Recording apparatus for recording video signal on a tape by helical scan heads has a special frame data detector for detecting a special frame data that can be processed during a reproducing operation, without any additional data, to reproduce an image, a memory for storing the special frame data, and inserting arrangement for inserting a selected track after a predetermined number of tracks. One selected track is written with a portion of the special frame data repeatedly, and another selected track is written with another portion of the special frame data repeatedly, and so on. During the high speed reproducing mode, various portions of the special frame data as obtained from a number of selected tracks are gathered to form an image.