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5 June 2024

National Collection of Aerial Photography shares exclusive photos from D-Day

Landing craft and tanks make their way onto SWORD Beach, where The King's Own Scottish Borderers played a vital role.

A black and white image from D-Day

Ahead of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a selection of images have been released from the National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP). Captured during numerous reconnaissance sorties flown throughout 6 June 1944, NCAP’s archives include over 7,750 images recording this momentous day. These photos offer a comprehensive visual narrative of one of the most consequential days of the twentieth century. To learn more about the 30 million images in the archive, please visit ncap.org.uk.

About NCAP

The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), part of Historic Environment Scotland, holds one of the world's most significant aerial photography collections with 30 million images. This archive offers a unique view of key moments in world history, including rare images from the 1920s and declassified Ministry of Defence reconnaissance imagery from WWII and the Cold War.

NCAP has become the leading repository for managing aerial photographic collections, continuously acquiring imagery from various survey and research projects while pioneering new digitisation efforts to make these collections more widely available. With access to images from every continent, many of which were previously unavailable to the public, NCAP provides a unique dataset that is attracting new users and applications. In the coming months, new online platforms will make it even easier to discover these collections.

About Historic Environment Scotland (HES) 

  • We are the lead body for Scotland’s historic environment, a charity dedicated to the advancement of heritage, culture, education and environmental protection. It is at the forefront of researching and understanding the historic environment and addressing the impacts of climate change on its future, investigating and recording architectural and archaeological sites and landscapes across Scotland and caring for more than 300 properties of national importance. We are also the lead on delivering Scotland's strategy for the historic environment, Our Past, Our Future.
  • Historic Scotland, Scran, Canmore, The National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP), The Engine Shed, Stirling Castle, and Edinburgh Castle are sub-brands of HES.
  • View our press pack and keep up to date by registering to receive our media releases. Already registered? You can unsubscribe at any time by following the unsubscribe link, included in every email.

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For further information, please contact:

Robin Kepple
Historic Environment Scotland Media Office
07721 959 962
communications@hes.scot

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