Air Photo Archive Keele University, Staffordshire, UK - 3

[Richard T Eger]

Daniel Uziel
duziel@yahoo.com
Member
Posted: 19 November 2024 03:34
Post subject: GX - captured German PR photos in NARA and in the Keele University Library

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Hi,
Recently I posted a query in which I casually mentioned the GX collection in NARA. I thought that this is a well known material but Richard suggested that I should write more about it.
GX was the codename allocated to captured German photoreconnaissance (PR) imagery captured at the end of WWII. Around 1.250.000 such photos were taken by the allies and were studied during the late 40s-early 50s by intelligence experts in order to gain information about East Europe. Today most of the GX material is stored in NARA II near DC, where its current signature is RG 373. You can find out more about it by going to the NARA search engine
http://arcweb.archives.gov/arc/basic_search.jsp

Simply type “GX” in the main text box and then select “Photographs and other Graphic Materials” from the “Type of Archival Material” drop box beneath. It should be the 5th item in the results list.
I never searched this collection by my own, but my colleagues in the US and the UK tell me that today the research there is a self-service matter, including the printing of previews with ordinary printer. Some of the GX imagery is also stored in the Keele University Library, where the RAF’s PR material is currently stored.
http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/is/airphoto/index.htm

(A short article about the British collections can be found here)
http://www.caliach.com/paulr/articles/html/keele.html

Anyway, THE place for German imagery is NARA. Keele is also practically a one woman operation, so service there can be quite problematic.
The potential of the GX collection is quite obvious and I hope that this information will help someone out there.
Yours,
Daniel Uziel