1979 home video of planes taking off at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago

[@Sammydx1]

Growing up mid 80s. My Father would drive to White Castle and then park somewhere around Midway and we would watch planes landing. They zoom right over my head. Amazing memory of my Dad. We sit and eat and just watch. I miss him dearly. Simple times

[@peggyl2849]

Yes, I grew up in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood - we would drive over to Midway and sit on top of the car and watch planes too. Once, my mom talked someone into letting us into the tower - so cool.

[@brooksemmler2407]

THE SMELL, THE SMOKE, THE LOUD ENGINES......THOSE WHERE THE DAYS!!!....GREAT VIDEO

[@samueltovey4646]

Brook Semmler, Is that all you want to remember, loud, polluting engines. It may bring good memories back to you of when you were able to fly when aviation will still fairly new, but I really don’t think praising pollution is very smart and a lot of politically opinionated people would tear you apart for saying such a thing.

[@oranges866]

@@samueltovey4646 Calm down, 100 years of cars didn't have much of an effect but a volcanic eruption can do significantly worse in 3 hours.

[@cindysue5474]

@@oranges866 Well said:)

[@WaistGunner7]

I love the smell of unburned hydrocarbons in the morning.

[@111danish111]

fuck off hippie.

[@mst3kanita]

There's something about this vid that's so peaceful.

[@philtll]

It's the crickets and cicadas

[@tonyyoung6840]

It’s the timelessness of jet travel which hasn’t changed much in 60 years, but life in general was a lot simpler in the 70s compared to the 21st century.

[@craigjackson2428]

This is the airline industry I fondly remember and love in the late 70s. It kept a kid captivated, dreaming and imagining. Thank you for sharing.

[@jogman262]

Couple airlines you don’t see in service anymore. Ozark Airlines. Northwest Orient, which is now part of Delta Air I believe.

[@hotlunch4415]

I almost can’t believe this is from 1979. Amazing quality, thanks for sharing

[@goodfella2400]

Just imagine if the cameraman had been there three months earlier... Eerie to think of the footage that might have been captured of AA 191.

[@jjgreek1]

somebody DID take a picture when the plane was on its side with an engine missing before it crashed

[@sachsgs2509]

May 25th

[@Gabrocol]

i drive by the crash site almost monthly

[@guyhillock4860]

@@Gabrocol WOW!!!! Let me ask you,,,,,,,,,,,Is there Still a Trailer Park There?

[@dickiegreenleaf750]

@@guyhillock4860 the same park isn’t there anymore but there is another one further down.

[@mattgrey7575]

Amazing window back in time. Gave me chills to see the planes I saw when I was a kid. Thank you for posting this because it’s really amazing to see.

[@NewsLynne]

Love seeing the DC-8s take off...and yes, I remember when all you'd EVER see were 727s. Who would have thought the 737 would be the only survivor out of this whole line-up?

[@ImmortalSynn]

+NewsLynne Well, as pax aircraft. Still plenty of DC10 and 727 freighters flying around. Even a few DC8s.

[@goodfella2400]

NewsLynne what’s more incredible is that less than 5 years ago the actual DC-9-50 shown here was still in service. Then with Delta. I made sure to get on one in 2012..New refurbed interior and flew like a charm.

[@michaelwayne7887]

Same thing I was thinking about the 727s. North Central were the only ones NOT flying them en masse back then. Lol.... and LOUD

[@mattgrey7575]

I love this video. I started watching planes as a kid in 79 or 80 and it really gives me chills to see and hear the DC-8’s, DC-9’s and DC-10’s. I grew up very close to BWI airport and man, I used to wait for United DC-8’s and DC-10’s to come from Chicago every day. We also had several Dc-10’s from World airways every day.

[@eljeffe8806]

At some of those DC-8s were eventually re-engined and had sort of a 2nd life. Delta flew them and I think UAL used them for the smaller Hawaiian cities from the west coast.

[@tedpittsinger9688]

I bet he had no idea this would be such a treasure 40 years later! Loved those North Central 580's. And those 8 - stretches were so cool. Thanks for sending me back to the 1st year of deregulation! GREAT video!

[@VideofromGeorge]

You are welcome! Good point! My father took his video camera everywhere. He passed in 2001, so he never got to see how enjoyable all of his tapes became.

