The term "tarmac" combines "tar" and "macadam" to describe a mixture of broken stone and tar used to surface roads and runways. In 1901, an Englishman, E. Purnell Hooley, passing a tar works, noticed that a barrel had spilled and that someone had poured gravel on top of the mess. That area of the road seemed free of dust. Hooley then started the Tar Macadam Syndicate Limited.

Eventually, asphalt became available and replaced the use of tar. Traditional tarmac is rare even though the term is used generically to describe runway surfaces at airports.

The U.S. Army produced this stunning photograph, but did not identify the aircraft or the locale.

Medium : 1 photographic print : dye coupler, color

Created/Published : Between 1945 and 1947

Creator : United States Army, Signal Corps

Housed in the Prints & Photographs Division of the Library of Congress

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 weeks.

Product #: miaiontaatsu