Between the 1920s and the 1940s, the Netherlands became a leader in the use of aerial photography. The flat landscape and the constant battle against water made a view from the sky extremely valuable for engineers and planners. In the 1920s, the Royal Netherlands Army Air Force began taking thousands of vertical and oblique photos to create more accurate maps of the provinces. These images allowed the government to track the growth of cities and the changing shape of the coastline with a level of detail that ground surveys could not match.
During the 1930s, aerial photography was essential for the Zuiderzee Works. Specialists used cameras mounted on airplanes to monitor the construction of the Afsluitdijk and the drying of the new polders. These photos helped engineers see how the water currents moved and where the new dikes needed more reinforcement. By the 1940s, technology was used for both military planning and the reconstruction effort. Aerial surveys taken immediately after the liberation in 1945 provided a precise record of the damage to bridges and railways. This visual data allowed the “Wederopbouw” teams to prioritize the most urgent repairs and plan the modern layout of cities like Rotterdam.
#1 Aerial view of Lochem, 1920s-1940s.
#2 Aerial view of Middelburg, 1920s-1940s.
#3 Aerial view of Uden, 1920s-1940s.
#4 Aerial view of Veere, 1920s-1940s.
#5 Aerial view of Vlissingen, 1920s-1940s.
#6 Aerial view of Delft, 1920s-1940s.
#7 Aerial view of Nootdorp, 1920s-1940s.
#8 Aerial view of Groningen, 1920s-1940s.
#9 Aerial view of Delft, 1920s-1940s.
#10 Aerial view of Sloten, Friesland, 1920s-1940s.
#11 Aerial view of Haarlem, 1920s-1940s.
#12 Aerial view of Den Helder, 1920s-1940s.
#13 Aerial view of Apeldoorn, 1920s-1940s.
#14 Aerial view of Groningen, 1920s-1940s.
#15 Aerial view of Rijssen, 1920s-1940s.
#16 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#17 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#18 Aerial view of Sneek, 1920s-1940s.
#19 Aerial view of the Hembrug area, 1920s-1940s.
#20 Aerial view of Edam, 1920s-1940s.
#21 Aerial view of Amersfoort, 1920s-1940s.
#22 Aerial view of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, 1920s-1940s.
#23 Aerial view of Groningen, 1920s-1940s.
#24 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#25 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#26 Aerial view of the Moerdijk Bridges, 1920s-1940s.
#27 Aerial view of Rhenen, 1920s-1940s.
#28 Aerial view of Harderwijk, 1920s-1940s.
#29 Aerial view of Noordwijk, 1920s-1940s.
#30 Aerial view of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, 1920s-1940s.
#31 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#32 Aerial view of Spakenburg, 1920s-1940s.
#33 Aerial view of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, 1920s-1940s.
#34 Aerial view of Kampen, 1920s-1940s.
#35 Aerial view of Soesterberg, 1920s-1940s.
#36 Aerial view of Gouda, 1920s-1940s.
#37 Aerial view of Groningen, 1920s-1940s.
#38 Aerial view of Maastricht, 1920s-1940s.
#39 Aerial view of the Alblasserwaard region, 1920s-1940s.
#40 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#41 Aerial view of Roermond, 1920s-1940s.
#42 Aerial view of Breukelen, 1920s-1940s.
#43 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#44 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#45 Aerial view of Ouderkerk aan de IJssel, 1920s-1940s.
#46 Aerial view of Nijmegen, 1920s-1940s.
#47 Aerial view of Loenen, 1920s-1940s.
#48 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#49 Aerial view of Nijkerk, 1920s-1940s.
#50 Aerial view of Haastrecht, 1920s-1940s.
#51 Aerial view of Elburg, 1920s-1940s.
#52 Aerial view of Nijkerk, 1920s-1940s.
#53 Aerial view of Elburg, 1920s-1940s.
#54 Aerial view of Haarlem, 1920s-1940s.
#55 Aerial view of Huizen, 1920s-1940s.