[@cathymeyer3760]

Station wagons, kids in striped shirts. I just love this. I did the same with my dad Tampa International early 70's. Thanks for this.

[@rknine7998]

I was born way after 1970's but for some 'good' reason I always love the 1970's very much! This video is really something nice to watch especially on full screen because it has a certain 'coziness' - if you understand what I mean.

[@Amtran727]

That was before the internet, cell phones, social media and the 24/7 news cycle. I would go back in a heartbeat.

[@guyhillock4860]

@@Amtran727 Same Here. With a Preference for the `80's😉

[@Skier10]

And a lot less people and more open space

[@jasonpayne1240]

As an airline brat-child of the 1980’s this short video is like a parade of happy childhood memories. Thanks!

[@christopherstehn1716]

nice

[@cameraman655]

I love this old "home movie" style, so real and unaltered, it takes me back. Looking back at a period when you could park outside an airport perimeter road and watch planes to your heart's content and no hassles from local authorities. A very different place, America and the world were back then. ORD was an AA hub then, no AA metal...? What about some Braniff love? Regardless, thanks for the memories and the look back.

[@OHAREAVIATION]

UAL 737-200, UAL 727, UAL DC-8, UAL 727, 2:26 North Central Dc-9 , NC Convair 580 (SWEET!!), UAL Dc-10 ( I wish they'd paint a UAL aircraft in this color job. One of the first airplanes i ever flew on was a UAL 727 in the Saul Bass.) NW orient 727- could be a 2B7 but also might be a -51. UAL 727s and 737. Fairchild metro perhaps United or COA Express. North Central (?) 737-200, North Central Convair 580, UAL DC-8 and DC-10. Wonderful that you still have this footage.

[@npxmnpxm]

This is the post I was looking for. Bravo, sir.

[@VideofromGeorge]

Great! I was a 9 years old when this was filmed, and remember the day clearly.

[@TomandAmyinthePI]

I was 19 Youngblood....lol

[@tdvandy2]

This is just awesome. I grew up in La Crosse WI and spent a lot of time at the airport there as a kid. Anywhere we went on vacation, which was almost always by car, required a visit to the airport to watch the planes. My parents and grandparents were always really good about this. Brings back great memories. My favorites were North Central and Northwest Orient!! Thanks again!

[@flyinghow]

This is amazing footage. My very first flight was for my birthday and it was RT in the same day from GRR to ORD on United. Boeing 727-200 over and B 737-200 back. Loved it! It set in motion my love of commercial aviation.

[@danielroth167]

Thanks for posting this. My dad would always take me here and pull off of Irving Park road, and do this very same thing. He would then bring us to McDonales, which was a treat back then. Awesome memories!

[@bobbyricigliano2799]

Spending a day watching aircraft take off and land would be a day well spent. That powerful spool up at the start of the take off roll is always a thrill.

[@storyofcory]

From age 3 to age 9, I lived in the Greater Chicagoland area, and from, like, age 7 to age 9, my dad and I would go out to the O'Hare area, and take pictures of planes taking off and landing. Thiis video reminds me very much of those times. Thank you for sharing!

[@SaveF9]

If only 4k had been around in 1979. I drive on Irving Park every day and try to imagine what it must have been like back in the day when you could pull to the side and watch the planes take off. Thanks for the nostalgia!

[@Tamburello_1994]

Instant fav and save. Dude. don't ever lose this classic.

[@hondacl0n3]

Gosh I drive Uber and park up at the staging lot on Balmoral Ave, its really amazing how the jet era changed. In this video you see 727's & DC-8's left and right like the 737's & A319's I see today. What a change has it been. If you're lucky enough, I usually catch a MD-10 FedEx early morning and its just a feel I cant describe when I see it take off, makes me feel like I lived in the time this video was made. Sad & eerie what used to roam O'hare to today...

[@michaelo1929]

Yazen Kaissi Yes. Very boring and uneventful today. I miss the days of yesteryear.

[@doug9066]

@@michaelo1929 I do miss this as well. Engines sounded better too, now days engines are quieter.

[@111danish111]

Montrose Ave lot is better !!

[@JohnP77777]

What a wonderful piece of history! Thank you so much. The world needs this. And the film quality is terrific.

[@MrJayRoc78]

That was back when you could park on the side of Irving Park Rd to watch them take off. My dad used to take me to the same spot in the 80's. Those were the good ol days. Can't do that anymore.

