ROYAL FLUSH VIII, NATO'S LARGEST AERIAL RECONNAISSANCE COMPETITION, SPONSORED BY THE NATO COMMAND OF ALLIED AIR FORCES CENTRAL EUROPE, IS ON FOR FIVE DAYS AT THE R.A.F.STATION, WILDENRATH, GERMANY.

THE CONTEST IS DESIGNED TO TEST THE RECONNAISSANCE CAPABILITIES OF THE ALLIED TACTICAL AIR FORCES BASED IN GERMANY.THE AIRCRAFT ARE PHOTOGRAPHING TARGETS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF WESTERN EUROPE.

SIX NATIONS ARE COMPETING FOR THE GRUENTHER TROPHY, WITH PLANES FROM THE RAF, BELGIAN AND DANISH AIR FORCES OPPOSING THE UNITED STATES, WEST GERMAN AND NORWEGIAN AIR FORCES.

A PLANE FLYING LOW AT 500 MPH (800 KMS) CAN BRING BACK PHOTOGRAPHS SO CLEAR THAT RIVETS ON A AIRCRAFT WING CAN BE COUNTED.A JET SIX MILES UP (OVER 9 KMS) CAN SUPPLY PICTURES IN WHICH TELEPHONE WIRES CAN BE SEEN, AND NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHS CAN SHOW FOOTPRINTS ON THE GROUND.

AMONG THE AIRCRAFT COMPETING ARE THE AMERICAN VOODOO F 101, THE R.A.F.HUNTER AND THE BELGIAN, NORWEGIAN AND WEST GERMAN RF 84F.AS SOON AS THE PLANES LAND IN A RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK, AIRMEN OF THE MOBILE PHOTOGRAPHIC UNITS DETACH THE NOSE CONES WHERE NECESSARY AND RUSH THE FILM MAGAZINES TO THE WAITING DARK ROOM STAFF.TWO MINUTES AFTER LANDING THE PILOTS ARE SELECTING THE BEST NEGATIVES.TEAMS ARE TIMED FROM WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE STOPS UNTIL THE FINISHED PICTURES ARE EXAMINED BY INTERPRETERS.