India 99 Framed
Before drones.
Before live feed body-cams.
Before “can you just zoom in a bit?”
There was India 99.
The Met’s very own eye in the sky. Part aircraft, part Meccano set, part organised bravery. A machine that looked like it had been assembled in a shed, and yet somehow knew exactly where every fleeing suspect was headed.
This illustration celebrates that wonderfully improbable era of airborne policing when surveillance involved actual wind in your face and insects in your teeth.
Front and centre is the microlight itself, bright, unapologetic, and about as subtle as a siren at 3am. Painted police livery, registration proudly displayed, and enough exposed framework to make Health & Safety quietly lie down in a darkened room.
Look closer and you’ll see:
• The unmistakable yellow wing announcing its presence to half the county
• A rope ladder for when landing “near enough” was good enough
• The pilot with that calm, slightly unhinged confidence
• The observer scanning the horizon like a budget version of satellite intelligence
• A gentle nod to that leather-helmeted Aussie energy from Mad Max, yes, that one, who made flying ramshackle machines look heroic
There’s something beautifully honest about India 99. No stealth mode. No hidden tech. Just altitude, binoculars and a radio call that began with:
“Control from India 99, we’ve got eyes on…”
It was policing stripped back to basics. Spot it. Call it. Guide them in.
Aerial support without autopilot, pressurisation or unnecessary comfort.
This framed edition captures every cable, every rivet, every brave bolt holding that airborne contraption together. It’s humorous, affectionate and a little bit awe-struck — because flying that thing over London airspace required equal parts skill and courage.
Perfect for:
• Former Air Support Unit officers
• Aviation enthusiasts with a sense of humour
• Met veterans who remember when “drone” meant something that buzzed
• Anyone who appreciates policing with a dash of cinematic swagger
India 99 wasn’t sleek.
It wasn’t quiet.
It definitely wasn’t invisible.
But when it was overhead, you knew.
The eye in the sky had arrived.
Framed. Bold. Brilliantly airborne.
By Boris
Available in two frame sizes, with two mount options, making it ideal for display in a home office, study, police-themed collection, or as a meaningful gift for a serving or retired officer.