[@Springbok295]

Real heavy metal. Not a tinny Airbus in sight. See the kids with their stationwagon watching classic airliners is so similar to my own experiences back then. August 1979 I was weeks away from entering 6th Grade.

[@VideofromGeorge]

+Springbok295 That is me in the plaid shirt at 6:09. I was just going to enter 4th grade.

[@varigdc10]

+VideofromGeorge This was at Irving Park right West of Manheim, I used to park there also, but I did not have a camera, great video, thanks for the memories.....................

[@varigdc10]

+varigdc10 On further view of the video it seems to me the actual picture is a bit distorted making the airplanes look too long and thin, also the speed of the take off run specially on rotation is too fast from the distance of the camera, it may be due to early VHS video technology, don't know.

[@VideofromGeorge]

+varigdc10 Correct, the image is slightly distorted. This version is zoomed in to eliminate the black bars on the sides; however, the speed was not adjusted at all.

[@EricIrl]

I'd prefer the black lines on either side as it stops the image from looking squashed. Great content though - especially the North Central Convair.

[@fcriii]

That #3 DC-8 takeoff with smoke plume was absolutely beautiful!

[@jackcollins8544]

Wow, that brings back memories. Dc8s, dc10s ,727s when jets were loud, smokey and much more exciting to watch. I spent hours as a teen( about 35 years ago) watching those same old models come in and out of MIA. Great video !!!

[@philipduffer2669]

Fantastic Memories..DC8s,Convair 580s North Central Airlines...:Thanks for sharing.

[@alabamared2568]

thanks for posting you made my day things were a lot simpler back then a better time in my life gave me a good feeling to watch this i wish things now was the same as then,,,

[@robertcassidy3242]

Great videos. I grew up in the Chicago area in the burbs in the 70s and my dad took me to ORD to watch planes take off. There was an actual viewing area in the airport. I remember coming home from school the day the AA DC-10 crashed. Thanks for posting.

[@JMMT7022801]

I go to Chicago by way of Dallas in April? Any suggestions?

[@Religious_man]

Take a train instead?

[@johnnybikes1]

Yes Robert i saw the mushroom cloud of smoke from elk grove high schools parking lot, we were just getting of school when flight 191 crashed that day and i can remember the terrible smell coming from the fire also, what a horrible event in deed!

[@faustinblackman1044]

M

[@rick2340atyahoocom]

We lived in the Chicago suburbs too- in between the paths of two ORD runways. I remember seeing the smoke from that AA DC-10 crash like it was yesterday

[@steffens69]

Love the black n gold Trans Am parked ahead of you. Classic video. Love it

[@houstoncowdog]

Chad Steffens looks like a special edition 77 or 78

[@ericpierce7311]

I noticed that too. Definately a 77 SE or a 76 SE can tell because Hurst Hatch T Tops .

[@justinmiller5280]

Old 737's with JT8D look really badass.

[@tombickers]

A simpler time, when the airframe's use and purpose was still well-understood by its maker.

[@skipcampbell4328]

Instant full thrust!

[@F3HDemonDriver1]

george your videos take me back to my childhood Sir . . .I;m grateful!

[@kozmania]

George! What memories! Thanks for posting this!

[@philtll]

Oldest spotting video I've seen on KZbin. Well done

[@seanwdc10]

Stellar video - thanks for sharing. I'm going to share it with my airline friends. Truly a bygone era.

[@everything8585]

Different days, no chemtrails,no cell phones,simple family gathering,seems like yesterday but it was long ago,thank you for this video

[@janetengel8063]

O’Hare was always my favorite plane spotting location. When the Hari Krishnas were still allowed to bang their tambourines and drums inside the terminal and a “big one”was a stretch DC eight. I worked as a flight attendant then and worked on stretch DC s… Man did we walk our feet off! I love those days.

[@VibeXplorer]

Fantastic time capsule! I am fascinated by obscure recordings like this. Seeing the "vintage" aircraft (so many thundering 727's!), period cars, hearing people chatting, and even the ambient sound of crickets from over 35 years ago! It could home video from the 80's, but no...it's from the 70's! Thanks for sharing!

