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A black and white vertical aerial photo of a city. A river runs through the middle of the image with an oval racetrack to its right. A few buildings are visible, but most have been destroyed. Hills are visible either side of the built-up area.
 
 
Image of the Month: This photograph of Nagasaki was taken 80 years ago this month, just a few weeks after the atomic bombing of the Japanese city on 9 August 1945. It shows the Urakami Valley, the devastated epicentre of the bombing. The crew of Boeing B-29 Superfortress Bockscar, which dropped the 'Fat Man' plutonium bomb, used the racetrack visible in the centre of the frame to locate themselves above the city. 2 square miles of Nagasaki were destroyed and 73,000 people killed. Within days, the Japanese government had acceded to an unconditional surrender. 

The image was taken from a Boeing F-13/F-13A (a photo reconnaissance variant of the Superfortress) operated by the 3rd Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron (USAAF). The squadron operated in the Pacific Theatre from September 1944, and flew well over 400 photo reconnaissance missions, including post-strike survey flights after the atomic bombings. 

Image credit: Collection: NARA, Sortie: 5M/0421, Frame: 0010 (07 September 1945) 

 

View Image in Air Photo Finder

 

Our Image of the Month is a reminder of how much important – and often tragic – human history is contained within the 30 million images that make up the National Collection of Aerial Photography; the imagery is vitally important as a living memorial to those involved in photographic reconnaissance and intelligence, and a record of global conflicts throughout the twentieth century. 

Fresh batches of imagery have continued to be uploaded to our online portal this month. We have more than doubled the amount of imagery available in the last six weeks – the total now stands at more than 500,000 – and there is plenty more to come! 

In September's newsletter we are continuing our focus on the various individual collections that make up the National Collection of Aerial Photography. This month it is the turn of the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre, which contains millions of images that provide a unique record of twentieth-century British military activity and interests worldwide. 

We work closely with the Medmenham Association, helping to digitise and provide access to material cared for by them as part of the Medmenham Collection. You can find out a bit more about what they do in this month's featured article. We are also very excited to draw attention to a thrilling-looking exhibition of aerial photography opening at National Galleries Scotland next month, read on to find out more… 

We hope you enjoy exploring this month’s newsletter!   

Best wishes, 
The NCAP Team 
 
 
A black and white historic photo of 5 men in uniform around a table. They are studying various photos and maps. 2 pocket stereoscopes are also visible. 2 of the men are seated, 2 stand and 1 leans on the table. 3 of them are smoking.   A black and white vertical aerial photo of the city of Cologne. The cathedral is clearly visible on the left bank of a wide river. The river is spanned by a railway bridge and a road bridge. Buildings either side of the river show clear signs of bomb damage.
           
The Medmenham Collection at RAF Wyton Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre
   
As a living memorial to the military personnel involved in photographic reconnaissance and intelligence work — especially the many reconnaissance pilots and aircrew who lost their lives — the National Collection of Aerial Photography is proud to maintain its relationship with the Medmenham Association. Together, we digitise and provide access to images from the Medmenham Collection. As the number of images accessible on our website continues to grow, we will be spotlighting the various collections to which they belong. This month, it is the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre, which contains millions of images from the Second World War onwards.
   
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A historic black and white vertical aerial photo of a bay surrounded by mountains. A small cluster of buildings is visible with ships moored offshore. Snow covers some of the mountains.   A historic black and white photo of 3 men standing on a rocky outcrop above the sea, using a surveying instrument on a tripod.
           
Images Online Pass 500,000 Exhibition – Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer
   
We are continuing to upload fresh batches of imagery to our online portal. Since the start of August, over 300,000 new frames have been uploaded, bringing the total number of images to explore to 513,877. The latest batches include nearly 70 years' worth of history, stretching from 1938 to 2006, and cover locations worldwide across the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. In a new exhibition at the Portrait gallery in Edinburgh, meet trailblazer Alfred Buckham, the man behind some of the most iconic aerial photographs. Marvel at the death-defying lengths he took to capture the perfect image and explore how his innovative techniques paved the way for modern technologies. This free exhibition opens at National Galleries Scotland: Portrait on 18 October 2025 until 19 April 2026.
   
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