than those of the Luftwaffe for two reasons: they were taken from a much lower altitude and in some cases using better photographic equipment. In the following exhibition several comparisons of the same site can be made between the German and British imagery.

RCAHMS holds nearly 8,000 images dating from 1940 through to 1944 by the RAF. The air photographs, both vertical and oblique, were taken for a variety of reasons, but primarily to train allied air photograph reconnaissance units. Coverage is mainly of the East Coast of Scotland reflecting the fact that many of the photographic reconnaissance units were based at Leuchars Airfield in Fife. Many of the photographs are of particular military defences with individual gun sites, radar and in some cases infantry units visible. The combined collections are a valuable historical record of changes made through the war.

Dyce Airfield,
Aberdeenshire. GB 102bc.
2 October 1939
SC445460

Dyce Airfield, Aberdeenshire. RAF NLA 10, 632. 9 March 1941 SC458732

The coverage allows, in some cases, comparative studies to be made between RAF and Luftwaffe images. One example is RAF Dyce Airfield: the Luftwaffe photographed the airfield in September 1940 and the RAF in March 1941. The most obvious difference between the two images is the construction of the bomb store to the north, additional huts to the northwest and west and the completion of the perimeter track.

Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, John Brown's Shipbuilding yard GB 8322. 2 October 1939 SC445483

The RAF 1943 coverage of Glasgow reveals far greater detail when compared with the Luftwaffe photographs. The RAF imagery taken from a much lower altitude allows a more detailed study to be made of individual structures such as the Singer Sewing Machine factory. The damage caused to the tenements immediately to the north of the factory during the 1941 Luftwaffe raids is very obvious whilst even something as small as a barrage balloon can be seen on the original RAF photograph.

The Luftwaffe photograph is of an area slightly further west than the Singer factory.

Oblique view of J Brown's
shipbuilding yard. No.1
CAM, G296. 11 July 1940
SC458756

Included in the RAF collection are a series of oblique photographs taken by No.1 CAM (Camouflage) squadron. These were taken to assess camouflage schemes on industrial plant. These can often supplement the information seen on the verticals even allowing the identification of individual ships under construction.

This example from 1940 shows the King George V class battleship, HMS Duke of York on the slips, identified by comparing the date of the image to the construction records of the company.

NAS Hatston,
24 September 1939
SC445478

RNAS Hatston, 22 June 1941 SC458768

Another example where dual coverage can provide additional information relating to the development of a particular site can be found at Hatston Airfield in Orkney.

The Luftwaffe image was probably taken before the war had started and also shows Kirkwall. The RAF image of the Royal Naval Air Station at Hatston, just North of Kirkwall is from June 1941, almost two years later. The most obvious differences are the increase in accommodation, completion of runways and hangars, addition of a slipway for flying boats. On the original photograph perimeter defences and other smaller buildings can be seen.

Images such as this allow us to trace the development of these military installations through time and can provide valuable supplementary evidence to plans and records held in the Public Record Office and the personal memories of those who served at such places.

Two illustrated catalogues have been published which detail the Luftwaffe and RAF wartime collections in the NMRS. For further information about these and other RCAHMS publications, visit the Publications List.

Prints of all the images above can be obtained by contacting RCAHMS directly at info@rcahms.gov.uk quoting the name of the site or building, the SC number, the size and nature of each image required. A price list of services for photographs, digital images and other copies can be found under the price list page. Click on an image above to view the full-size version.