[@ericjones7769]

In a way 79 was the beginning of the 80s lol but the end of the 70s all at the same time lol!!!!! I was born in 79 but consider myself as an 80s baby and growing up in the 80s by the airport here in Memphis im more familiar with Delta and Republic who both had hubs here during the 80s so seeing these United 727s in this video just takes me back to the good old 80s lol

[@elainefrantz9139]

My dad flew the 8's and 10 for UAL out of O'Hare. Still loved the 8 best!

[@jeffrodrigues3176]

I could sit and watch planes take off and land all day! Used to do it all the time in San Jose , Ca. It been in the industry for over 27 years :-)

[@jeffrodrigues3176]

"I've " sorry

[@laradippold399]

I am now 12 years old. I have 2 points why i love this Video. 1. The good old planes (dc10, 737, 727,convair planes) 2. i love the older planes.

[@bobbypaluga4346]

The DC-8 (1::30) was really a terrifically designed passenger aircraft. I had my first flights about this time. A Western Airlines 707 flight to Hawaii was very unpleasant, very limited leg room and cramped, the Hawaii return was on a Continental DC-10, very nice. the DC-8s on United were excellent, with good meals. Rides in their 737s were in the cramped, limited legroom debate. I did like the 727-200s, on various carriers, they were very nice.

[@agebee]

Unbelivable! What a great video quality! Thank u!

[@Amtran727]

Great video! All of those beautiful 727's. I miss them.

[@carolinacarolina9892]

Thank you for posting this! The 727 was the workhorse for United! The days of going to just watch planes take off...I could do that for hours. Side note...wonder where those kids are today! : )

[@VideofromGeorge]

You are welcome. We are still in the area - I am 46, my brother is 44, and my sister is 48 years old. Our father (who filmed this) passed away in 2001.

[@nenblom]

FANTASTIC!! Thanks for posting!! I was seven years old when this was filmed. I subscribed!

[@88hheKIAHSpotting]

Man what a blast from the past. I wish some these birds were still flying today.

[@11SEXMACHINE]

They are, just not as passenger planes anymore. Even the mighty dc8 can be seen still flying.

[@annenikkila2762]

Thanks for the look back.

[@Distortedthoughts]

I was 3 that year. I’m from Peoria Illinois and remember seeing these planes coming and going from the airport there. We lived in a trailer park only a couple miles away. My favorite was seeing the Goodyear Blimps.

[@michaeltalbott6718]

Exciting time for airline travel. SO UNIQUE WITH Different AIRCRAFTS AND AIRLINE'S..AN ADVENTURE

[@goodfella2400]

2:25. It’s incredible that the DC-9-50 shown here was still in service into 2013-14. Then with Delta. The last surviving passenger variant from this flashback. Douglas aircraft were built like tanks.

[@gomachan10000]

Very impressive👀 United airline B737/727 DC8 and PIEDMONT B737 are my best memory on my Japanese magazine I bought 14age✨ This is very precious video, Thank you so much put that on KZbin😍

[@peggyl2849]

One of my favorite parts of flying out of O'Hare was that piece where you taxi across the bridge over Mannheim Rd and see all the cars below, on the way from the terminal to the runways. Haven't flown in a long time; I'm not sure if that is even the same any more.

[@MrLyosea]

Very cool to see family vhs video prior to 1983. Probably the only time I like seeing simple stuff being recorded.

[@torgeirbrandsnes1916]

Thank you! Awesome for 1979!

[@htz26129]

Thank you for uploading this video . Love it...

[@jmkpns]

Great video. A lot of airplanes that you don’t see anymore.

[@MEATYOKERRable]

THE next best thing to Time Travel..... thanks for posting.

[@dereksmith1013]

This is really cool. I was born in '82 but many of these planes were still flying as passenger jets in the early 90s. This reminds me of this fast-food joint (Roy Rogers?) across the highway from Newark International Airport that me and my family would stop at when driving to Connecticut from Philly to visit family. You'd see: a 727, DC-9, MD-80, DC-10, a 747, a 737-200 and 300, an A300, a 757, 767, and occasional 707! Good times.

[@ez8546]

That was the REAL United Airlines, not this crappy Continental hybrid they have today.

[@Romero-ip1mj]

revin togo Agreed United merged with continental airlines sucks seeing old airliners go away

[@goodfella2400]

G G True. Long live the tulip.

[@doug9066]

I agree.

