Equipment

17 November, 202217 November, 2022

Beechcraft G-AZFS and G-AZOH photographs

Ken Fostekew sent these photographs over, from the person who was involved with the equipment installation for Fairey Surveys. Unfortunately his contact details have been lost, but the photographs tell the story. The first two photographs are of G-AZFS, and the others are all of G-AZOH.

Doing a quick search on G-AZOH brought up the attached accident report published on the Government Air Accident Investigation Branch website. Looking at the date, and the pilot details, the pilot was probably Geoff Milsom, who kept the plane under control when a wheel came off after landing at White Waltham. Does anyone have any more details?

G-AZOH accident report Download

To see larger versions of the photographs, right click the photograph and select ‘Open image in new tab’

7 January, 2020

R&I Group: A short history from Mike Wilkey

Mike Wilkey has compiled a short history of the Research and Instruments Group covering the period he worked there (1958 – 91) and the events his 2020 brain permits. A great deal of the work was for the Ministry of Defence concerning airborne reconnaissance, although the design, manufacture and use of a wide range of commercial hydraulic vibration test equipment also became part of the business.

Click on the link below to view or download the history.

R&I Story

15 July, 20144 February, 2019

Photographs from Ulrich Münzer

Ulrich (Uli) came to Fairey Surveys for survey experience during two summers – June to September of 1967 and July to September of 1968, and lodged with Eddie Holmes during his time here.

He is now Dr Ulrich Münzer of LMU University in Munich, Faculty of Geosciences, with a speciality in subglacial volcanoes in Iceland. Details and even a photograph here: www.isviews.geo.lmu.de

He spends summers in Iceland, so can’t get to the reunions, but has sent in some photographs of his time at Fairey Surveys, and his reference from Lawrence Scott when he left in 1968.

Click on the photographs to enlarge.

Dakota Whiskey Charlie before its FSL repainting

Wild A8s. John Churchard, John Parfitt and John Keay

Zeiss C8 Stereoplanigraph, Tony Dady operating

Wild A8 - Don't know who the operator is. — Wild A8 – Don’t know who the operator is.

Great cars - and is that Peter Challis's Ford Anglia? — Great cars – and is that Peter Challis’s Ford Anglia?

Compilation Department 1968, Peter Challis in the white coat

Ulrich Münzer (foreground) and Eddie Holmes (left), probably at Farnborough Air Show

27 July, 2013

John Parfitt photographs

Jayne Jupp has sent in some photographs of her father John Parfitt working in photogrammetry, and in a group picture. The film crew in the first picture could be BBC South or Thames TV making a film about map making – does anyone remember? All the people on the group photo have been identified, but not why or when it was taken. Any additional information gratefully received, and will be added here.

Click on the photographs for a bigger picture.

John Parfitt group photo — Left to right: Tony Dady, Malcolm Eaton, John Parfitt, Tony Apicella, Adrian Workman

9 May, 20139 May, 2013

Wild A8 Stereoplotter – in use

This request is from a photographer who wants to find a Wild A8 Stereoplotter in use:
Hello,

I’m a french artist and I work actually on the history of aerial photography.
I research a “Wild A8 Stereo plotter” and I would to know where I can find a “Wild A8 Stereo plotter” operating. I would like to make print with this.

Thank you,

David De Beyter

david.debeyter@gmail.com

If you have any information that might be useful, please contact Mr De Beyter direct. If you think someone else might have useful information, please use the Contact form to let us know.

2 September, 201216 April, 2013

Fairey Surveys used and made some very specialised equipment. Here are pictures and information about some of it (click on the name or the photo for the full view). Tony Furneaux and Adrian Workman provided the photographs, and Derek Minter and Lawrence Scott contributed the brochures.

Stereoviewer (Clyde Surveys version)

Fairey Stereoviewer brochure (Fairey Surveys version)

Heliograph

Fairey Additive Viewer

Fairey Additive Viewer brochure (Mk 2: The first picture is slightly different, with an extra interface, and the weight has more than doubled – FSL Newsletter 18 has details of the changes)

Fairey Plotterscope brochure

Vibration isolator unit

The photo of the camera without operator, AW17, was designed to be installed in an RAF Scout helicopter and used to take oblique photographs at long range. It shows the vibration isolator unit which the camera is mounted on. The five photographs AW15,16,18,19 & 20 are parts of a typical vibration isolator unit that were made in the R&I Department.