Historical information

This is a set of nine photographs of technicians from the Royal Australian Survey Corps operating aerial surveys equipment c1980s. In photo .1P, CPL Steve Gloster was operating a RC10 air survey camera mounted in an Australian Army Pilatus Porter aircraft. The Wild RC10 super wide-angle air survey cameras were first introduced in 1971, were equipped with virtual distortion free lenses for supplementary, spot and special photography. In photo .2P, Roger Rees was operating Air Profile Recorder (APR) equipment. it was possibly taken during OP NERVOSE 84, sometime between June – August 1984 when based in Ngukurr, Northern Territory. The APR was operated at this time in unison with an RC10 camera. In 1963 the Royal Australian Survey Corps introduced the radar airborne profile recorder (Canadian Applied Research Ltd, Mark V, Airborne Profiler Recorder) was introduced for 1:100,000 mapping to replace terrain heighting by aneroid barometry. Later in 1974-1975, the Australian developed WREMAPS II airborne laser terrain profile recorder was introduced. In photo .3P, Neil Jones appears at the door of Airsearch Beechcraft Queen Air aircraft, Registration / Serial VH-MWX. This aircraft was typically used by RA Svy on air survey operations flying mission with Aerodist, APR and RC10 camera equipment. The Australian Army’s Pilatus Porter (short take-off and landing turbo propeller) was also equipped with a Wild RC10 aerial mapping camera for identification photography. The Pilatus Porter was also used on RA Svy’s map field checking operations. Photo .9P was taken at a survey station at an unknown location. In this photo an Australian Army Kiowa Light Observation Helicopter (LOH) is supporting a field survey party undertaking Magnavox AN/PRR-14 portable Doppler satellite observations. The satellite receiver’s antenna is plumbed over the survey ground mark surrounded by white plastic panels. The panels were used to identify the survey station on aerial photography. Introduced in 1974–1975, the Magnavox AN/PRR-14 portable Doppler satellite (US Navy Navigation Satellite System – TRANSIT) receivers and computing system provided independent three-dimensional point positions anywhere in the world, anytime, in any weather accurate to about 1.5metres with precise satellite ephemerides. The Bell OH-58 Kiowa LOH was a family of military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. It was identified by RA Svy in the mid-1970s that considerable time was lost in replacing unserviceable remote equipment by road. Therefore Aerodist operations (pre-dating satellite receiver operations) were fully supported by Army’s Kiowa LOH aircraft.

Physical description

This is a set of nine photographs of technicians from the Royal Australian Survey Corps operating aerial surveys equipment c1980s. .1P to .3P, .5P to .9P - Colour and black and white photos on photographic paper and scanned at 300 dpi. .4P - Colour photo on 35mm slide film and scanned at 96 dpi.
.1) & .2) - Photo, black & white, c1980s, CPL Steve Gloster operating an RC10 air camera.
.3) - Photo, colour, 1984, Roger Rees operating Air Profile Recorder (APR) equipment.
.4) - Photo, colour, c1980s, Neil Jones at the door of an Airsearch Beechcraft Queen Air aircraft, typically used by RA Svy on air survey operations.
.5) - Photo, colour, c1980s. A Beechcraft King Air aircraft, also used by RA Svy on air survey operations.
.6) - Photo, colour, c1980s. An Australian Army Pilatus Porter, used by RA Svy on air survey and map field checking operations. SGT Peter Mustart is possibly in the foreground.
.7) to .8) - Photo, colour, c1980s. An Australian Army Pilatus Porter and unidentified personnel, used by RA Svy on air survey and map field checking operations.
.9) - Photo, colour, c1980s. An Australian Army Kiowa helicopter supporting a field survey party undertaking Magnavox AN/PRR-14 portable Doppler satellite observations.

Inscriptions & markings

There are biro marks on photos .4P to .9P