[@samueltovey4646]

G G, Sure. You can say that. But remember that aircraft today are more fuel efficient and don’t need four engines to fly across a continent like these ‘true’ or ‘real’ aircraft needed. I really don’t think a marketing strategy such as partnership is crappy because remember that airlines in the 70s were over-funding planes in hope they would offer more to the public person but it was never about civilians and they seemed to be more focused on profit; that’s why seats are cheaper and why you ask, because airlines have more routes, partners and better aircraft.

[@cameraman655]

@@goodfella2400 Long Live The Meatball!

[@kenk039]

Ah yes. I used to camp out on Irving park road watching landings. They’d fly right over your head, close too. Now they kick you out or ticket you. Miss those days! Great video! Glad you had the kids there, and nice trans am too👍

[@brakel8r]

the wonders of Video vs digital recordings...it looks live after over 40 years

[@american101]

This is great!! I love watching vintage aircraft!!

[@carymundy]

Geeking out over the low color bandwidth of those early recorders. The vivid livery of the United planes, and the bright red tail of northwest looks almost black and white

[@RuiPlaneSpotter]

Very good video, congratulations!

[@VideofromGeorge]

Glad you liked it!

[@jfk-od2wy]

Just watched the doc. about the DC-10 a couple days ago. -- amazing footage / going to watch it again, great post.

[@TheRollsRoyceTrent]

These were the good days of commercial aviation.

[@ImmortalSynn]

+The Rolls Royce Trent In spotting variety, sure. Have a mainline crash every few months though. No thanks, I'll take today's (incredible) safety over the crash-happy '70s ANY day.

[@BettinaBalser]

I never tire of watching this wonderful clip. Thank you thank you thank you!

[@convaircrazy]

Wonderful memory lane video here! Thanks for sharing this...

[@Starstream880]

I hope to take my girls to a wonderful afternoon like this at O'Hare. Thanks for a great video!

[@johnnybikes1]

When you use to be able to pull over on irving park road rt 19 without being hassled by anyone, i grew up in egv and use to go to the airport with my friend and people watch, what a awesome video!

[@artheriford]

Wow........thanks for sharing this. This was really cool

[@psychfred]

Thank you for sharing this!!

[@VideofromGeorge]

You're welcome.

[@CairnTerrier69]

Love this!!! That screaming DC-8 at the beginning. Some other great catches...North Central DC-9-51...love the “Herman the Duck” logo, and a few North Central CV-580’s probably off to Stevens Point, Madison, or Appleton.

[@DrewTubeDrew]

Awesome video! Love watching the DC-8's and those Convair CV's by North Central.

[@Anyone553]

Is this the same runway where AA191 took off from? I know ORD has a few runways just curious

[@mcdonnell220]

Great George, thanks! I was 18, graduated high school that year.

[@ArkitektoHardinero]

Lovin those planes! Even the cars! Good old days felt like i was there even though this video is a few years older than me.

[@jeffrodrigues3176]

Great video, love all the 727s!

[@pettyofficer30]

Great video! I was only 9 months old at that time.

[@edandtwa800]

I too was 9 in 79', my aunt and uncle were booked on the doomed AA flight .Thank God they changed their flight. I was based at ORD for many moons.

[@danedmiston7734]

WOW! surprised to see a couple of DC-8's. Very cool video.

[@markchadwick2286]

Beautiful video of some beautiful aircrafts.. especially done with old equipment.. 😊😊😊👍👍👍👍👍✈️✈️✈️🛩️🛩️

[@mr2bmw]

WOW! Thanks for sharing!

[@TM-nu5vd]

A blast from the past! I remember my Dad taking us to Irving Park Rd to watch the planes take off!! The cops really didn't care that much back then...

[@aviation_enthusiast]

Very nice retro videos, many thanks 👍

[@bobd5740]

This is excellent, thank you. Was this taken from Irving Park Rd (as it was back then)?

[@jonathanraz819]

incredible video.

