What Britain used to look like from the air

[PAXboy]

Interesting item from English Heritage, featuring Aerofilms.

BBC News - What Britain used to look like from the air (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18542080)

[SpringHeeledJack]

Thanks for that! Fascinating always to see things as they used to be, especially halfway through where the old and new are starting to merge together. The flyers must have had a lovely life, if a bit windy, but essentially clear skies and autonomy.


SHJ

[PAXboy]

Today in the paper: Early aerial photographs of Britain salvaged and published online - History - Life & Style - The Independent (http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/history/early-aerial-photographs-of-britain-salvaged-and-published-online-7875951.html)

Which links to: Britain from Above | Rescue the Past (http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/)

[added] Looking through the second of these links is addictive. Found this Grebe from 1926.http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/sites/default/files/imagecache/natural-standard/sites/all/lib/aerofilms-images/public/england/EPW017343.jpg

[Hasel Checks]

Lovely image of the Gloster Grebe, a bit fuzzy though; the air to ground pictures are sharper. I looked up my home-town and recognized it instantly, despite the picture being taken in 1920. I could see the exact building in which my Grandfather was almost certainly trading when the photography aeroplane flew overhead. My father wasn't even born at that time. Wonderful perspectives in every sense!

[Hasel Checks]

Second look, and I notice the pair of Vickers have been removed from that Grebe, despite it being an RAF machine. I wonder why? Perhaps only temporary judging by the crude tarpaulin covering, instead of an alloy cowl. Surely the RAF were allowed to fly with armed weapons in peace time? What about today?

[PAXboy]

In the 1930s, my paternal grandfather flew stills photographers over events. Sadly, we have no images of what a/c he used but it was modified with a removable panel in the rear cockpit and they mounted a large plate camera. When they reached the event (often directly over London in a single engined machine!) he would half roll whilst the pics were taken - then back to Croydon for photographer to get back onto the motorbike and head for Fleet Street!

My grandfather had flown SE5s in WWI, so this was a cake walk for him! But he and my grandmother died in WWII and everything in the house lost when the V2 landed. I add that due to the usual hoo-hah about Bomber Command today for the memorial.