The New Zealand Sound Archive has an amazing collection of recordings, mainly from radio past in this country. But much of their recordings have international appeal and you can actually purchase copies of he recordings on their site – I’ve bought a couple beofre, and they’re great to deal with. Some – depending on age – are expensive, others are cheap. Here’s a few examples that might appeal here: (the topics in the archive vary way wider than just avaition of course, if you’re researching other stuff – eg many famous stars who’ve visited NZ have an interview in there)
1956 – Interview with a Skymaster pilot just returned from Antarctica
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=1111&more=ad
Tiger Moth flight across Tasman Sea!!
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=2535&more=ad
Motat’s Lancaster
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=3728&more=ad
RNZAF Museum’s volunteers, Geriatric Air Force (I have this, it’s excellent)
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=3730&more=ad
Flying With 488 (NZ) Squadron night fighters
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=4174&more=ad
Cliff Tait about his round the world flight
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=4799&more=ad
Longest Commercial Passenger Flight
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=4896&more=ad
1945 visit of HMS Indefatigable (they flew Seafires and Fireflies here)
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=5450&more=ad
More of above
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=5451&more=ad
And a day on HMS Indefatigable in 1945
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=1&id=5452&more=ad
Middle East Beaufighter Squadron
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=2&id=16615&more=ad
West Coast Aviation
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=2&id=16970&more=ad
Famous aviator Fred Ladd interviewed
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=2&id=19751&more=ad
Solent Flying Boats
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=2&id=20695&more=ad
Battle of Briatin 1949 (there were five parts to this series)
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=2&id=22087&more=ad
First Flight of the Brabazon
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=2&id=22092&more=ad
Jean Batten rec. 1972 about her 1936 flight London – NZ
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=2&id=22485&more=ad
Sir Frank Whittle
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=2&id=22145&more=ad
Captain Burgess interviewed
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=3&id=22582&more=ad
COUGAR JET AIRCRAFT SONIC BOOM OVER WELLINGTON
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=3&id=23623&more=ad
Richard Pearse
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=4&id=24711&more=ad
Kinsford Smith
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=4&id=24950&more=ad
UFO’s
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=4&id=25004&more=ad
Space Shuttle pilot Robert Crippen
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=4&id=25044&more=ad
First plane to arrive in Antarctica
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=4&id=25877&more=ad
1952 doco series – Age of Flight
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=4&id=26120&more=ad
Air Pioneers of the South Pacific
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=4&id=25881&more=ad
Wellington Airort Opening (famous for Vulcan and Sundy incidents!)
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=5&id=101022&more=ad
Sept 1960 Battle of Britain doco
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=5&id=101049&more=ad
History of No. 75 Sqn 1916-1972
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=5&id=101380&more=ad
Sir Alan Cobham on how to fly a plane
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/search/Search-Details.asp?currentpage=5&id=101546&more=ad
This is a mere small selection of what’s in the archive, and unlike the BBC and most archives, you can purchase copies direct. If there’s any event or person or aircraft type you’re researching, I recommend a search of the site, the home page is here
http://www.soundarchives.co.nz/
By: Dave Homewood - 4th April 2005 at 06:56
I believe there were two camera planes (Mosquitoes) on the raid, if I recall correctly. The simulator in the Imperial War Museum, London has film from one of them. It’s quite stunning footage. I guess contacting the IWM will be the best start.
By: BlueNoser352 - 4th April 2005 at 06:16
Dave:
Count me in to here as well in the lower 48…( states that is), great historical site and a fantastic research tool for those of us who love history. Guess any historical sound recording we have here in the US, would be in Washington DC in the National Archieves. Book marked the site for future use …thanks for posting this ! Trying to find a link to any camera footage taken by the RAF Mossie’s that attacked the Amiens Prison Raid in Feb of 1944. Any clues..found some stills taken from the film….need to write that screen play for that movie !!!
BlueNoser352!
By: Dave Homewood - 4th April 2005 at 04:46
That’s great to hear Locobuster. Cool.
I just think a lot of people these days don’t even think about old radio as a research source, and never think to check out what sound archives hold, if you can see what I mean. Radio is by no means as popular as it once was, now it’s largely just a chanel of getting the latest music and nothing else for most people. It was once highly educational and recorded an amazing amount of history. If this post makes anyone aware of the possibilities out there, and it helps them with their own research, it will not be in vane.
By: Locobuster - 4th April 2005 at 04:08
Quite to the contrary, i think sound archives are an invaluable tool to researchers and enthusiasts I am doing my best to include as many as possible in the project I am working on about the USAAF’s 79th. Fighter Squadron.
By: Dave Homewood - 4th April 2005 at 02:25
Nobody found this cache of historic recordings of interest then? I think these days sound archives are sorely neglected by researchers – there is a wealth of history in them.
I am sure the BBC and other large radio corporations will have amazing collections of aviation-related history too
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April 1, 2005 at 2:59 pm