[@personofinterestchocolatem9158]

I remember Dad taking us boys right where these cars are parked out on Irving Park Rd. we'd sit outside and watch as the planes took off. Back then they utilized those 2 runways for take-offs of every type of aircraft both Commercial and Cargo all except the 747 and 747-200 which were the only variants at that time. My Aunt and Uncle had a house in Wood Dale IL. and you could look out the kitchen window at night and it looked just like a highway of cars coming towards you with their bright lights on. Twice a day they had a TWA 747-200 come in 1 from LAX and the second from STL of course the one from STL would be used that evening for TWA's ORD - LHR ( London Heathrow Airport flight ) one part of my family would only fly TWA and the other part ( from Chicago ) would only fly on AA in fact my other Aunt and Uncle flew AA FLT 191 ORD - LAX regularly to see my cousins. They were originally booked to fly on the ill-fated fly 191 but my Uncle needed the employees to finish a bid before he could leave, so my Aunt Ruth called AA and rescheduled for the following day. I'm told many had last minute changes that took them off or put them on the Ill-fated flight. In fact one celebrity to have a last minute fear in her gut was the 'Bionic Woman ' Lindsey Wagner was traveling to LAX with her Mother and told her Mom, "Mom, we cannot board this flight, I have a terrible feeling, Mom lets cancel this flight for another tomorrow." Lindsey's Mom knew she was a no-nonsense type of person immediately agreed with her and they cancelled. It saved their lives. Seeing this footage brings back memories of days when we could walk pretty close to the door and if Dad were traveling for work we could sometimes get on with him and sit in the CAs or FOs seats while they did walk-arounds. First Class was so classy back then, but heck I'dve sat on the floor as long as I got a window. I want to thank you for posting these memories which lead to other memories, these were great times. Thanks again!

[@aaronberns8485]

Crazy to think that this VHS recording was captured just 3 months after the crash.

[@mppetrikas4919]

What road is this video taken from and what runway are they departing? I grew up in Chicago in the 80s and can't quite place it.

[@SeanLovesAviation]

Nice quality for so many years ago!

[@richardsundown2175]

What an awesome trip down memory lane. Omg even a couple of North Central convairs

[@MrCrapmatic]

Holy cow... what a keeper. Video out in the field in 1979. What's the UAL DC-8-61's at 1:30 and 6:30... would that have been for ORD-HNL or some other route? I also wonder about the DC-10 banking left so suddenly after takeoff at the end. Was that something they did for traffic separation? I've never seen that kind of thing done at DFW. Not much of a climb rate there either.

[@elainefrantz9139]

The Dc8-62had the INS and was used for ORD-HNL--that was the plane my dad flew to HNL

[@JGLJR1]

I was an Air Traffic Controller at ORD from 1992 until 1997. It appears that they are departing Runway 22L, It was standard to fly runway heading or turn left to more than 140 degrees on this configuration, any more than that would conflict with the Runway 27L arrivals. I absolutely loved working there! James

[@scoobycarr5558]

MrCrapmatic You mean Chicago to Honolulu? It's very possible. A rather smaller plane like the DC8 vs. the 747 would prove to be a winner for United Airlines especially between Chicago and Hawaii.

[@catsnchords]

The DC-8-61s were common on the ORD - west coast routes.

[@VolkswagenFoxGL]

Recorded with the Magnavox Chromavue? (A re-badged JVC CV-0001) 1" vidicon camera. Looks like someone had a little burn in on the tube 😬 sun light reflecting off chrome is very unforgiving with those tube cameras. I have a 1978 Magnavox Chromavue with power pack and cables that still works but no VCR. Can record straight to a USB capture card though. Looks just like this video quality. I should upload a video with it. Cool video from the past!! Do you still have the camera?

[@VideofromGeorge]

Wow, camera gone many, many years ago. All that is left is the tapes. I am one of the sons going through the tapes. I was too young to remember the type of camera my father had. He passed away in 2001.

[@VolkswagenFoxGL]

very very cool to have those tapes. Those cameras were VERY expensive back then. I bet he paid somewhere between 1200-1800 for his setup. (probably Like 3-4000 in today's money spending power) Like a time machine to see these videos. So cool!!

[@BFFAvgeek15]

Now this is cool! You're one of the grandfathers of plane spotting! :)

[@hectorzambrano4092]

Man, I wonder how times changed. This seems gold!

[@ciccone39]

What kind of battery pack did you use? Or, were you running off your car battery?

[@VideofromGeorge]

My dad recorded this. I am the kid in the plaid shirt. I remember he had several batteries that lasted only about 30 minutes. They were like a bar....maybe about a foot long, and inch thick, 3 inches wide? He had to change them often. They slid into the bottom of the portable VCR if I remember correctly.