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time that the system was completed and was dissolved in later years. All of the buildings
demonstrated W. W.2 was about to commence. at Reading were dismantled and the original
Improvements in normal 16mm S.O.F. had been airfield has been developed as an industrial
rapid and sound reproduction was quite estate and for housing. It is only remembered in
aeceptahlc and in widespread use. The Miles the names of the various local roads, such as
Aircrall ( :ompany had to turn its attention to Miles Way, Comet Way, Hurricane Way,
much more urgent wartime production. Spitfire Way, Perimeter Road and many others.
In 1993 the Museum of Berkshire Aviation was
It can now he seen that clever as it was the established on part of the remaining ground
Harper system was the product of misplaced previously occupied by the Miles factory near
ingenuity and elli.lrt. It suffered from a number where Douglas Bader crashed in 1931.
of short comings including: a) the layout of the Although the Museum has several thousands of
film l(,rmat allowed no provision for edge feet of 16mm film which is currently being
runners to hold the film flat in the projector examined and catalogued no trace of the Harper
gate. < >ver the long term this would lead to system has come to light. As the Film and
either the sound track or edge of picture frame Video archivist of the Museum I shall be very
becoming scratched. Whilst this could be glad if any reader can add to the present
minimised by using a curved gate with edge knowledge of the Harper system. It would also
guides as in the old wartime L.516 there is no be very interesting to know what 35mm films
claim f(lr this in the literature; this also still were printed onto the Harper system and what
leaves the problem of sprocket cheeks. demonstrations, public or private were given.
Ref. 7 includes a picture of three frames of a
b) The introduction of a non-standard format 16mm projection print. It will be seen that the
when the SMPE specification had become, or films are instantly recognisable by the unusual
was becoming, an internationally accepted perforations. Fig.3.
standard, and the market was well supplied with
a wide variety or 16mm projectors from such Acknowledgments are due to the following for
cstahl ished lirms as RCA, Bell & Howell, BTH supplying information to assist in the
and ( iaumont British. compilation of this article:-
c) Film librarians would have needed special Mrs Jean Fostekew. Chairman of the
editing and splicing equipment to handle this Committee of the Trustees of the Museum of
format and normally libraries instruct borrowers Berkshire Aviation for the loan of Reference 4.
not to rewind films before return to allow them Gerald McKee for discussion and a copy of
to examine f(x damage and carry out necessary Ref.7. Roderij:;}( a~Ie fpr Ref 6. Wa:nton I?arfitt
repairs without the necessity for a double for Ref.5. · · '
rewind which in itself can cause accumulative
damage due to electrostatic attraction of dust References.
and possible cinching.
1. "One Hundred Years of Film Sizes" Michael
d) If giving a continuous show the necessity to Rogge. Fotographica Society, Netherlands in
stop to change a reel from take up to feed arms 1996 (in Dutch). Reproduced in Reel Deals in
and rcthread the machine would be an unwanted English. 2. "Early History of Amateur Motion
break in the programme. Even iftwo machines Picture Film" Glenn E. Matthews & Raife G.
were used it would mean that when printing Tarkington. Journal ofthe SMPTE March 1955.
long films alt<..mate reels would need to be Volume 64 pp 105- 116. 3. Patent Specification
printed on the same 16mm reel; a ready source No. 509009. January 4th 1938 and July 4th
ofconfi1sion? 1939 "Improvements in Apparatus for use with
16mm combined Sound and Picture Film". The
The Miles Aircraft Company was taken over by Patent has long since expired but copies are
Handley Page in the early 1950s which in turn available from The British Library for the cost