Aerial Photo Research

Aerial photographs are a fundamental source of information and thus a necessary tool for the exploration
of (historically conditioned) explosive ordnance contamination (BFR KMR, chapter A-2.3.4).

Comprehensive research of all available historical aerial photographs for a specific site is a prerequisite for efficient and targeted work in explosive ordnance investigation.

Using our proprietary aerial photo research software, we have access to approximately 10 million aerial photos of the Allied Forces from 1938 to 1955, of which approximately 1.1 million images are already in our possession as high-resolution scans (1,200 dpi) (as of December 2022).

The aerial photographs are located in a wide variety of archives worldwide. The following national and international archives are part of our search database:

• Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA), Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, USA

• Bundesarchiv Koblenz

• Luftbilddatenbank Dr. Carls GmbH

• National Air Photo Library (NAPL), Ottawa, CA

• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), College Park, Maryland, USA

• Allied Central Interpretation Unit (ACIU)

• German Air Force (GX)

• Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence C

• Mediterranean Allied Photo Reconnaissance Wing (MAPRW)

• Dutch aerial photography collections "Kadaster" and "Wageningen"

For the Federal Republic of Germany, there is comprehensive coverage with historical aerial photographs, with a few exceptions in the eastern part of the republic. The figure shows the current data stock of our digitally searchable aerial photographs.

In addition, our inventory is continuously being expanded. Image collections in Europe are digitized promptly as needed.