#56 Aerial view of Dordrecht, 1920s-1940s.
#57 Aerial view of ‘s-Gravenhage, 1920s-1940s.
#58 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#59 Aerial view of Kinderdijk, 1920s-1940s.
#60 Aerial view of Huis ter Heide, 1920s-1940s.
#61 Aerial view of Naarden, 1920s-1940s.
#62 Aerial view of Roosendaal, 1920s-1940s.
#63 Aerial view of Haarlem, 1920s-1940s.
#64 Aerial view of Gennep, 1920s-1940s.
#65 Aerial view of Roodeschool, 1920s-1940s.
#66 Aerial view of Hengelo, 1920s-1940s.
#67 Aerial view of Montfoort, 1920s-1940s.
#68 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#69 Aerial view of Soesterberg, 1920s-1940s.
#70 Aerial view of Kampen, 1920s-1940s.
#71 Aerial view of Delft, 1920s-1940s.
#72 Aerial view of Hattem, 1920s-1940s.
#73 Aerial view of Alphen aan den Rijn, 1920s-1940s.
#74 Aerial view of Scheveningen, 1920s-1940s.
#75 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#76 Aerial view of Nootdorp, 1920s-1940s.
#77 Aerial view of Dordrecht, 1920s-1940s.
#78 Aerial view of Groningen, 1920s-1940s.
#79 Aerial view of Gouda, 1920s-1940s.
#80 Aerial view of Maastricht, 1920s-1940s.
#81 Aerial view of Hengelo, 1920s-1940s.
#82 Aerial view of Amersfoort, 1920s-1940s.
#83 Aerial view of Hengelo, 1920s-1940s.
#84 Aerial view of Almelo, 1920s-1940s.
#85 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#86 Aerial view of Schiermonnikoog, 1920s-1940s.
#87 Aerial view of Hoek van Holland, 1920s-1940s.
#88 Aerial view of Almelo, 1920s-1940s.
#89 Aerial view of Almelo, 1920s-1940s.
#90 Aerial view of Roermond, 1920s-1940s.
#91 Aerial view of Hembrug, 1920s-1940s.
#92 Aerial view of Oldenzaal, 1920s-1940s.
#93 Aerial view of Katwijk, 1920s-1940s.
#94 Aerial view of Rotterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#95 Aerial view of Nijmegen, 1920s-1940s.
#96 Aerial view of Harderwijk, 1920s-1940s.
#97 Aerial view of Medemblik, 1920s-1940s.
#98 Aerial view of Apeldoorn, 1920s-1940s.
#99 Aerial view of Soestdijk Palace, 1920s-1940s.
#100 Aerial view of Edam, 1920s-1940s.
#101 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#102 Aerial view of Noordwijk, 1920s-1940s.
#103 Aerial view of Ooijpolder, 1920s-1940s.
#104 Aerial view of Edam, 1920s-1940s.
#105 Aerial view of Kampen, 1920s-1940s.
#106 Aerial view of Groesbeek, 1920s-1940s.
#107 Aerial view of Geldermalsen, 1920s-1940s.
#108 Aerial view of Deventer, 1920s-1940s.
#109 Aerial view of Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, 1920s-1940s.
#110 Aerial view of Haarlem, 1920s-1940s.
#111 Aerial view of Roermond, 1920s-1940s.
#112 Aerial view of Elst, 1920s-1940s.
#113 Aerial view of Nijmegen, 1920s-1940s.
#114 Aerial view of ‘s-Gravenhage, 1920s-1940s.
#115 Aerial view of Naarden, 1920s-1940s.
#116 Aerial view of Utrecht, 1920s-1940s.
#117 Aerial view of IJmuiden, 1920s-1940s.
#118 Aerial view of Fort Uitermeer, 1920s-1940s.
#119 Aerial view of Sijpestein, 1920s-1940s.
#120 Aerial view of Haarzuilens, 1920s-1940s.
#121 Aerial view of Fort op de Biltstraat, 1920s-1940s.
