Historical information

This collection of 14 photos was most likely taken in the 1970s and 1980s in Air Survey Squadron. The PDP 11/70 minicomputer shown in photo .1P was the operating system introduced in 1977 as the mainframe system for the control of the APC4, aerial triangulation block adjustments, SORA OP Analytical Orthophoto control, APR Analytical Terrain Profile Recorder computation, graphics, and general computing. Technicians used the Wild A9 Stereocomparator shown in photo .2P to accurately measure between pass, tie, and survey control points on aerial photographs. The Zeiss D2 Planimat Stereoplotter shown in photos .3P to .4P was used for analytical orthophoto control. It was introduced in 1972-1973 The Zeiss (Jena) Stecometer analytic stereocomparator for air photography shown in photos .5P to .11P and .14P was introduced at Air Survey Squadron in 1963. Aerotriangulation production was expedited using computers for analytical photogrammetric processes. The technician accurately measured between pass, tie, and survey control points on aerial photographs. Wild PUG4 point transfer devices shown in photos .12P to .13P were introduced in c1968 superseding the PUG2 devices. PUG4 devices were used by technicians to stereoscopically view the photography containing the survey control points and the mapping aerial photography. The Control points were transferred from the control photography to the mapping diapositives of aerial photography by drilling their locations into the photographic emulsion.

Physical description

This is a set of 14 photographs of Air Survey Squadron personnel operating aerotriangulation equipment at the Army Survey Regiment at Fortuna, Bendigo, c1970s to 1980s. Photographs .1P to .13P were on 35mm colour slide film and scanned at 96 dpi. Photograph.14P was printed on photographic paper and was scanned at 300 dpi. They are part of the Army Survey Regiment’s Collection.
.1) - Photo, colour, c1979, PDP-11 minicomputer.
.2) - Photo, colour, c1970s, Unidentified technician operating a Wild A9 Stereocomparator.
.3) - Photo, colour, c1970s, Zeiss D2 Planimat Stereoplotter.
.4) - Photo, colour, c1970s, Zeiss D2 Planimat Stereoplotter, unidentified technicians.
.5) - Photo, colour, c1970s, Zeiss D2 Planimat Stereoplotter, SGT Christopher Wardley.
.6) - Photo, colour, c1970s, Zeiss D2 Planimat Stereoplotter.
.7) to.9) - Photo, colour, c1970, Zeiss (Jena) Stecometer, unidentified technicians.
.10) to.11) - Photo, colour, c1988, SPR Toni Wright operating a Zeiss (Jena) Stecometer.
.12) - Photo, colour, c1970s, Wild PUG4 point transfer device, SPR John Shepard.
.13) - Photo, colour, c1970s, Wild PUG4 point transfer device, SPR David Edwards.
.13) - Photo, colour, c1970s, Wild PUG4 point transfer device, SPR David Edwards.
.14) - Photo, colour, c1980, Zeiss (Jena) Stecometer, SGT Bruce Hammond.

Inscriptions & markings

Some of the equipment is annotated on the frame of the 35mm slides.