News Image Release Note 012: NCAP Upload

Image Release Note 012: NCAP Upload

A historic black and white vertical aerial photo of Hong Kong, with densely packed buildings covering a promontory surrounded by sea. Several vessels are on the water. The photo has been marked with black lines to show contours.

Summary

This release features a compelling mix of United Kingdom survey firm outputs and Ministry of Defence (MOD) declassified Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre (JARIC) sorties along with US National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) imagery. There is a a strong focus on Qatar and the Middle East, digitised in partnership with the Qatar National Library. Coverage includes strategic zones such as Doha Harbour, Mesaieed, Umm Said, and the Hawar Islands, offering valuable insight into regional development and coastal change. 

A standout inclusion is the Defence Geographic Centre (DGC) imagery of Hong Kong from 1924, representing the earliest aerial imagery in the NCAP collections. 

UK coverage is extensive, with imagery from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Salisbury Plain, and Silverstone, including a unique sortie capturing the EastEnders film set. 

Additional frames span Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with infrastructure-focused surveys such as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, coalfield mapping, and tidal/coastal monitoring. Caribbean entries like Tortola (British Virgin Islands) and Arthur’s Town (Bahamas) add global reach. This release strengthens both the historical and modern dimensions of the collection.

Release Extent
New Sorties 500
New Frames 48,235
Date Range 1924 – 2006

Geographical Coverage

United Kingdom

  • England: London, Manchester, Birmingham, Essex, Wiltshire, Suffolk, Cheshire, DIX Pit, Penryn, Cliffe, Kings Lynn, Fiddlers Ferry
  • Scotland
  • Wales: Ebbw Vale
  • Northern Ireland 

Special Themes

  • Special UK Sites: EastEnders film set, Channel Tunnel Rail Link, coalfields, tidal/coastal zones

International

  • Middle East: (Qatar: Umm Said Coastline, Mesaieed, Hawar Islands, Dukhan, West Coast, Doha)
  • East Asia: Hong Kong
  • Caribbean: British Virgin Islands (Tortola), Bahamas (Arthur’s Town)

 

 

Collection Detail
JARIC 101 sorties 30,680 frames
SIMMONS 90 sorties 13,079 frames
NARA 17 sorties 3,120 frames
DGC 22 sorties 1,037 frames
SCOT 1 sortie 252 frames
NERC 1 sortie 67 frames

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