Planemike, the bulk of the survey work being undertaken at the time were baseline surveys by the Directorate of Colonial Surveys (later the Directorate of Overseas Surveys) on behalf of the FCO – as you say there was a complete lack of accurate mapping. Work continued until 2001 when the unit closed. The photographic collection passed to the National Collection of Aerial Photography: https://ncap.org.uk/feature/directorate-overseas-surveys-dos

I seem to recall from a news article in AFM that the wings were going to be used on Austrian Herc 8T-CA.
LUCY_POTTS_20130907_MG_7390 by Spuggs, on Flickr

Being a thin-cased weapon it’s a wonder it didn’t just burst on impact and explode. It’s a tribute to the bomb disposal men, making something like that safe.

There must be thousands of UXB’s in Germany, most of which will never be found and, hopefully, won’t make their presence felt. I wonder how unstable they become the older they get, perhaps it is going to be a problem with increasing risk as time passes?

Fascinating, all the same.
Anon.

See here for an interesting feature on an important tool in the EOD armoury : http://aerial.rcahms.gov.uk/database/record.php?usi=006-000-001-178-C

On the NCAP website (ncap.org.uk) use the view in Google maps function whilst searching Crossbow images and you’ll be able to locate most sites. more imagery coming on line in the spring.
Ta
Alan

The documentary was made in association with NCAP at RCAHMS in Edinburgh, with research by Allan Williams assisted by Sam Martin. It was originally intended to go out in November but was brought forward at short notice scuppering our plan to have lots of material online to coincide. Sam has worked like a Trojan over the summer and now may of the most important Crossbow sorties have been digitised and are searchable on the NCAP website, with more being added regularly. Pathfinder packs of sites are also included.

http://aerial.rcahms.gov.uk

Have a look round.