Luftwaffe: Aerial Reconnaissance - 126 results

Bibliography RCAHMS (1999), Catalogue of the Luftwaffe photographs in the National Monuments Record of Scotland, Scotland from the Air 1939-1949, volume 1, ISBN 1-902419-05-7.

Biographical/Historical note

German aerial reconnaissance of Scotland, for military use during the Second World War, was first carried out by Theodore Rowehl in 1938-9. Under the guise of checking out new air routes for the German airline, Lufthansa, he used a civilian Heinkel He-111 fitted with concealed cameras to clandestinely photograph the North Sea coast of Scotland and England, the Channel coastlines of both England and France and the Baltic coast as far as Leningrad. Once the Second World War had commenced, Luftwaffe Dornier Do-17, Do-215, Do-217, Junkers Ju-86, Ju-88, Ju-188 and Arado Ar-234 aircraft were all used to take photographs of parts of Scotland, usually flying at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet (10,000m) to evade interception by British fighters, but occasionally flying at low level to obtain oblique images.

Master photographic prints were stored in the central intelligence library of German Army HQ at Zossen, near Berlin. Millions of photographs of targets in western and eastern Europe, taking up 3,000 cubic feet (85 cubic m) of space, were moved from Luftwaffe vaults near the end of the war and hidden, only to be later found by British and American troops. The original negatives, which were stored on barges on lakes north-west of Berlin, were sunk by Allied fighter-bombers.

Conditions Governing Access Open. Copies of imagery are accessible via the NCAP website, search room and Paid Search Service.

Conditions Governing Use Standard licence terms for use apply.

Custodial History

The prints are a copy of Luftwaffe aerial reconnaissance photographs of Scotland held by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in the United States of America. The images in the collection range in date from 23 September 1939 to 10 March 1943 according to the annotations but it is believed a number of the images pre-date the Second World War (1939-1945).

Existence and Location of Originals The National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001, United States of America. Tel: +00 1-866-272-6272

Immediate Source of Acquisition The original imagery in this collection is held by the National Archives and Records Administration in the United States of America. RCAHMS obtained copies in 1996.

Other Finding Aids Copies of imagery, arranged by geographical location, are accessible in the search room and on the NCAP website.

Related Archival Materials GB 551 NCAP/4 - Luftwaffe: Aerial Reconnaissance (Worldwide)

Resource Rights Holder NARA

Scope and Contents

Luftwaffe (German Air Force) vertical aerial images of locations in Scotland taken before and during the early part of the Second World War (1939-1945), and associated distribution maps.

The photographs held in this collection are centred on a particular target, which is usually outlined and has its constituent parts index-numbered. These parts are then identified and have their purpose, construction, dimensions and area described, in German, in the accompanying text. The critical point of the target is occasionally identified, for bomber crews. Neighbouring targets are treated in the same manner, while smaller targets of value are labelled with their code number only. Defensive positions, such as anti-aircraft batteries and barrage balloons, are also outlined on the photographs. For orientation, north is marked on all of the vertical photographs and the direction and distance to the nearest settlement is indicated. Appearing alongside the title of the photograph and the type of target depicted is the following information: date of photography or date at which intelligence information has been added; the unique classifying code number of the principal target; the scale of the photograph; the longitude and latitude of the target; the magnetic variation and date of recording; the height of the target above sea-level; and the photograph number. The photographs are also generally labelled as 'Secret' or for 'Official Use Only'.

Website Feature Luftwaffe over Scotland