#122 Aerial view of Haarzuilens, 1920s-1940s.
#123 Aerial view of Zuidlaren, 1920s-1940s.
#124 Aerial view of Kijkduin, 1920s-1940s.
#125 Aerial view of Zutphen, 1920s-1940s.
#126 Aerial view of Workum, 1920s-1940s.
#127 Aerial view of IJmuiden, 1920s-1940s.
#128 Aerial view of Helmond, 1920s-1940s.
#129 Aerial view of Doorwerth, 1920s-1940s.
#130 Aerial view of Valkenburg, 1920s-1940s.
#131 Aerial view of Venlo, 1920s-1940s.
#132 Aerial view of Utrecht, 1920s-1940s.
#133 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#134 Aerial view of IJmuiden, 1920s-1940s.
#135 Aerial view of Woerden, 1920s-1940s.
#136 Aerial view of Velp, 1920s-1940s.
#137 Aerial view of Zaltbommel, 1920s-1940s.
#138 Aerial view of IJmuiden, 1920s-1940s.
#139 Aerial view of Limbricht, 1920s-1940s.
#140 Aerial view of ‘s-Gravenhage, 1920s-1940s.
#141 Aerial view of IJmuiden, 1920s-1940s.
#142 Aerial view of Deventer, 1920s-1940s.
#143 Aerial view of Utrecht, 1920s-1940s.
#144 Aerial view of Heusden, 1920s-1940s.
#145 Aerial view of Woudrichem, 1920s-1940s.
#146 Aerial view of Utrecht, 1920s-1940s.
#147 Aerial view of Wijk aan Zee, 1920s-1940s.
#148 Aerial view of Rhenen, 1920s-1940s.
#149 Aerial view of Gouda, 1920s-1940s.
#150 Aerial view of Rotterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#151 Aerial view of Muiden, 1920s-1940s.
#152 Aerial view of Amersfoort, 1920s-1940s.
#153 Aerial view of Breda, 1920s-1940s.
#154 Aerial view of Batterij aan de Overeindseweg, 1920s-1940s.
#155 Aerial view of Wormerveer, 1920s-1940s.
#156 Aerial view of Hoge Vuursche, 1920s-1940s.
#157 Aerial view of IJmuiden, 1920s-1940s.
#158 Aerial view of Weesp, 1920s-1940s.
#159 Aerial view of Zwolle, 1920s-1940s.
#160 Aerial view of Fort Schiphol, 1920s-1940s.
#161 Aerial view of Utrecht, 1920s-1940s.
#162 Aerial view of Amsterdam, 1920s-1940s.
#163 Aerial view of Velp, 1920s-1940s.
#164 Aerial view of Volendam, 1920s-1940s.
#165 Aerial view of Zuidlaren, 1920s-1940s.
#166 Aerial view of Haarzuilens, 1920s-1940s.
#167 Aerial view of Uithuizen, 1920s-1940s.
#168 Aerial view of Venlo, 1920s-1940s.
#169 Aerial view of Ede, 1920s-1940s.
#170 Aerial view of Arnhem, 1920s-1940s.
#171 Aerial view of Batenburg, 1920s-1940s.
#172 Aerial view of Steenwijk, 1920s-1940s.
#173 Aerial view of Zierikzee, 1920s-1940s.
#174 Aerial view of Woerden, 1920s-1940s.
#175 Aerial view of Woudrichem, 1920s-1940s.
#176 Aerial view of Medemblik, 1920s-1940s.
#177 Aerial view of Nijmegen, 1920s-1940s.
#178 Aerial view of Zeist, 1920s-1940s.
#179 Aerial view of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, 1920s-1940s.
#180 Aerial view of Delft, 1920s-1940s.
#181 Aerial view of Harderwijk, 1920s
#182 Aerial view of Arnhem, 1920s-1940s.
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Weird there isn’t one of den haag
Picture 53, 112, 138, etc. Look for ‘s-Gravenhage.